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'Khuda Ke Liye'
An engrossing watch
Nikhil Kumar
 Pakistani
film 'Khuda Ke Liye' tells an engrossing, multi-layered story that
pits the opinion of the moderate, tolerant Muslims against the
fundamentalist ones.
I
remember getting blown away by Pakistani director Sabiha
Sumer's excellent film 'Khamosh Pani' a couple of years ago. The
movie told the story of a youth in rural
Pakistan
who falls under the influence of fundamentalists, and turns his back
to his mother and his lover. Mansoor's film 'Khuda Ke Liye' goes a
step further. Not only does it show a young man's transition to
fundamentalist beliefs, the movie gives it a deeper perspective by
pitching in the voice of moderate Muslims as well. In fact, it can
be safely said that the protagonist of 'Khuda Ke Liye' is a modern,
liberal- minded, tolerant Muslim.
While the film's introspective theme takes a look within the
contemporary Pakistani society and shows the wedge between the
moderates and extremists, it also brings to the fore the
less-acknowledged truth that Muslims are being viewed with
increasing suspicion in the West. All it takes for you to become a
terror suspect is be a Muslim, even though a progressive and
moderate one. Besides this, the film also highlights the double
standards in the largely patriarchal Pakistani Muslim society where
women have to follow what men decide for them, even against their
wishes.
Laden with such relevant issues, 'Khuda Ke Liye' turns out to be a
film that not just entertains you, but it raises questions in your
mind about the denigration and hypocrisy in society and religion.
The movie tells the story of two brothers – Mansoor (Shaan) and
Sarmad (Fawad Khan) – who are into music. The younger one, Sarmad,
falls under the influence of a fanatic maulana who brainwashes the
young man and turns him into a radical. Sarmad quits music, grows a
beard, gives up the western lifestyle and follows what he thinks is
the life of a devout Muslim.
Mansoor, on the other hand, goes to the
US
for higher studies in music. But things change after 9/11. Mansoor
is picked up by the authorities in the US as a possible terror
suspect. In between, there is a heart-rending ale of Mary (Iman
Ali), a British girl of Pakistani origin, who is brought back to
Pakistan by her father who wants to forcibly marry her to a
Pakistani man of his choice because he doesn't want her to form any
relation with her English boyfriend despite the fact that the father
himself is in a relationship with a British woman.
Mary's domineering father is content in dumping his daughter with a
fundamentalist Sarmad in the tribal regions of Wazirstan, than marry
her off to a non- Muslim Briton. These three stories are intertwined
in a meaningful and crafty way. And in the end comes a courtroom
drama that questions the distorted view of Islam propagated by the
radicals. The movie has fine performances from its male cast,
particularly Shaan. Fawad manages to portray well the dilemma and
radicalization of a strayed youth. Iman Ali takes some time to
register an impact.
Naseeruddin Shah has a brief appearance as a devout cleric with a
progressive, liberal view of Islam. The film's music and songs are
mesmerizing, particularly 'Allah Ho' and 'Bandeya'. Technically, it
is a fairly good movie with a few glitches that can be ignored. What
stands out though is Shoaib Mansoor's honest intention, and his deft
handling of a serious, sensitive and pertinent subject. Worth a
watch.
23 April 2008
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