'History has been made'

IMAN ALI makes her cinema debut with film Khuda Kay Liye and enacts the character of a British born Pakistani girl.

How was the experience of your debut performance?

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Scary at times because I knew everyone will be scrutinising my performance but otherwise I really enjoyed the film and did my best, hope the audience feels the same way as I do.

Before I even heard the script the only thing that made me go for it was Shoaib Mansoor. Although I knew that I could never carry off a proper British accent but when he called me my world became a much happier place and when I heard the script I was very enthusiastic about the film.

Your father Abid Ali is a famous theatre personality, so do you think that acting is in your genes?

I don't know, I haven't checked out my genes yet. (laughs)

What are your interests apart from acting?

I'm not a very ambitious person. Things kept happening for me and I happily accepted whatever came in my way.

Do you feel like a star after this film?

I can't believe the response I'm receiving. I never thought it would be so big. I worked hard just because it was a project from Shoaib Mansoor. It's becoming unbelievable and I really can't explain how I feel as it is my first international performance. It's too early to feel like a star, I have a long way to go.

What about your co-stars, did they make you feel comfortable?

I enjoyed acting as most of my scenes were with Fawad. We have worked together in a few dramas earlier.

How do you deal with criticism?

I don't take it seriously, as long as my director is happy I can't care less about the rest of the world.

Are you receiving offers from other filmmakers?

I have a few projects in line. There are a lot of directors with creative ideas but we are still looking for a producer. Other offers are mainly from Hindi films but I work with a certain set of rules and I give more priority to my terms and conditions. I will not bare on screen or will not do anything that makes me uncomfortable.

Moreover, I think it's time to move on, I have contributed enough to the modelling world.

Are we going to see you in a Punjabi film soon?

I will not do Punjabi films because I don't fit in that category. They will not offer me any roles, as the director's will find me very boring.

Who is your mentor?

In fashion I was much supported by Athar and Shahzad and of course for the film it's Shoaib Mansoor. If it were not for him I wouldn't have taken up the project.

Do you have a message for upcoming actors?

Well, I'm an upcoming actor. If the models want to take acting as a career they should assess themselves and make sure they can act. Models who are not good at acting spoil the image of the ones who can act.

Are you optimistic about the future of Pakistani cinema?

I hope they never stop this. It is a treat to the Pakistani expatriates in UAE as they have been starved from Pakistani cinema. History has been made and I hope it continues. I think the Pakistani audience has been deprived and now they have something to flaunt about.

They keep calling Khuda Kay Liye as the revival of cinema in Pakistan but I believe that it truly depends on how the other directors will take a step further. The doors have been opened and they must not restrict their creativities.

In search of a direction

IT TAKES something special for a Pakistani film to enter the international market and Shoaib Mansoor's film Khuda Kay Liye (In the name of God) which was released across UAE recently is certainly one good thing that has happened to the Pakistani cinema in years.

The race is on to define the 'real face' of Islam. On one hand religious figures from across the ideological spectrum are promoting themselves as the true exemplars of Muslim life and faith while on the other, modern families in Pakistan are trying to balance religion and culture.

The movie revolves around a young Pakistani man named Mansoor (Shan) who goes to the United States to learn music. During this period, the catastrophe of September 11 takes place during which the World Trade Centre is turned into dust. In a long array of investigations and arrests, the young man gets arrested by the American authorities who treat him with extreme hatred despite a lack of evidence. In a famous dialogue from the film, the American officer says, 'You kill in the name of God and you lie in His name too.'

Mansoor's younger brother Sarmad (Fawad Afzal) is being motivated by his old extremist friend Shershah (Hameed Sheikh) who makes him quit all musical activities in favour of the 'straight path'. Sarmad meets up Maulana Sahab who convinces him to grow a beard and persuades his mother to wear a hijab.

Meanwhile, his uncle (Humayun Kazmi) arrives from the UK with his only cousin Mary (Iman Ali) who wanted to marry her non-Muslim boyfriend back in the UK against her father's wishes. Her father though himself involved in a live-in relationship with a British woman is appalled that his future generation will not be Muslims. He brings her to Pakistan where Shershah trucks them to their village in a tribal area near Afghanistan and leaves Mary after forcibly getting her married to Sarmad. She tries to escape but all her efforts are in vain. This film also stars Bollywood legend Naseeruddin Shah in a short but powerful cameo where he plays a Muslim scholar who clarifies often misunderstood and misinterpreted tenets of Islam during the course of a court case.

Unlike the typical Pakistani or Bollywood films, the songs are not stuffed intrusively in between scenes. They merge well into the storyline.

Furthermore, the film reveals a startling ability to engage questions of personal faith and public life. Shoaib Mansoor does not trivialize the seriousness of the plot by inserting slapstick comedy, for example when the officer keeps harassing Mansoor with his link with Usama bin Laden the latter replies in frustration that 'Usama might be gay and he likes me.'

The thought-provoking script has music tracks with poetry by Bulhey Shah and through the music the director has brought different cultures together. The more culture is shared, the more friendship is possible. It is the understanding of cultures that is portrayed in the film that brings people close together and allows them to discuss their way of life. To not show tolerance to other cultures is depriving ourselves of their riches. 'Khuda Kay Liye' did bring this point across.There were moments in the film, which triggered many emotions. The way the director has captured the underlying themes of our society and religion in a very subtle and professional manner is astounding. Here one hopes that new directors will step in to create masterpieces such as this for the revival of Pakistan's nearly-dead cinema. This is a film that will definitely change the way people think. Watch it over and over again until it sinks in!