India, Pak film directors share common platform

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 17

To exploit the talent pool that India and Pakistan possess, for the first time Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) took an initiative, “Zeal for Unity”, to bring six directors each from both sides of the border on a common platform at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpoint for a apolitical exchange to inspire people towards fostering peace and harmony.

Film-makers from India and Pakistan also paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here on Wednesday.

From the Indian side film makers Aparna Sen, Bejoy Nambiar, Ketan Mehta, Nikhil Advani, Tanuja Chandra and Tignamshu Dhulla and from Pakistan side Khalid Ahmad, Mehreen Jabbar, Meenu-Farjad, Sabiha and Sumar, Shahbaz Sumar and Siraj-ul-Haque, volunteered to make films on their own storyline but with a common theme “Freedom” under the campaign with a tagline ‘Main aur tu — it takes two’. Funds for all films were made available by ZEEL.

It is a historic step in the sense that an Indian banner had never produced a Pakistani film so far. However, the tagline of the initiative is ‘Main aur tu — it takes two’.

Shailja Kejriwal, chief creative, special projects, ZEEL, said there were as many as 12 multifarious stories of various lengths touching upon different subjects. These films would be readied by May or June.

She said, “These movies will be showcased through a film festival simultaneously which will be held on both sides of the border. Later, it will be telecast on Zee channel, probably by August 15.”

While Nambiar’s movie ‘Dobara’ is about a free-spirited girl, who gets into an arranged marriage, Ketan Mehta’s ‘Toba Tek Singh’ is a satire penned by famous Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film is on a Muslim boy, who hides his identity and pretends to be a Hindu to find a house in Mumbai.

Meenu Farjad’s ‘Jeevan Haathi’ is a dark comedy on media and features Indian actor Naseerudin Shah, with whom directors Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi have earlier worked on ‘Zinda Bhaag’. Shahbaz Sumar’s ‘Khaeme Mein Mat Jhankein’ is a fantasy fiction while Siraj Ul Haq’s ‘Mohabbat Ki Aakhri Kahani’ is on honour killing.

The objective of the assembly of film intellectuals was to bring peace and tranquility, which could translate into reality only if the political dimension of both sides were made conducive.

Pakistan’s film maker Farzad said though the two neighbours had no language barrier and shared same culture, yet the route to see a Pakistani film was through ‘London’.

He said, “Why cannot Pakistani films be released and shown in India. We have somewhere lost in translating peace and harmony, which we project through films and culture.”

Hindi film-maker Tigmanshu Dhulia opined that the Partition had been the biggest tragedy of the millions.

He said, “Those who had drawn the partition lines are no more now, but it’s time for the present generation to make an apology from either side for the past mistakes to start afresh. The end result should be that Indian films are being made in Pakistan and vice-versa without any hassles.”

Siraj-ul-Haque from Pakistan opined that most youth in Pakistan had grown up watching Indian films with keen interest and intensity.

Siraj-ul-Haque said, “Films can only be a medium to strengthen ties between the two nations. We, as film-makers can only facilitate it, but the political set up of either side of the border has to be friendly to make it a success.”

“This initiative is keeping in line with our proposition ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which means “The World is My Family”. It’s an initiative to bring people together, and one of the best ways to reach people is through cultural similarities,” said Punit Goenka, managing director and CEO, ZEEL.