I don’t make films, I live films

Manpriya Singh

Muzaffar Ali is a man of few words. The few words comprising poetry, art, Sufism, Urdu; that invariably steer their way into the conversation. All of which can be credited to the surreal source of inspiration, traced to a strong sense of roots. Everything else —clothe or film is just a medium for an artist, a thinker let loose.

“I don’t react, I reflect,” it takes effort to stay restricted to the business at hand, his film Jaanisaar. “I don’t make films, I live films,” he shares, while in Chandigarh for the promotions. A film that marks his return after more than three long decades to commercial cinema.

“There are always a lot of subjects and something sees the light of the day and something doesn’t. Jaanisaar is important. I the sense it marks a time period of 1857 and 20 years thereafter, which was very important in the history of India.”

He adds, “It is set in the time when people were stifled, were not free to speak.”

As for the period of 1857, “that has gone unrecorded largely and whatever literature is available is largely recorded by the British save for a few stories as a point of reference.”

This prince does charm

The story of a prince and a courtesan, the courtesan of Avadh, and a prince brought up in England, set 20 years after the first war of Indian Independence of 1857. Shares Muzaffar, “The story starts with his coming to India, played by Imraan Abbas.” The Pakistani actor, “who is a sensitive boy and has perfect diction and has rendered a cerebral performance.” He adds, “People should respond to him.”

Comparisons to his cult Umraao Jaan at several levels will be hard to keep aside. The role that partly defines Rekha as she stands today. “No doubt, Rekha’s pull was unparalleled. Pernia has brought in a lot of vigour and simplicity.”

Jaanisaar is set in 20 years after Umraao Jaan, a story inspired by history as much as reality. He shares, “There is even an incident about what had happened to my mother’s grandfather.” The brutalities simmer deep inside, even then he chooses to reflect, not react.

Dancing to heart’s content

While Imraan could not make it, courtesy no visa, joining in is Pernia Qureshi. The Noor, the courtesan. “It’s a girl I look up to in several ways. She is very cool girl. She is a courtesan, has all the charm and graces and at the same time is very fierce and patriotic,” Pernia opens up about what propelled the switch from fashion to arc lights. “But what made me do the movie was dance. Since dance has been such an integral part of my life and was such an integral part of this film that the transition to acting wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.” 

Originally hailing from Rampur, UP, helped. However, “I had to work on my Urdu diction and accent. During subbing every word I said, I made my voice deeper, slower and huskier.” While styling Aisha may have been the big ticket to recognition. Incidentally, “In this movie, that wasn’t required at all. I was so confident of the makers and their label Kotwara that I did not pay attention to costues at all. Moreover, so no one can do Awadhi, Lucknawi fashion better than them.”  Anyone even remotely following fashion will vouch for that. 

In sync

Among several other singers, the voice has been rendered by Ustad Shafqat Ali Khan, the classical singer from Pakistan. “Had I kept Umraao Jaan in mind, I wouldn’t have been able to work for this film. It is always challenging to work in any capacity on a period film but since I have been associated with Muzaffar sir since the past 14 years and have been singing since the age of 7, the beauty lay in the challenge.”

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