Shadow over classic Pakistani movie at Mumbai film festival

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, October 16

A classic Pakistani film, ‘Jago Hua Savera’ (1959), which is due to be screened at the Jio MAMI Mumbai film festival here next week has drawn the ire of protesters.

The film shot in Hindi and Urdu was originally shot in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and depicts the life of Bengali fishermen who struggle against unscrupulous moneylenders.

Directed by AJ Kardar, the movie is based on a story by Manik Bandopadhyay and stars Bengali actress Tripti Mitra. The restored version of the film is scheduled to be screneed in the festival’s special section.

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According to police, one Prithvi Maske, who heads an NGO called Sangharsh Foundation, has filed a complaint against the festival organisers over the decision to screen the movie which was undivided Pakistan’s entry for the Oscars in 1960.

Some right-wing organisations have also threatened to hold protests outside the venues where the film is scheduled to be screened.
The Jio MAMI film festival, now in its 18th year, will feature around 180 films from 54 countries.
The screening of the Pakistani movie comes days after single-screen theatres in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka announced that they would not be screening Karan Johar’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ which features
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. Johar’s film is due for release on the Diwali weekend.