The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Living a PAKISTANI DREAM.

Yes, Mira nair is exactly doing that. Not living an American dream and rather living a Pakistani Dream.  What a movie and what a performance!!! A movie to showcase life of innocent pakistanies to be considered and falsely convicted as terrorist or criminals. The movie uncovers the true emotions of such a man who goes through all the brutalities of victimization by totally stupid intelligence personals. The same is shown in one of the scene in the movie where an officer repeatedly asks the protagonist same question about him being a terrorist. As if he will change his answer. The nerdy and procedural stupidity of americans is also shown in many other scenes where the protagonist is held under surveillance and troubled every now and again without any particular reason.  Since the Americans have a habit of following specific procedures so they also want everyone to follow the same. That is how the theme of the movie is built up.

Changez khan (Riz Ahmed) is a bright Pakistani lad who has cracked into the financial industry of America and started following the FUNDAMENTALs of the system. He started following what he is told. Being the brightest pays him with the fastest promotion. He gets a gal of relations to his boss. He is away from his family but he is LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM. When he is on a trip to Phillipines, a devastating attack on twin towers occurred. On his return, everything is changed for him. At the airport itself he goes through a thump on his self esteem and then the receiving American girlfriend asks him “why do they do it”.  He starts realizing slowly that he is not living his life and it’s a borrowed life and a borrowed dream. Mira nair has captured the emotions very nicely. She has showcased the emotion through various incidences he goes through with his colleagues, friends, girlfriend and of course the stupid system. His self respect is completely shattered and self believe also shambles which is why he misinterpret the efforts of his girlfriend to celebrate their love. Totally out of self confidence, full of disgust and embarrassment he decides to come back to where he belongs, to his own country, Pakistan. Though shattered by American system he is still proud enough to be Pakistani and being honest. And does not want to prove hard himself right, honest or innocent by removing his beard or doing whatever they ask for. This attitude and the feeling of revenge make him join a college to teach students – FIND PAKISTANI DREAM AND LIVING IT.

Mira Nair has presented a well crafted movie here. She has captured exactly what she wants to tell –which is absolutely NOT THE REASON WHY PEOPLE BECOME TERROIST, like most of such movies show. The movie is really moving and touching. I tried my best to watch it with a view of filmmaker but could not do it and got so indulged in the emotions that I started to relate the situation to the real life. Kudos to Mira Nair to capture the little little things very nicely. And of course a big big kudos to the Guy  - Riz Ahmed. Man, he has acted. Deserves an award for this one. His act through the transition from a bright ambitious AMERICAN financial entrant to a PKISTANI activist professor is smooth and non dramatic. It is as natural as it can be. Fantabulous job by Riz. 

Mira Nair has used very raw cinematography for the film. She has not shown even a single glossy frame which gels well with the theme of the movie. The make up is very subtle and gives the original and natural look to the characters. Both of these aspects gives a feeling of watching a documentary on the real event. Art direction is also very good. The locations of Lahore looks very real and skyscrappers of Newyork captures the wall street looks. Some of the frames where the images on lift doors  or burning twin towers of background on the mirror are really awesome. Essence of Lahore is captured very nicely by camera which actually goes in the back ground but gives it a original look. A particular frame where a small girl is walking towards a office to drop a parcel shows the peculiarity of Lahorian neighborhood. And you can see one person using 4 filters to filter tea. The background score or music goes with the theme of the movie. Especially the lyrics of the songs in the background are actually depicting the situation going on the screen. All in all, the efforts of Mira Nair to tell a touching, not a routine terrorist story are commendable.

But Alas,! Hollywood does not like such movies. Hollywood or America promotes the movie only which go ga ga over the efforts of Americans to fight the terrorism no matter how big the collateral damage is. Argo or zero dark thirty are the best examples. Though the movies were really good. but all the pro American military or pro American government movies only get appreciated not only by the Hollywood but by the public, the Americans also. From Indian and Pakistan they just want to see how we fight our poverty – Slumdog Millionare. So finally this movie will not feature anywhere in any of the award ceremony of Hollywood. I hope it changes this time!!!

By the way, on my way back from the movie at night around 1 o clock I was stopped by the cops twice in the offence of wearing the helmet and not racing the bike. They unnecessarily harassed me by asking all the papers and asking all the absurd question at night one o clock but mind it, they never checked whether I was drunk!! So no matter it is America or India, innocent people are always harassed for no reason at all!!! LIVING AN INDIAN DREAM.