Sorry about my long absence. I hope, what I am offering today will make up for it to some extent. It is the first made-for-TV feature film about the life of Iqbal, now available on Youtube.
Why did Iqbal suggest the idea of Pakistan (or did he, in the first place)? What was the bigger picture? How can we grasp the overall aim and purpose that our ancestors had in mind when they envisaged Pakistan?
These were the kind of questions we wanted to address in Iqbal: an Approach to Pakistan, the first made-for-TV film about the life of Allama Iqbal. Indeed, when we started making the film in 2006, these questions were more common than they are today. Somehow, it seems that the nation has started coming out of its confusions, and now, it may be found that the answers offered in our film are becoming increasingly more relevant.
Since 2009, when the film was officially aired from PTV and released on DVD, I have been showing it in schools, colleges, universities and teacher-training institutes. I have felt that the general interest is increasing with time: the audience seems lot more enthusiastic about this little known film now than two years ago.
Now that Iqbal Academy Pakistan has put it up on its YouTube channel, I can conveniently share it in this newsletter. I am doing so with much joy because I really like this film much more than some of my other writings. The basic idea was developed by my friend Faisal Rehman, who also directed it (and those of you who remember him as the trendsetting “Armaan” from the 1981 movie Nahin Abhi Nahin will find an extra layer of meaning in the film). I wrote the script and Iqbal Academy Pakistan produced it. Some of the big stars of our film and media appear in the film – Usman Pirzada, Waseem Abbas, Saba Pervez, Shamil Khan, Shujaat Hashmi, among others.
Due to the generous budget of the Academy and their status as a government organization, we were able to shoot some of the scenes on an epic scale – you will see Lahore Fort as it used to be in the days of the British Raj with a Union Jack flying over its main entrance, Iqbal will be found reciting his poems at the Tomb of Jehangir (which was one of his favorite jaunts for partying with his friends), and so on. Scenes of his residence were shot inside the house where he actually lived from 1922 to 1934.
I am specially recommending this film to everyone who is interested in Iqbal, Pakistan or just watching a well-made intelligent movie. Please let me know what you think of it, or post your comments directly at the Youtube page.
Wow! m already downloading it! :D
ReplyDeleteWill watch today inshAllah...
My father caught this on TV a while ago. I am glad it's available to watch for me now.
ReplyDeleteCertainly this manner of teaching is best for most in our time. How beautiful every single scene and frame (my favorite sort of movie has this). I also love a film with visible results for inner development of each major character - as this appears to have as well.
ReplyDeleteI will delight to soon find enough quiet to go through the film with special care and listening.
Thank you for sharing your long labor of love for your dear mentor with us who also find such truth and beauty in his legacy worldwide.
superb! i loved it, the message, the ending, the dialogue, the acting, the rendition of iqbal's poetry, especially the ghazal at the end touches you deep down. the hopeful ending brought emotions rushing to the fore resulting in tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeletei have down loaded it to be broadcast on public access channel, locally, posted on my fb page, will send it to my email list.
however, i do have some comments. i used to wonder what made jinnah to switch from congress to muslim league, after reading tehrike pakistan, the reasons became clear.
i was intrigued by: qaum mazhab se banti hai and khauf being the real reason for every ill in the world. can you please explain why you believe, exclusively these to be the reason?
Daleel-e-Subh-e-Roshan hai staaron ki tunak yaabi, Ufaqq se Aftaab ubhraa, gayaa Daur-e-Giraan Khwaabi!!
ReplyDeleteSoul-stirring rendition and the Master's Spirit has been well portrayed by Shuja'at Hashmi.
Amazing movie, dialogues the message it gives is simply great. Thanks for uploading and sharing it. Since my school life I was told that Iqbal is our national poet, same was told in the college because he presented the idea of Pakistan. This is quite a satisfactory reason. Why he presented the idea of Pakistan and his writings were never discussed nor explained. My 16 years of education could not explained me this until recently when I attended a workshop on Iqbal by Khurram Ali Shafique, watch Arman (2010) and attending an online course 'Introduction to Iqbal Studies' (present). Thanks sir .
ReplyDeleteI had been reading Iqbal ever since I was in college. Although he was tough to understand but I was getting something at least. This movie has given me a whole new idea of reading Iqbal. A new Iqbal...
ReplyDeleteBISMILLAH.
ReplyDeleteUFFFF....SIR GEE...this movie was awesome!
especially the IQBAL WORDS LIKE:
"PATTHAR k ilawa...harr cheez men TAZAAD hay...
alag alag JAZBAY...aik hi DIL men JAMA ho jaty hen"...
and sir g u wrote it beautifully mashallah.
i think,we need 2 have more films,like this one!
jzakallah khair.
Whats a agreat movie,Superb;I watched this film before, when PTV released it in 2007,Irealy impressed by it,at that time;DAYAR E ISHQ ME APNA MUQAM PAIDA KAR, NAE SUBHE,NAE SHAM PAIDA KAR.
ReplyDeleteAs iqbal said in 1930 "Ilead no party,Ifollow no leader,Ihave given the best part of my life to careful study of Isla;its law and polity,its culture,its history and its literature.This constant contact with the spirit of islam as it unfold,itself in time,has,Ithink given me a kind of insight into the significance as a world fact."
According to this adress,I don't considered that, Iqbal wants this type of world,it is not the same Pakistan which idealised by sir Muhammed Iqbal.
We,and our "nasl e now" always read that Iqbal is our national poet and he is the man who first put forward the idea of pakustan,this is his pakistan where merit has no value,where a life has no value,where no any law and constitution according to Islam.
No; he put forward the idea of pakistan like "Marghdeen" a world with love and peace.
Aesthetically appealing and historically accurate. The issue of minorities is tackled very nicely. The parallel plot is also something that piques one's interest. The Pakistani politician who wants better for Pakistan is a pleasant change as well. All in all, gives a message of hope and is the need of the hour. The narrative is able to grasp attention of the viewer. five stars
ReplyDeleteI think this is a highly relevant movie to watch for Pakistanis. The great thing about this movie is that it helps us understand how Iqbal thought and how we can apply his thinking in today's times. Through Iqbal, we learn why we decided to become independent. Today, among all the talk of living together among different cultures, we see the wisdom of separation, the wisdom of choosing our own destiny, and not having any reason to believe we are being dictated to. This is a must watch for all, thank you for uploading it.
ReplyDeleteSuperb!! HOPE epitomised! And where there is hope, there is a potential Marghdeen! Bravo :)
ReplyDeleteWe are realy very greatful to you for the splended piece of such an historical movie showed by you...
ReplyDeletethe given movie sights , historicla monoments recal the moments of golden period consist of freedomful pages and realy awakes sleeping pakistani of our inner side through its presentation
It is a wonderful movie.There is a lot of things for an individual to learn.There was just one problem,some of the important dialogues were not audible.I missed some crucial dialogues without which I could not come to a satisfactory conclusion.
ReplyDeleteExcellent movie! Capsulated form of our course. Keep up the good work. Reintroduce Iqbal and Persian in the education system of Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteMay Allaah bless you for giving us such a thought provoking film . It gives an altogether new dimension to the profession of teaching .
ReplyDeleteIt is said "a picture worths a thousand words". This 45 minutes movie does make an impact. Iqbal's message of "khudi" has been conveyed very nicely. I wish and hope such movies to be made and shown on Pakistan TV channels in future. All the best to Khurram and his team.
ReplyDeleteI have watched the movie second time.It was a great eye opener for me.Mr. Armaan did a wonderful job.I found the minister a bit too cranky.I suppose she was doing what the director wanted her to do.I liked the song yeh dekhnay ki cheez hai isay baar baar dekh.Whoever sang the song has a very good voice.Kudos to our writer.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching it.Waheed would be proud of you.
What a very nice and the amazing video about the allama iqbal that is really a true musliam and islami poet of pakistan and india. thanks for the sharin sir.
ReplyDelete