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| 6, April 2005 | Wednesday | 26 Safar 1426 |
Beg calls for courses on documentaries
ISLAMABAD, April 5: Obaidullah Beg wears a number of hats, and his versatility and talents as a panelist in Kasauti as well as the producer of successful documentary films was acknowledged by the former PTV managing director, Aslam Azhar, who presided over the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) discussion session, Dialogue on Art, here on Tuesday. For the benefit of those, who might have become oblivious of the tremendous mass popularity enjoyed by this programme, Aslam Azhar prevailed on Obaidullah Beg and Iftikhar Arif to conduct a mock session of Kasauti.
Mr Beg has achieved international repute as TV producer, novelist and some time journalist. At present, he is producing documentaries to present the soft image of Pakistan for international markets
Very few people know that Mr Beg’s great grandfather died fighting Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb for his policies and by that measure Beg gained immense insight into readings of Islamic history, which helped him coming out with quick answers in the programme. Some one who has been on the panel with him remembers that he and Quraishpur, are two men who have been gifted with prodigious memory.
Over the years, Mr Beg spouted different names for varying purposes. He would be Habibullah Beg in his newspaper columns, but Sailani when he would take his viewers on exploration of the far countryside of Pakistan. A wildlife conservationist film producer he named himself as Jim Jones which changed as suddenly to Tughral Turkeman while explaining history in documentaries. Let’s not forget that he is a phenomenal match maker as well.
Mr Beg took great pains while talking about Kasauti, how the series ran for several years until it finally closed down. He said above every thing else Kasauti highlighted the value of reading and keeping one self abreast with books and knowledge of history. His one wish in life is to revive this programme for the new crop of children and other youths, who have grown up since it folded up.
Mr Beg’s next message was about the value of preparing and marketing good documentary films about Pakistan. These films would do more to introduce the geography, natural habitat, wealth of forests and natural resources, landscapes as well as the art and music of the country to foreign audiences. In this regard, Mr Beg suggested that the PTV Academy might initiate and conduct courses on production of documentary films, and even allow the admission of people from outside the PTV, who had the inclination to do so. In addition, the academy should also invite well-known foreign experts to train our people, Mr Beg said. Mr Beg utilized the occasion to pay his debt of gratitude to Aslam Azhar for showing the way to success. He said Aslam Azhar was a real hard taskmaster, and he would quizzed us before entrusting Kasauti programme to us. “As for documentaries, he called him one morning and handed him a do-it-yourself book on production of TV documentaries.” On the first page of the book it was stated that it was possible to make a good film within 500 pounds, whereas all that Obaidullah team received was mere Rs800 for making one film. Sitting at the chairman’s desk of the dialogue forum, Aslam Azhar had a hearty laugh when Obaidullah Beg narrated the story.—Jonaid Iqbal
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