KARACHI: The first Pakistan International Film Festival (PIFF) began with a panel discussion on the subject of ‘Collaboration across borders: possibilities and future directions’ with a stellar line-up of speakers comprising members of Indian and Pakistani film industries at Ziauddin University on Thursday.

Indian actress and film-maker Nandita Das was the first to speak on the topic. She said it was in 1996 that she first came to Pakistan. Then she did a video for the song ‘Ghoom Tana’ with musician Salman Ahmed, followed by working in a film Ramchand Pakistani, directed by Mehreen Jabbar. So, she had been to Pakistan on more than 10 occasions and it all felt apna apna.

On the upcoming film Manto that she has helmed, Das said she had first read writer Saadat Hasan Manto’s stories in college, and had always wanted to do his shorts stories [on celluloid]. But in 2012, when the writer’s centenary was celebrated, she got to read more material on him and realised that what he wrote was relevant to date. One of the reasons for making Manto was to enable the ‘Mantoiyat’ (a word she coined) in us. She wanted to shoot the film in Lahore and had even talked to certain people about it, but the political situation changed, and Pakistani actors were stopped from working in India. Sometimes the media contributed to labelling each other’s country as ‘enemy’.

She said in India people tease her saying she’s making a movie on a Pakistani writer but then when books are published, he’s hailed as one of the greatest Indian short story writers. Manto cannot be divided. “He’s a South Asian writer, a world writer. What he’s written about human identity needs to be highlighted.”

Cross-border discussion about cinema kicks off PIFF

Distinguished film-maker and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj said he’d composed music for Pakistani film-makers Hasan Zia and Mehreen Jabbar, but, he emphasised, the first time he wanted to visit Pakistan was when he saw the play Dhoop Kinarey. “I fell in love with Marina Khan.” Also, he’d get up [in the morning] listening to Mehdi Hasan.

He said in 2006 he landed in Pakistan with his film Omkara to be screened at Kara Film Festival. He had, however, told Hasan Zaidi (founder of Kara) that he’d come to Pakistan on the condition that he’d meet Marina. And he did meet her, and ever since he’d been here three or four times. He argued if the Berlin Wall could fall, we could also erase the Wagah border. He quoted a couple of verses in that context, one of which was:

Dushmani jum ker kero lekin yeh gunjaish rahey
Kal kaheen hum dost ho jaen to sharminda na hon

[Be my foe, but bear this in mind:
If we become friends, we shouldn’t be ashamed of ourselves]

Pakistani actress Sajjal Ali said she was approached by producer Boney Kapoor (husband of the late Sridevi) to work in the Bollywood film Mom to play the role of Sri’s daughter. Sridevi never let her feel that she was working with a legend. Then the atmosphere changed, and Sajjal said she couldn’t go to India either to promote Mom or take part in Sridevi’s last rites.

Indian screenwriter Anjum Rajabali said all of those who were present in the hall agreed that there should be collaboration [between India and Pakistan] and there should be more meeting points. When the political situation worsens, it’s the entertainment industry that becomes the initial target. We should begin by acknowledging the fact that the public and those associated with entertainment industries have no negative feelings towards each other.

Pakistani film producer Rashid Khawaja raised the question as to why Bollywood doesn’t take a stand when it comes to the screening of Pakistani products in India and the ban on Pakistani artists whereas Pakistan is the third largest overseas market for Bollywood. Bhardwaj did not agree with it and said Bollywood had promoted and made into stars the likes of Fawad Khan and Ali Zafar. Rajabali, though agreeing with the fact that things became difficult for Pakistani artists before the release of the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, mentioned that they are an entertainment industry not a militant force, implying that it becomes difficult to resist certain political forces.

Indian film-maker Harsh Narayan suggested there should be a South Asian Film Forum.

Pakistani film-maker Asim Raza welcomed the Indian guests and said because of them he’s understood the meaning of meezban nawazi.

Former senator Javed Jabbar was sitting in the hall. When he was given the microphone to give his views on the subject, he said it was politicians who allowed visas to be given to guests. People reflect politics. The duality of human nature is reflected in politics and culture. He disagreed with the Berlin Wall analogy and pointed out that let us respect the wall and love each other.

The discussion was moderated by journalist Asif Noorani.

The festival will conclude on April 1.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2018