Ramchand Pakistani

The following article is a review of Ramchand Pakistani, a film that was broadcast on Channel 4 in October as part of their Cinema Pakistan season. Whilst writing this article I became sidetracked with my opinions on the Pakistan film industry and the significance of a film such as Ramchand Pakistani emerging from this capricious environment.

Believe it or not Pakistan once had a movie industry. Located in Lahore, the cultural capital of the country, it was referred to as Lollywood and churned out amateur genre pictures on low budgets catered for male audiences. A steady output of films was released throughout the eighties and nineties and many cinemas gave the films precedence over foreign productions. A ban on Bollywood films also meant that the industry generated enough revenue to keep up momentum. Its status as an industry, however, has remained problematic for a number of reasons. Foreign competition and the thriving dvd piracy market in the country are its major obstacles. A person can walk into a legitimate shop in the capital Islamabad and buy box sets of their favourite shows or films for a small price. For the working class citizens of Pakistan cinema going is still a cheap form of entertainment. After all Bollywood is a contemporary multimedia giant because of the working class citizens that pay to view its unique brand of glossy escapism. Therefore it is a shame that Lollywood could never match its competitor. Lollywood’s output of generic productions aimed at working class males was regarded as proof of the immoral nature of the film industry by the nation’s conservative society. As a result a cinema full of young working class men was deemed an unsuitable environment for women and families. Therefore it was Lollywood’s refusal to address a wider audience that ultimately sealed its fate.

Mehreen Jabbar’s debut feature is significant for a number of reasons. It is among a handful of films that are currently being produced through collaborative efforts between Pakistan, India and the West. The fact that it is directed by a woman and contains a female protagonist reflects the progressive stance the film has. It deals sympathetically with its subject matter and characters showing a mature sense of restraint in relation to the heavy political issues it tackles. Adapted from actual events the narrative concerns a family that belong to the Hindu Dalit caste, discriminatorily referred to as “untouchables”. This particular family of husband, wife and child live near the border with India. The child, Ramchand, and his father accidently cross the meagre borderline and are captured by Indian forces and thrown in jail. The film then focuses on two parallel storylines concerning the torment of the father and child trapped in an overcrowded jail and the grief of the mother.

Identity is a major theme in the film. The script provides a series of interesting comments on the issues of nationalism and injustice. In the prison there are ‘no castes’ says an Indian officer and the multicultural inmates echo this statement. Yet there are signs of progress in the plot which the filmmakers want us to believe are achievable. Most notably in Ramchand’s relationship with a female police officer who initially won’t even touch him due to his background. Their friendship and the camaraderie of the inmates is part of the progressive stance the film takes.

Mehreen Jabbar must be commended for her debut feature film. She has announced herself as a distinct voice in an arena which required the presence of a female visionary. She manages to extract strong performances from her cast, which is mostly made up of Pakistani actors. Nandita Das, one of the few Indians in the film and perhaps the most well known actor, is good as the mother but Rashad Farooqi, the father, and Navaid Jabbar as the older version of Ramchand are arguably better. Furthermore the cinematography also shows moments of intense beauty in its depiction of the barren landscapes of the Sindh region and the gloriously colourful costumes and bazaars.

Although the film is a collaborative effort between India and Pakistan it does not resemble a Bollywood masala feature. In fact it mirrors the Parallel Cinema, also known as the Indian new wave, associated with the films of Satyajit Ray. One can only hope that this is the beginning of a Pakistani new-wave and I can’t think of a more capable director to be leading the cinematic revolution than Mehreen Jabbar.

Up

Pixar’s latest offering has many strengths. As original ideas go it is perhaps as impressive as anything to have come out of Hollywood this year. The story concerns an elderly man, Carl Fredricksen, who attaches hundreds of balloons to his house in order to escape his mundane life. Intent on going to South America to fulfil an age-old promise, he is initially unaware of the presence of a young boy scout on his home-made vessel. Eventually, however they form a strong bond and Carl acts as Russell’s surrogate father.

The first thirty minutes of Up are particularly engrossing and deal with some mature themes. The adults in the audience will better understand the subtle emotional dilemmas of Carl Fredricksen’s life than the children. If the kids manage to get past this point without being distracted a wealth of adventure awaits them. In fact some of the most amazing visuals are produced in the imaginative action sequences set in South America. It is an absolute joy to watch Carl and Russel absentmindedly battling the enemies that lurk in this alien land, all the while trying not to lose grasp of their floating house. Here many of the visual gags that are a Pixar trademark reappear. The slapstick humour of these sequences still manages to seem fresh, even though Pixar perfected them in Wall-E.

Finally like all children’s fairytales we must try to wrestle with the moral of the story. The fact that the film contains an elderly man as the protagonist signals that Pixar are trying to appeal to all age groups. Character development is also focused upon, and the mature themes presented at the start of the film are obviously part of the effort to appeal to older viewers.  On the surface the messages that the film tries to convey seem innocent enough. The spirit of adventure it contains is closely associated with scientific exploration. One criticism that has always been directed at Pixar, and is reinforced by Up, is the lack of a female protagonist or strong female character in their productions. Furthermore, here the home is gendered feminine, as Carl has named it Ellie after his wife. The only way this static, domesticated female can travel is through the help of a man, as Carl literally steers his feminine vessel. Like the studio itself the film cannot overcome this stumbling block. Therefore Pixar should pay attention to their detractors and focus on creating a larger variety of fully developed female characters.

The visuals in Up help it soar above its competitors. The escapist value offered by Pixar’s film are in a league of their own and raise it beyond other Hollywood blockbusters. One must also praise the courage of the studio to continually push their boundaries by releasing complex films filled with original ideas. Last but not least, it’s immensely difficult not to enjoy a film which contains so many loveable characters.