Naseeruddin Shah’s next Pakistani film satirises media’s obsession with ratings

Indian actor rejoins ‘Zinda Bhaag’ duo Meenu and Farjad

KARACHI:

There is a reason as to why Will Ferrell’s film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is considered one of the most sensational comedy coups of the last decade. Even prior to its release, the movie had become a talking point for cinemagoers, with audiences debating whether or not Ferrell had the teeth to pull-off the straight-faced character of a 70’s news anchor. Eventually, Ferrell had the last laugh as the movie became a cult classic. But one thought that was lost on viewers was the ease with which the film managed to hold up a mirror to the increasingly commercialised and ratings-driven media organisations of today.

Now that the director duo Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi have already displayed a panache for eccentric storytelling with Zinda Bhaag, they are all set to delve into a similar subject matter with their upcoming film Jeewan Haathi — a black comedy centering the media and manufactured realities.



Even though the current state of Pakistani media may be a popular topic of discussion at dinner tables and tea parties, not many film-makers have chosen to explore the controversial topic before. But given co-director Farjad Nabi’s background as a journalist, the project may actually take off. “Mazhar Zaidi [the producer] and I started our careers in print journalism during far more innocent times. He eventually went on to work in television and through him, we learnt a lot about jockeying for ratings,” said Nabi, speaking with The Express Tribune.



But it is not his personal experience that prompted Nabi towards the project. He clarifies that it is in fact his “morbid fascination” with TV personalities that drew him in. “When I see a particularly demented person holding forth on screen, I cannot peel my eyes away. How can someone be so mad yet be taken so seriously by themselves and others? More than media practitioners, our media fascination has aided us in this film,” he joked.

Although based on an original script, Gaur noted that while the stylistic approach in the movie maybe reminiscent of classics like Insan Aur Gadha and Jaanay Bhi Do Yaaron, she feels that the perfect analogy would be that of the hustle and bustle of a circus. “The film is a sharp critique on the media so a circus seemed to be an apt allegory,” commented Gaur.

The duo’s last collaboration Zinda Bhaag went on to surprise audiences and critics alike, despite having been made on a limited budget. In fact, for a brief while, it was also in the running for an Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category. With expectations bound to be higher this time round, Meenu-Farjad seemed to have upped their ante a bit. Unlike their previous endeavour which featured a host of newcomers, Jeewan Haathi sees the duo spoilt for choice with some of the most famous artists from both sides of the border.



“It’s a satire on the world of media and within that world everyone is a character and a half. For that, we had to cast some very experienced performers like Samiya Mumtaz, Hina Dilpazeer and Naseeruddin Shah,” added Nabi.

Falling under the umbrella of Zeal For Unity, Jeewan Haathi is part of a cultural collaboration which brings together 12 Pakistani and Indian film-makers (six from each side).

Praising the initiative, Gaur felt the venture can go a long way in increasing awareness of Pakistani cinema in India. “While there has been widespread access to Indian films and Bollywood in Pakistan, few people in India have previously had access to Pakistani films. Such initiatives could change that.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th,  2016.

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