Jami on item numbers: No difference between directors and pimps if they encourage it

Film-maker talks Pakistani cinema, ‘Moor’ being a life changing experience and more

KARACHI: It took Jamshed Mehmood, more famously known as Jami, two decades after returning from film school in the US to make his directorial debut in Pakistan. But where does Jami -- who refuses to buck the trend of following our neighbours when it comes to film making -- go from here?



"I want to become the desi Scorsese not the desi Karan Johar,” he told The Express Tribune. Despite having spent a decade in the United States he is very attached to Pakistan. "I am a desi person, I couldn't connect with America. Spent 10 years abroad, it was a horrific time of my life."

Jami studied film at the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena (California US) in 1998. "Studying film was the only reason I went to America, I enjoyed and learnt about film but couldn't connect to their style, their stories. Yet, I learnt their technique,” Jami stated.

PHOTO: HARRIS JAVAID/ EXPRESS

Nearly two decades after he returned to Pakistan, Jami made his first feature film. And it wasn't easy by any means. He faced ridicule from friends and family alike for having faith in an almost non-existent local film industry.  “It was very painful for me to wait all these years just because we did not have the cinemas in Pakistan."

Despite that, Jami launched a production company in 2008 by the name of Azaad Films in a small room in his own house. "People used to make fun of me at that time as there was no hope for cinemas. But in 2013 after the release of Waar, cinema began to evolve and the whole game changed" said Jami.



"Many say there are hurdles in every career, it's disturbing and painful to begin making films at the age of 45, and I could have done that at the age of 25. I could have made more films if cinemas were around at that time.”



Speaking about his film Moor, Jami shared how it was a life changing experience. “It has become a revenant for us. It took us five years to complete this movie, with all the obstacles; from shooting in areas occupied by the Taliban to arranging the capital for the movie. It was an eye opener for us, even with all the ebb and flow the best part was that everyone believed in my vision and we pulled it." Moor is now available to view on Netflix, the only Pakistani film recently bought by an international distribution company.

On the power of film-making, Jami said the decades old railway track in Bostan which was featured in Moor is now being upgraded.

"Choosing the right subject for your film and connecting with the masses can prompt a big change or at least bring hope to countries like Pakistan,” he added.

PHOTO: HARRIS JAVAID/ EXPRESS

Expressing his thoughts on contemporary cinema, he said, “I am against the item number culture in films, it's a blasphemy to the profession. I don't understand the difference between a film director who convinces a girl to dance as 'item number' in a film for the big screen and a pimp who convinces a girl to dance in the red light area, what's the difference? Only difference I see is poor lighting and arrangement."



Explaining his frustration with item numbers, he said: "My main issue is that no one has a problem with "item number" culture. They're one of the reasons misogyny has increased in conservative countries like India."

PHOTO: HARRIS JAVAID/ EXPRESS

Encouraging young people to write more, Jami said, “Read and write, write hundreds of bad scripts to learn the art of story-telling. Once the film is penned down on paper, a major part is done; rolling a camera is not a big deal. We need good writers in the industry. They are the main pillars of a film."

Besides Moor and 021, Jami has to his credit a number of artistic music videos and creative television ads. Downward Dog, Hasht Roch, Supari No 1 are some of the upcoming projects of Jami.

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