Pakistani film bashed over questionable portrayal of Bangabandhu and Mukti Bahini
The Pakistani Film Industry (Lollywood) is allegedly trying to revive its golden times by showcasing 'courageous' and controversial plots. They have decided to produce a 'romantic periodical film' set against the brutal 1971 Liberation War by distorting history altogether.
Recently, the trailer of "Huey Tum Ajnabi" , starring Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sadia Khan was released on social media. It is muddled with poorly executed VFX-laden scenes of war which makes even Prabhas' "Adipurush" VFX appear better.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The trailer showcased brief glimpses of real life characters including our Father of The Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi and Pakistani politician Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The role of Bangabandhu is portrayed by Pakistani actor Mehmood Ashlam. There is a scene in the trailer which showcases Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman telling Indira Gandhi, "Bangladesh is now all yours to control." This scene itself insults our country's values and disrespects Bangabandhu's ideology.
Directed by Pakistani journalist and historian, Kamran Shahid, the film depicts a love story between Nizaam and Zeenat, who were destined to meet and fall apart.
In an interview with a Pakistani portal, the director shared that as a historian, he discovered certain gaps in the tragedy of 1971 Liberation War and that through this film, he portrayed an 'unbiased' film and that it has not been sponsored by Inter-service Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan. He believes he showcased political figures in dignified manner which doesn't hurt sentiments.
However, the trailer showcased 'Mukti Bahini' in a negative light. Pakistani actors Shahid Hameed and Shamoon Abbasi took on the role of 'Mukti Bahini' who apparently instigate people to ravage war and 'mayhem' in the country.
We see men in black wearing coats shouting 'Joy Bangla' and firing shots in air. What really confused me is why there were jeeps covered in Indian flags and "gerua" clad men creating rampage all over the Dhaka University campus.
It seems that Pakistan is obsessed with the idea that India created rift between Pakistan and Bangladesh. However, when it comes to their corruption and atrocities, they turn a blind eye.
The trailer showcased Mukti Bahini holding Pakistani people hostage after gaining freedom and executing genocidal rape on women.
Shamoon Abbasi, who plays Mukti Bahini Commander described his character as ruthless to the media.
"I found a huge margin to perform the role of a ruthless Bengali officer who commands the Mukti Bahini forces. I was always excited to be on set and to work on the nuances of my character. It wasn't easy to portray and shoot a dark character," he said.
Apart from the derogatory trailer, what was shocking was the insipid comments by some Bangladeshi users praising the trailer.
However, the trailer has been bombed by 'haha' reacts, and even most Pakistani netizens have denounced it.
Millions of people died to liberate our country from the hands of Pakistani armies and their brutalities. These armies caused massive genocidal rape which lead to massive upheaval in our country. Now after, 50 years of Independence, we see our oppressors trying to distort our painful tragedy into showcasing themselves as righteous ones.
One would think that a journalist and an academician would be careful enough to dig deep into the real history and actually portray the reality of the war. Earlier, Pakistani drama series "Jo Bichar Gaye" shamelessly tried to present distorted accounts of the 1971 Liberation war, and now this movie. It's about time Pakistani showbiz stop trying to benefit from a country's personal tragedy.
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