In the aftermath of 9/11, people got impacted in many ways. The American society reacted in ways that made self-made Muslims question their principles. #MohsinAhmed’s book #TheReluctantFundamentalist raised some questions that sought to arrive at analysing why people behaved in a certain manner. Questions of East versus the West, questions of ethnic profiling and questions as to whether people who abandoned the land of their dreams for their homeland were making simplistic and self-deluding decisions.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews #MiraNair’s film #TheReluctantFundamentalist, a story about a young man who has to choose between his career ambitions and cultural alienation as a result of Osama Bin Laden’s legacy. The film had a similar theme as one of my all time favourites #TheNamesake, that sought to delve deeper into the East versus West divide. It also featured #RizAhmed who puts in a striking performance with his soulful eyes and the middle-distance look in his gaze. A film that also featured our own #ShabanaAzmi and #OmPuri in small roles. A film that made you ask uncomfortable questions and has many things going for it but never managed to rise above a certain benchmark. The film is featured on #MUBIINDIA.
#TheReluctantFundamentalist is the story of young Princeton graduate Changez Khan(#RizAhmed). His promising career at Wall Street is at stake when 9/11 turns his life topsy turvy. In the aftermath of the event, he chooses to return to Pakistan, his homeland as a lecturer. Journalist Bobby Lincoln (#LievSchreiber) catches up with him in a tea shop in Lahore when he is suspected of having ties with a terrorist organisation. The story unfolds over the conversation in a tense atmosphere with a hawkish waiter who steps up the heat in the shop.
The contrast in Changez’s life pre and post 9/11 is picturised very well. He is quite the upwardly mobile yuppie with a caucasian girlfriend Erica (#KateHudson), embracing the western way of life. He says “Who is Changez? I am a lover of America”; that's how he starts his conversation with Bobby. As he navigates a top paying job at a hip firm, navigating the corporate byways and a tough boss (#KieferSutherland), his heights are set on ascending that ladder. The humiliation he faces when he returns to America is what sets off a chain of events culminating with Erica walking out of his life.
#MiraNair is perhaps one of the best storytellers when it comes to emotional and moral turmoil often fostered with a political backdrop. Here, she manages to capture that turmoil extremely well, mixing up the shots of business district Manhattan with the rich tapestry of the Orient. Interestingly, it is on a business trip to Istanbul where Changez makes his life-changing decision.
Watch out also for the opening of the movie with the soulful rendition of Kangma qawaali by the Pakistani Coke Studio artists #FareedAyaz and #Abumohammed. Almost every shot has #RizKhan and the story centers around him. #TheRelcutantFundamentalist has come in for a lot of critique, depending on the perspective you take. Like I said, this is a movie that makes you reflect . Many of our decisions are shaped by events out of our control; it is difficult to pass judgement on these and makes you wonder whether some things are destined to just be the way they turn out to be!
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