Khuda Kay Liye

Khuda Kay Liye

Theatrical poster
Directed by Shoaib Mansoor
Produced by Shoman Production
Written by Aqeel Khan
Starring Shaan
Naseeruddin Shah
Fawad Afzal Khan
Iman Ali
Hameed Sheikh
Music by Rohail Hyatt
Cinematography David Lemay
Ali Mohammad
Neil Lisk
Ken Seng[1]
Edited by Ali Javed
Aamir Khan
Distributed by Geo Films
Percept Picture Company (India)
Release dates
  • 20 July 2007 (Pakistan)
  • 4 April 2008 (India)
Running time
 167 minutes
Country Pakistan
Language English
Pashto
Urdu
Budget PKR 6 crores[2]
(US$ 1 million)[3]
Box office US$ 2,432,378[4]

Khuda Kay Liye (Urdu: خُدا کے لیئے‎, literal translation: "For God's Sake", English title: "In The Name Of God") is a 2007 Pakistani Urdu-language drama film written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor, starring Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Afzal Khan and Hameed Sheikh. Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah appears in the uncut version. It was the highest-grossing Pakistani film of 2007.

Much of Khuda Kay Liye was shot on location in Chicago, Illinois in the United States, and Lahore and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Produced by Geo TV, Khuda Kay Liye was theatrically released in Pakistan on July 20, 2007. Critical response was generally positive, though some religious "conservatives" criticized the film and called for a ban in Pakistan. Overall, there was curiosity around the film due to the presence of big names. It resulted in a grand opening, and the film turned out to be a commercial as well as a critical success in Pakistan and India. It was distributed in India by Percept Picture Company and released on over 100 screens across 20 cities.

Plot

Three people on three continents have problems that relate to Pakistani culture and the subsequent misinterpretations of Islam in Pakistan's society.

Two brothers who are singers, Mansoor (Shaan Shahid) and Sarmad (Fawad Afzal Khan), become two of the best singers in Lahore. Sarmad becomes influenced by an Islamic activist. He begins to practice the extremist interpretation of Islam, grows a beard and goes against music, putting pressure on his free-spirited family to comply. Those parties interpret certain verses of the Quran and Hadith (Islamic religious texts) to call for a ban on music and pictures.

In England, Mary/Mariam (played by actor-model Iman Ali) is a westernized British Pakistani girl in love with a British boy named Dave. Her hypocritical father disapproves, despite living with a British woman to whom he is not married. He tells Mary that they are going to Pakistan for a trip and that once they return she can marry Dave. This, however, is a trap. While touring FATA, he has her forcibly married to Sarmad, who is her cousin. Mary is then abandoned in FATA at her new household.

Meanwhile, Mansoor goes to a music school in Chicago. There, he meets a girl called Janie and instantly falls in love with her. She quits alcohol for him, and they eventually get married. After 9/11, FBI officers capture him when someone overhears a drunk man accusing Mansoor of being a terrorist. Subsequently, he is tortured for a year in custody because of his Islamic background.

Mary manages to run away but is caught by Sarmad. She is kept under strict supervision and, due to this incident, Sarmad eventually consummates their marriage by force. She doesn't lose hope, managing to sneak a letter to Dave under the guise of writing to her father. Sarmad's father finally come to her rescue under the protection of the British government. But Mary, driven by vengeance, takes her father and cousin to court in Pakistan. There, a Maulana (Naseeruddin Shah) explains to the court how Islam is being butchered in the name of war and hatred, bringing the religion forward in a believable and peaceful manner.

Traumatized by all the suffering he has seen and caused, Sarmad withdraws from the case. He also realizes the damage that he was made to do in the name of religion. Mary is now free and returns to the village where she was kept prisoner so she can educate the girls there. Meanwhile, Mansoor is still in U.S. custody after a year of torment; the last torture session having inflicted permanent brain damage. After a failed rehab attempt, he is deported and reunited with his family in Pakistan where, thanks to the hope of his family, he begins to recover.

Cast

Crew or team

Release and reception

Khuda Kay Liye was produced in conjunction with the film division of the popular TV network, Geo TV of Pakistan.[5][6] The film is a joint venture of Pakistan, India, and the United States.[5][6][7]

The film opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews. There was tremendous curiosity around it. The presence of big names and Naseeruddin Shah resulted in a grand opening. Khuda Kay Liye turned out to be a huge commercial as well as critical success in Pakistan. In India the film was critically lauded as people flocked to see the source of the criticism.

Some religious extremists in Pakistan have criticized the film and called for its ban.

Four years after its release, on 9 September 2011 (two days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11), Zee News described Khuda Kay Liye as best cinematic work, along with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, which seems to have earned maximum appreciation from amongst 40 films and documentaries that were made in relation to WTC terrorist attacks.[8]

Box office

Khuda Kay Liye is one of Pakistan's highest grossing films, with a domestic gross of $1.1 million and a worldwide gross of $2.43 million.[9]

Music

The soundtrack was released on July 7, 2007 and is available on the film's official website. The soundtrack album was composed and produced by Rohail Hyatt. Songs were written by Shoaib Mansoor with an exception of "Mahi Way" and "Bandeya". The OST was recorded at Gravity Studios in Chicago by Kamijee.

Awards and accolades

Khuda Kay Liye is the best film of Pakistan of all time with a gross of over $1 million.[10] Iman Ali makes her cinematic debut with this film, playing an Anglo-Pakistani. Shaan's wife is played by Austin Sayre. Ahmed Jahanzeb and Shuja Haider produced the soundtrack. It has won the following awards since its release:

2008 Lux Style Awards
31st Cairo International Film Festival[10]
Roberto Rossellini Award (Italian film industry)[10]
Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival 2008 [11](Japan)[12]
Asian Festival of First Films[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Khuda Kay Liye: Complete cast and crew details". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  2. ↑ "Khuda Kay Liye thaws 43 years of India-Pakistan screen chill". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  3. ↑ "Lollywood hits Bollywood". ABC News. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  4. ↑ "Khuda Ke Liye (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Petition filed against "Khuda Kay Liye" in Lahore High Court". South East Asia News. Retrieved 2007-05-22.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Khuda Kay Liye". Sawf News Connect. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "Awarapan is an Indian film and yet Khuda Kay Liye is giving it a run for its money. It's a good omen.". Daily Jang. Retrieved 17 September 2011. Joint collaborations have been happening for the last 5-6 years. Every big Pakistani film is a joint collaboration with India. Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga was entirely shot in India with an Indian actress; Shoaib Mansoor's Khuda Kay Liye was edited in India; Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua had its post production done there and so on. Singers, crews, choreographers, all are Indians.
  8. ↑ http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/articles/story95949.htm
  9. ↑ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&wk=2007W47&id=_fKHUDAKELIYE01
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Lollywood Hits Bollywood".
  11. ↑ "Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival: Archives: 2008 (18th)".
  12. ↑ "Best film in Japan ".
  13. ↑ "Awards for Khuda Kay Liye (2007)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2009-02-22.

External links

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