US-based Indian film-maker Mira Nair’s film The Reluctant Fundamentalist, based on a book by Mohsin Hamid of the same name, is expected to release in Pakistan (finally) on May 17 without any hiccups in censoring. She speaks to The Express Tribune about her experience while directing the adventure-filled project.
“I see this film as a dialogue between our world [South Asia] and the West. No character is going to be droned in this film — a film which shows young Pakistani actors alongside Hollywood A-listers,” says Nair. “I always had a deep interest in Lahore because my father was from there. We grew up around Faiz’s [Ahmed Faiz] time; there’s always this type of vibrancy which is associated with the people of Lahore.”
The film is set in corporate New York and a richly-hued Lahore, before and after 9/11. It examines the traces of a young Pakistani’s (Riz Ahmed) journey from a Wall Street high flyer to a suspected radical targeted by the American intelligence following the attacks.
Nair then elaborates on how the verdict to make a film on Hamid’s book came about. “I fell in love with the mutual suspicion [between two characters] which was present in the story. I saw one character wonderfully layered in the shape of a thriller,” she says, adding that she feels the story fits the modern-day perception well.
The book was a monologue per se; based on a young man sitting in a café in Lahore. Nair reveals Hamid’s prose had to be re-built for the film, which is a different medium altogether. “Mohsin was deeply involved with the script, from the beginning till the end,” she says about the man who has co-written the script. “And this was something different I experienced as compared to my previous projects.”
Nair admits that the film’s production faced several delays but in a way it was beneficial as the team ended up putting the right pieces together. In the film, her biggest steal seems to be British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed who plays the lead role of Changez. “We were strongly considering casting one of the two actors from Pakistan for the role of Changez,” she continues. “But when we met Riz, we knew he was perfect for the role right away.”
“The chemistry between Kate [Hudson] and Riz was sizzling. He is a confident bugger and the two just got along very well,” she adds.
The film-maker was happy with the Pakistani talent in the film and feels they have a desire to learn; she has spent time giving lectures and connecting with local artists as well. Meesha Shafi also has a small yet important role in The Reluctant Fundamentalist. “I loved her [Meesha] look and I think it’s an important role because I’ve always thought that Pakistani women are vigorous — the film is trying to show these different layers,” Nair continues.
With an array of films to her credit, which have left lasting impressions, Nair admits her themes are not redundant in any way. She feels it’s important to have such films which are about two differing cultures. “I feel it’s important to stay connected to my roots but I also know that I can fly anywhere which is also very important,” she says.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.
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