Pakistani director Mehreen Jabbar, whose debut feature film Ramchand Pakistani releases first in Pakistan and then two weeks later in India
Pakistani director Mehreen Jabbar is in the country and highlights the plight of innocent citizens straying across the border reports Prithwish GangulyPakistani director Mehreen Jabbar, whose debut feature film Ramchand Pakistani releases first in Pakistan and then two weeks later in India, is hoping that her film will be a similar hit as Khuda Kay Liye and enable many more serious filmmakers in Pakistan to come forward to slip behind the cameras.
Based on a true story, Ramchand Pakistani wowed audiences at the 10th Osian’s film festival currently being held in New Delhi. The film revolves around the plight of a Pakistani boy and his father who stray into Indian territory while war wages between the two countries. Both are put in prison and are charged for spying by the Indian authorities.
“I just hope that my film has the same impact as Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Kay Liye. If it does, then it will open doors for many serious filmmakers in Pakistan to come out and try such themes. It will also help in bringing money for such films as the producers will think of them as commercially sellable proucts,” says Mehreen, who is in the capital for Osians film festival.
She adds, “Shoaib’s, and now my film is a definite sign that filmmakers and audiences want to make and see something that does follow the ‘formula.’ I think we might going back to the age of quality cinema, the kind that was produced in the 60s and 70s.”
Nandita Das who plays a mother left behind on the other side of the border frantically looking for her husband and son, but in vain, has been receiving a lot of praises for her role in the film. Is there any particular reason to choose her in your production?
“There are many reasons why I chose Nandita but the primary one is that she is a phenomenal actress and there was no one that could have done this part better than her. She understands so much about a character, that having her in the film is a great thing. She adds another dimension to the film,” Mehreen says.
Though Ramchand Pakistani is about the plight of prisoners of war and addresses how the inhuman conditions leave them traumatised, why is Mehreen’s film soft on showing the horrors?
“My film is totally based on the account that the two people gave me. I know what goes on in jail, especially with prisoners of war, but my subjects did not go through that much. I wanted my film to be accurate. I showed only what they went through and what they saw others experiencing,” she ends.
g_prithwish@dnaindia.net 
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