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The film, which Das describes as an outcome of her involvement in social work, is yet to be released in India and had its premiere at the seventh edition of KaraFilm Festival.
"To come to Karachi was a big struggle. But it was very necessary to come, not just to screen 'Firaaq' here but to make it clear that contacts between the people should continue. Artistes should talk on these issues at a different level," said Das, who was in the southern port city to attend the closing ceremony of the festival last night.
"Till the world is completely peaceful, neither can we be. And that is not going to happen in our lifetime. So we will keep struggling and living," said Das, who is popular on this side of the border because of her performance in "Ramchand Pakistani".
Tensions generated by the Mumbai attacks curtailed the Bollywood presence at the festival though Das and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt travelled to Karachi to participate in the event.
In past years, Bollywood stars and directors have been among the main draws at the festival, which was first held in 2001.
"It is a tense atmosphere and sometimes the role of the media and the politicians becomes dangerous because they have their own agendas. But we must retain our sensitivities and sensibilities and not fall into their traps. We should understand that people on both sides of the border are affected by same problems. People should not detract us from these issues," Das said.
KaraFilm founder Hasan Zaidi said he was happy that Das decided to bring "Firaaq" to Pakistan even before its release in India.
"Firaaq", starring Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval and Sanjay Suri, interweaves the stories of Muslim couple Hanif and Muneera, middle-class Hindus Sanjay and Arati, an older Muslim musician living in a Hindu neighbourhood and a Hindu-Muslim couple.
The film traces the tensions these characters have to grapple with over a 24-hour period in the aftermath of the violence in Gujarat.
Das said she was "very excited to see what dialogue and questions arise" after the screening of "Firaaq". "It's very timely after 26/11 to show the prejudices and perceptions that arise after a period of violence occurs," she added.
Referring to the tensions between India and Pakistan, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said, "These are dark times, and it has brought back the things we had thought we had put behind us years ago.
"It is important that the platform of KaraFilm, where we started seeing the dream of Indo-Pak co-productions, continues," he said. Bhatt said he remained hopeful that things could improve on both sides of the border through a "long and sustained engagement".
Pointing to the lack of barriers and travel formalities in Europe, Das said there is a dream for something similar in South Asia. "Some people will not benefit from something like this, how will they sell arms then?
"Both India and Pakistan spend so much money on their militaries. If this money could be spent on the poor, education and health, then both countries could reach a new level," she said.
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people like nandita das nd mahesh bhat want 2 minute publicity why dnt they talk abt plight of hindus in kashmir, havent they saw pak flags hoisted in assam shame on them
Nandita has gone for the cheapest option for gaining publicity and that too by bringing Gujarat riots in limelight again. These people won't let the nation live in peace. Such people create, maintain and nurture hatred among communities instead of uniting them. Mahesh Bhatt
Getting Award in Pakistan says something about film. I think there is no film Industry in Pakistan. Taliban do not allow music and film in Pakistan but they can surely see the quality of Indian movies.Bhat use to go to Dubai a lot when Dawood was there and now he is going to Karachi a lot. May be I am just over the top, but film Industry has lot of explain about their relation with Dawood.Das and Bhat can stay in Pakistan and re-start Pakistna film Industry (till they get Killed by Taliban) and we will award them for strengthing Indo-Pak Relations.
Good luck to the romantics ! But they should know that romanticism begins where reality ends.Both Mahesh and Nandita have been associated with films showing reality.But what they convey in this piece is far removed from it.
Again MS Das has proved that she is biased and is anti hindu. Why does noy she make the movie about the in humane injustie towards hindus for years and years. Even the godhra riots were the cause of hindus being inhumanely killed by the group of muslims. Why would anubody consider such people to be Indians? It is a shame that prople like these are getting away with such injustice and one sided propaganda,
I doubt if all the commentators here have actually seen the movie before comments on Nandita Das and the movie. There are other actors in the movie like Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval and Sanjay Suri. Why is she being singled out ? Just because she went to Pakistan for the film festival.I would refrain from making a comment as I am yet to see the movie
a number of good suggestions are given here by so many people, i hope madem will read one and make or probably try to make a movie on the living conditions and human rights of Pakistani or Bangladeshi women and for that matter why could she not see the riots and injustice done to Hindu minority after last elections in Bangladesh that happened out of nowhere!! Does she know that hindues are not eligible for government jobs in Bangladesh!! India has faced these opportunists for centuries ,we have a history for that!!
what a shame, that people like anil kapoor, nandita das, ar rehman and Irfan Khan feed lik e on topics like poverty and tersm instead of trying to solve them,,enjoy the oscars and paki awards,,put them in front of ur houses and invite terst for dinner to ur house,,
My humble rquest to Nandita Das is that she should make a film on plight of MUSLIM WOMEN and human rights violations in Islamic countries. She will get the real taste of FILM making.
These psedu artists who have nothing but flopped films want to gain 2 minutes of (infame) fame by showing their colours of "Terrorist Lovers"But the time has come to kick these Indian traitors out of nation.If people of India and Pakistan are same then these Pakistan lovers should leave India.
THE SUFFERING OF MUMBAI CARNAGE, GODHRA CARNAGE, KASHMIRI PANDIT SUFFERING ARE NOT A SUFFERING AT ALL FOR THESE SO CALLED NEO LIBERALS WHOSE ACTUAL LINEAGE IS CLEARLY DOUBTFUL..EVERY TOM DICK AND HARRY WHO CALLS THEMSELVES AS SECULAR ARE GIVEN PROMINENCE AND TOO MUCH COVERAGE..NONE OF THE KITH AND KIN OF THESE IDIOTIC MORONS ARE DEAD IN TERORIST ATTACKS..SO THEY KEEP ON GIVING SERMONS ABOUT HUMANITY AND SECULARISM..
WHY DON'T THE INDUSTRY MAKE THE SAME MOVIE ON SIKH RIOTS IN DELHI AND OTHER PLACES. I KNOW THAT MUSLIMS REPRESENT A LARGE VOTE BANK IN INDIA AND MOST OF THE FINANCIERS IN BOMBAY ARE MUSLIMS BUT THE BRAVE SIKHS HAVE GIVEN MORE IN LIFE TO PROTECT INDIAN THAN ANY MINORITY. PLEASE SHOW SOME GUTS AND MAKE THE MOVIE TO SHOW THE INDIAN THE DEBAUCHARY OF THE CONGRESS GOVT IN INDIA.
Great point Shimmy ! Come to think of it, there are ABSOLUTELY NO movies .... not even a single documentary on the slaughter of Sikhs in Delhi. I am a civilian and from madras and I absolutely appreciate and pray for our jawans from Punjab who do not hesitate a moment to put their lives on line for our country !
Nandita Das and Mahesh Bhatt have done the right thing by taking part in the Pakistani Film Fetival. After all, we should understand that Pakistani people are very much the same as any Indians - very similar culture, same tastes, likes and dislikes. Obviously, like us Indians, emotions run very high in their blood as well.If we need Peace between both these countries, we need to have more people going across the border and conveying the right message.
I would love Nandita Das to make her next movie based on Lajja by Taslima Nusrin about anti-Hindu riots in Bangladesh. If it is Western awards she is interested in she could dabble with "The Islamist" by Ed Hussain, about how Jihadis are recruited and nurtured in the West.
Since 1993 I tried to sell a script for Lajja (by Taslima Nasreen) with two additional short stories by Gulzar. The scripts were not acceptable since they opined its bias in favuor of Sikhs and Hindus. So much for intellectual freedom!
Same people !!! Yes that's what we like to think ! The Pakistanis like view themselves as descendants of Arabs, Turks and Persians rather than as Indians - regardless of reality. The very fact that Nandita wins awards from a nation that has been the most most persistent, bitter and conscienceless enemy of India speaks for itself. I think Nandita chooses to identify herself with that crowd. The question is if rest of us really want to ? My personal vote is no.
Same ppl ?? .. They are terrorist supporters.And, wow, what a movie to take there ?? .. to build peace!
You people are filled with so much hate, its no surprise what happened in Gujrat. I guess films take quite some time to make , she would've been on it since atleast 2 to 3 years if not more.. And Gujrat my friends was Violence at the most evil of forms.. it cantbe compared with the mumbai or human rights in any country .. it was ethnic cleansing .. i think you people need to get a life..
Filmaker how u come to know it was ethinic cleansing haan!! by media only than u must know about the ethanic cleanising of Hindus in Kashmire, Pakistan, Afganistan, Bangladesh, North east ...will u make film on that.
A terror attack should be launched at the Residence of both Nandita Das and Pseudo Mahesh targetting their kith,kin and their financial assets.then let us see,will they call the Government and the ArmedForces to respond with a firm action or will they respond in a Gandhian way by saying too much money spent on people's security.In the 60's Pandit nehru a great dreamer had also envisaged Panchsheel until the chinese taught him a few lessons on gunboat diplomacy.
Nandita das wants a name. she is not bothered about the insults done on Hindus for agens right fomaurnagzeb til today by the s called congress and pseudo secular parties. let her take afilm on the killing of the godhra train people and the suffering of thier families. it has become a fashionfor these pepole to isult Hindus every time and we have to suffer silently from the Muslms terrorists. they killed thousands and no one talks about the
There we go again! The secular brigade is at it again. I wonder if anyone can make a movie on the mass conversion by the christian missionaries or the destruction of hindu temples by muslim invaders- who is going to make those movies. If I had the money I would have surely but the money and power lies with the select few who would like the world to be presented only through their viewpoint.
No Big deal...make an anti-Hindu film ..make an anti-Indian film and you are bound to get rewards from Pakistan and for that matter elite leftist intellectuals everywhere.Nandita should now also have the courage to make a film on the plight of minorities in Pakistan or for that matter in Muslim countries.Oh yes plight of women in Pakistan is also not a bad topic ..but ah ..such things require real courage ...Salman Rushdie had to run away from India ...for writing a book.I bet no one has dared do it again ...Cowards !!!
What is surprising about this? Just as Slumdog is getting awards even though it is mediocre because it is an effort to placate Muslim terrorists, it is obvious that Firaaq would get an award in Pakistan when it is about so-called oppression of Muslims in India. Where are the movies about the plight of Hindus and others during the Partition and the plight of Kashmiri Hindus who have been driven away from their homes left to survive in refugee camps? Bollywood is part of the problem not the solution. Bollywood actors are the most selfish egoists and they will build their careers on the ashes of India.
Nandita Das knows whom she can bend. She can't make a film on Muslim intolerance and how this has been the root cause of polarization of Indian secularism. Pseudo opportunist secularist !!!
Neither of these two self proclaimed intellectuals lost any immidiate family memeber dring mumbai attacks. Almost whole of europe and northamerica has issued travelling advisories to their citizens against visiting Pakistan and we have these two fox batting for pakistan. There only 2 threats facing mankind today- nuclear proliferation and islamic terrorism and both of them have thier epicentre in Pakistan.Pakistanis have to know how much they are hated beacause of this. What happened in Mumbai is not a small thing. If Pakistan is sincere it must handover the suspects to India and come clean and if common man has nothing to do with all this why this common man does'nt take out protests to tell its govt to handover the suspects. Wait and watch these suspects will be heroes in pakistan very soon.I request you to remain there only . Plz dont come back.
Das can dream on for lack of barriers and travel formalities in South Asia similar to those in Europe. Saying that "Some people will not benefit from something like this, how will they sell arms then?" is probably naive. The problem is much more deep-rooted than that. She should be asking questions like: Why are there hardly any Hindus left in post independence Pakistan? Why is Pakistan's existence and foreign policy India-centric? Why is Kashmir more important to Pakistan than its own development?
People like mahesh Bhat and Nandita Das would go to extend to please the Pakisthan and muslims in India.Mahesh Bhat has prooved how much a person can stoop by selling his conscious and his country for accolades and awards across the border.They represent the traitors of this country who will sell anything for recognition from pakisthan or Muslims with in India.People should boycott these traitors and they will be thrown to dustbins of indian history .
Does her next project include stories of Lodhi, Gazni and Aurangjeb? Not going far, train burning by mob and killing of Hindus in Kashmirs and Punjab in the hands of minorities are also good topics. U can also show the pain of Bangladeshi Hindus, ultimately Nandita is a Bengali girl. Oh ya but in India u can't talk about the pain of majority. Leave this country in the hands of these minority and see the drama.. How will they kill each others...
A movie aimed at eliminating tensions between India and Pakistan will raise tension within the country. This is beacuse we have a non stop nonsenses named in the article. These cultural terrroists have guts to make movie on other abberations where the other part was effected. All is part of history and it has historical roots also.I wish she should have been acompanied by Seetalwaad, Some commie goons of Das ideology. Really this JNU breed is venom to this country, whatever they do and where ever they live.Be in Media, movies, politics, sitting idle..I believe this movie should be countered by a movie on Islamic terroism in India and jihad against hindus. Many other to follow on Akbar's role in mughal rule, How shahjahan desicrated temples and created fake buildings to his name.Aurangzeb's rule in India and its effects on Hindus, Muslims role in India after partition, and so on.....I think they are illiterate by choice on these issues.A counter movie is required.
Pak award for an Indian movie?? Kudos to our liberal moviemakers to win Internation awards by exaggerating poverty, communalism, discrimination, oppression!! Maybe there is no other way our moviemakers can international awards??