{"id":30797,"date":"2023-12-02T18:28:06","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T18:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/iqbal-masih-is-our-hero-his-story-is-our-story-gunjal-team-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-12-02T18:28:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T18:28:06","slug":"iqbal-masih-is-our-hero-his-story-is-our-story-gunjal-team-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/iqbal-masih-is-our-hero-his-story-is-our-story-gunjal-team-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Iqbal Masih is our hero, his story is our story: ‘Gunjal’ team | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nKARACHI:
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On April 16, 1995, Easter Sunday, a single shot from a 12-gauge shotgun claimed Iqbal Masih\u2019s life in the village of Muritke near Lahore. Belonging to Pakistan’s impoverished Christian minority, Iqbal became a formidable opponent to factories running child labour sweatshops after the Bonded Labor Liberation Front of Pakistan (BLLF-P) rescued him from the looms at the age of 10. Two years later, the child activist, having amassed international attention, would become yet another tale of injustice.<\/p>\n

Taking ownership<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Among those honouring Iqbal\u2019s heroic legacy is Shoaib Sultan, a theatre artist and debutant director bringing the story to the big screen with Gunjal<\/em>. \u201cThere should be all sorts of films\u2026romcoms, action, comedy but we should also have films like Gunjal <\/em>that surround a certain issue. Something that addresses a social injustice or offers commentary on a community. With Gunjal, I tried to merge commercial and arthouse cinema,\u201d Sultan explained, speaking to The Express Tribune.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is our own story, not a borrowed narrative, inspired by Bollywood or Hollywood,\u201d he said, stressing the need to platform our own voices first and foremost. Sultan\u2019s foray into cinema began with two short films; having spent long years in theatre, he is confident in his ability to understand his audience and is steadily gathering receipts to prove that. \u201cWe won the best screenplay award in France, we earned nominations in Jaipur Film Festival. Our film was also screened in Barcelona Asian Film Festival in October. There are other festivals on the way,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

Despite the comfortable tradition of the Urdu social film in Pakistan\u2019s cinema, the filmmaker is adamant on keeping his distance from offering a \u201cpreachy\u201d commentary. The star of the film, Ahmed Ali Akbar, cited this nuanced blend of fiction and past as one reason why he partnered with Sultan. \u201cWhen I first heard that Sultan wanted to tell Iqbal Masih\u2019s story, it was a big opportunity for me. I\u2019ve always wanted to do stories about our heroes, about real true events,\u201d the Parizaad <\/em>actor remarked.<\/p>\n

Akbar\u2019s method<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Essaying the fictional journalist Shahbaz Bhatti who commits to unveiling Iqbal\u2019s murder, Akbar\u2019s versatile acting portfolio made him the first choice for the role from the outset, as per Sultan. For the Laal Kabootar<\/em> star, the script\u2019s dynamism reciprocated his energy. Speaking about his character, Akbar shared, \u201cShahbaz\u2019s role is actually not as intense in the beginning, as it is to the end and that arc is what drew me to the script.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given Akbar’s penchant for unconventional roles, how demanding was Shahbaz? In response to the query, the actor-musician revealed that he refrains from approaching his different roles with a \u201ccertain method.\u201d Akbar described, \u201cI think the answers are all between the lines when you read the script. I read it multiple times to truly try to understand who he [Shahbaz] is. I try to draw a past, with the director, with the writers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to understand where a person comes from, what background, what social strata, what religion, what belief system, what ambition that person has. So you build on that and then you bring it up to the past which is the beginning of the story to see how time changes that person,\u201d the 37-year-old delved deeper into his artistic journey.<\/p>\n

Bulk of this process demanded a thorough look into the past; from interviewing people to reviewing archives, Akbar internalised the rigour of the film\u2019s brief, action-packed timeline. \u201cGunjal <\/em>revolves around a certain two weeks in Shahbaz\u2019s life. I have a lot of empathy and respect for journalists, how they dive into new worlds, connect with new people, confront different challenges. They\u2019re psychologists, they\u2019re explorers, they\u2019re discoverers, they\u2019re so many things encapsulated in one person,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

New industry, newer stories\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For veteran actor Resham who plays Sarwat, the owner of a newspaper outlet, Sultan\u2019s script and Akbar as the protagonist prompted an immediate yes. \u201cI said yes because of Ahmed Ali Akbar,\u201d the Jeeva actor disclosed. \u201cI was watching his Parizaad and shortly after it ended, I was offered the character. It was an honour to work with a new and seasoned artist. He’s very grounded and down-to-earth. I learned a lot from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As per Resham, her role is of a \u201cstrong and authoritative woman\u201d that reflects today\u2019s woman and how she stands at par with men in every arena. The actor also emphasised the importance of adapting to the passage of time. \u201cStorytelling has changed over the years. It’s not just about the hero and heroine anymore, now we have stories and characters. I try to keep pace with the changing times,\u201d Resham said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watch Amazon and Netflix. I keep up-to-date with what sort of work is emerging and try to immerse myself in those projects,\u201d she added. Remarking on her contemporaries, the actor contended that some artists remain \u201cstuck in the 90s\u201d and fail to grow. Ultimately, she maintains that Gunjal <\/em>demonstrates this sensitivity towards a changing industry by offering a \u201cstrong message\u201d about child labour packaged as \u201can entertaining thriller.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahmed Ali Butt\u2019s role of what would appear the \u201cbad guy\u201d further underlines the complex storytelling that Gunjal <\/em>strives for. According to Butt, his character Salman is simply put \u201ca businessman with political influence who operates in many grey areas\u201d and yet, he would refrain from reducing him to a typical bad guy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the film\u2019s political themes, Butt noted, \u201cIqbal Masih\u2019s murder was a very unfortunate incident in Pakistan’s history. Just to make a film on this demands courage and if we don’t showcase our own untold stories, I don’t think we’ll ever understand the potential of true cinema.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aside from Akbar, Butt and Resham, the film\u2019s leading cast features Amna Ilyas and Syed Muhammad Ali. Gunjal <\/em>is slated for a December 15 theatrical release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Have something to add? Share it in the comments<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n