Vigorcat goes to "Khuda Ke Liye"

Any Movie that makes you ruminate after “The end” deserves a recommendation.In the genre of movies like Swades, Rang de Basanti, this one too touches a social chord.

The plot revolves around the twists and turns in the lives of related but geographically dispersed Pakistanis around the time of 9/11.The impact faced as wide and far across as Lahore, Chicago and London forms the binding root of the social message being passed on through this movie.

The director creates many moments where it would have been very easy to keep scratching at the causes of problems faced by Pakistanis. He could easily have provided a quick bang wham solution to win over the whistles from the front row crowds. But showing exemplary restraint the movie pulls along without sermonizing.

The court scenes although predictably too argumentative, seem a necessary evil in such movies attempting to drive a socially relevant message. This movie does exactly that and does it succinctly with a tonge-in-cheek jibes at the omnipresent hypocrisies around us .

The characterization is crisp, staying away from banal justifications for the character’s orientation. The use of flash forward at the start keeps the user glued in just long enough to grasp the theme and focus on the subtleties.

The movie has excellent music woven into it without a hint of over emotion. It appreciates the viewers’ intelligence and knowledge on contemporary issues.

Good Performances from the lead characters and a clap inducing cameo from Naserrudin Shah make the movie a pleasure to watch.

Being released at a time when we aren’t in any new direct confrontation with the Pakis, each viewer can realize a newer nuance to how this story could well have been about us.

Director/Writer Shoiab Mansoor deserves the accolades the movie has won.

I sign off with a happy feeling , however hoping I had heard more of the “Allah Allah” track………..