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20

I
By Samir Gupta

Across South Asia we


need to divert
resources towards our
real enemies and
focus on providing a
life of dignity to the
underprivileged and
the disadvantaged

The enemy within

t was a regular Friday morning. I woke up to the sounds of


the assembly in the school behind my house, children singing
Allama Iqbal's "Mazhab naheen
sikhaata aapas main bair rakhna"
and the national anthem. The national anthem of a country that
through its constitution commits
itself to equality, fraternity and
secularism. Coming four days
after the St. Sebastian Church
was burnt down in Delhi and a
day before the anniversary of
the Babri Masjid demolition,
it sounded quite ironic.
I got out of bed, showered and
headed to Ingraham English
School, G.T. Road, Ghaziabad for
their sports day celebrations. Entering the school, I looked at the
familiar arch with the saying
"Jesus Loves You". I wonder how
that lands for the religious militants like those who destroyed
the church. Would they perhaps
be repulsed by the idea that a
"foreign" deity loves those who
live in Bharat long after we got
independence from the British?
The campus I visited also
houses a school for children with
special needs and I wanted to
watch them in action. After the
march past, there were some cultural performances including a
dance by hearing and speech-impaired children. I was surprised
by how well coordinated they
were. Then I noticed Dr. Lynnette Martina, their psychologist,
physiotherapist,
counsellor,
teacher, nurse and now their
dance instructor standing in a
corner, performing the dance

moves to be imitated by them.


The students in the school
have conditions like speech and
hearing impairment, physical
handicaps as well as 30 students
with disorders such as autism,
Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy,
A.D.H.D, and delayed milestones.
Starting off with a Diploma in
physiotherapy, Dr. Lynnette Martina has continuously undergone
training to meet the demands of
her job. She did an M.D.(A.M),
B.A.S.M
in
gynecology
medicines, a course in alternative
medicines, a Bachelor's in business administration and finally a
P.G. Diploma in Psychotherapy. I
wondered why people like her
and her colleagues are not the
role models of the youth in our
countries instead of Bollywood
stars.
The local member of the state
legislative assembly in his address waxed eloquent about the
contribution of the school managed by the Methodist Church. I
wonder why the government
does not fund and set up such
schools.
There are two such schools in
Ghaziabad, both run by the tiny
Christian population and none by
the government or religious institutions of other denominations. I
have never visited Pakistan but I
wonder about the situation there.
News reports are hardly encouraging, as both countries share the
virus of persecution of religious
minorities.
Later that day I read reports
of the COAS of Pakistan, Gen Raheel Sharif saying that Pakistan's

B R I E F S

Cultural
crossings

Sheema Kermani: File photo


t the South Asia Women's Conference in Mumbai, Pakistani dancer
Sheema Kermani performed to Indian singer Neela Bhagwat singing the
poems of Faiz and Mukta Bai. The Conference was jointly organised by the Tata Institute for Social Sciences Centre for
Women's Studies and Mrinal Gore Centre
for Social Justice and Peace in South Asia.
"This totally improvised performance
with Neela singing and myself dancing is
something that we had been wanting to
do since the last ten years and finally we
did it!" wrote Kermani on her Facebook
page.
May there be many such more.

By Rubia Moghees
inger-actor Ali Zafar has had a
marvelous year. His latest Bollywood venture, the Yash Raj production Kill Dil confirmed him
as a versatile, multi-talented star
with the ability to morph into any role.
The return of the rising star to his native
city Lahore spurred much excitement
amongst his fans. Zafar's popularity in Pakistan is mirrored by his rising fan following
across the border in India, going by the
rave reviews by Indian critics and audiences for his latest film Kill Dil.
His role of an assassin in the film takes
him far from his sweet, boy-next-door
image, a 'chocolate-box hero' best suited
for rom-coms. And his clean image at home
and in India gives the media no opportunity
to embroil him in any scandal, rumour or

Feedback, contributions, photos, letters:


Email: amankiasha@janggroup.com.pk
Fax: +92-21-3241-8343
Post: aman ki asha c/o The News,
I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi

Congratulations to
Malala Yousufzai and
Kailash Sathyarti for
the Nobel Peace
Prize awarded in
Oslo, Norway, on
December 10, International Human Rights Day.
Let's work to eradicate the evils they are fighting

Dr Lynnette with a student: true heroes


current enemy "lives within us
I wonder though, whether he
and looks like us". I suppose he
or the political establishments in
was referring to the militants
India and Pakistan realise that
threatening to rip Pakistan apart
the true enemy within us is far
from within.
more subtle. It is the hijack of the

national discourse in both countries by "security", religion, sect


and caste instead of the people
and the land.
We obsess about our religious, sectarian, linguistic and
caste-based identities to the extent of dehumanising hundreds
of millions of people and boxing
them into objects of fear, hate
and ridicule. We are more interested in celebrating Kailash Satyarthi's Nobel prize than the
sobering reality that we have the
world's largest slave population
and underage children working
in factories and brothels.
At the end of the day, I saw
the usual wisdom posts in a social media site about our various
social problems including misogyny, human rights and poverty.
Everyone was very passionate
about their support for women's
rights but when I invited volunteers to fight against it, there was
a stunned silence. Soon enough,
people resumed their feel good
posts about humanity, philosophy

and religion with no talk of any


action. I suppose it feels good to
discuss these issues, even if it
hardly makes a difference.
We need committed action
and that can only come from a
people who get out of their drawing rooms and put their money
where their mouth is. We need
people to intervene when they
see a girl being molested in public transport, when a neighbour
beats up an underage maid, when
public servants demand bribes.
We need people to register
complaints when the media misuses its power, when policemen
do not register an F.I.R. and when
the public works contractor
builds a sub-standard road that
breaks down in one season.
We, the people need to stand
up and be counted instead of
complaining ceaselessly about
the ills in our societies. The author is an IT professional and a
peace activist based in Ghaziabad, India. Email: samirguptacklear@ yahoo.com

Mahesh Bhatts Milne Do


Mahesh Bhatt, in an attempt to find common ground between India and Pakistan,
is all set to produce and present a play titled "Milne Do".

he veteran filmmaker MaMalik Aslam, an experienced direcActing from the Central School of
hesh Bhatt, in his ongotor with a host of well-received proSpeech and Drama, London, and a
ing attempt to find comductions to his credit (including
PhD in "The Inclusion of Folk elemon ground between
street theatre) will co-direct the play.
ments in Shakespearean Plays perIndia and Pakistan, is all
They plan to have rehearsals toformed in Hindi".
set to produce and present a play tigether in India as well as in Pakistan,
The last play he directed was
tled "Milne Do".
and stage the production in March"Daddy", a theatrical adaptation of
"I have always maintained that a
April 2015 in both countries with live
Bhatt's powerful 1989 film by the
movie or a play can be a greater vemusic. The popular acsame name, featuring Zahid in the
hicle of peace than all the lectures
leading role. He also played the
we give," he says.
lead in last year's stage
"Any message, if comadaption of Bhatt's
municated through
iconic 1982 film "Arth".
storytelling, touches a
"I think Imran has the
chord. We are also trydiscipline and the consising to do the same. This
tency required to take up
play will be an emoprojects and deliver qualtional transaction beity stuff," Bhatt says of his
tween industries on
protg. "Not everyone has the
both sides."
tenacity to take an idea from inThe cross-border colception to its finishing point".
laborative project across
"This is my first trip to Pakborders has been in the
istan and I'm really happy and exmaking for over a year. It
cited about it. I was a little neris an "intense love story
vous so I took extra care with all
between two culturally
my documents when applying
crossed individuals during
for the visa but the Pakistan
times of abject hatred, it is
High Commission officials
Malik Aslam were so warm, welcoming
ted
aimed at promoting the
ec
dir
to,
an
M
ssan
292" on Sadat Ha
core message of Aman ki
and helpful," says Zahid, who
Theatre: "Dafa
Asha," says the Delhi-based Azad
is keen to meet and interact with stumale lead Imran Zahid.
tivist band Laal is already on board
dents in Lahore.
On Dec 15th Zahid is going to
from the Pakistan side. From India,
"Mahesh ji had called the PakPakistan along with theatre director
Euphoria has given a positive reistani consulate beforehand so they
Danish Iqbal. During their four-day
sponse.
were expecting us. It was nice to see
stay they want to finalise the script,
Danish Iqbal has a distinguished
their great respect for him. They gave
cast -- including the female lead from
career in theatre as well as a solid
us the visa in just one day, and even
Pakistan -- and design of the play in
academic background in the field. A
exempted us from police reporting,"
collaboration with the activist group
graduate of the National School of
he adds. "Pakistan's Deputy High
Azad Theatre, Lahore. Azad Theatre's
Drama, he has an M.A in Classical
Commissioner Mansoor Ahmad

controversy. And now, in Kil Dil, Zafar


shows that he can be as rugged as rugged
can get.
Despite other bankable stars, the Yash
Raj banner and its share of humour along
with the spicier elements of rivalry, romance, and gun totting rascals, peppered
with Bollywood songs and dances, the film
didn't reach the dream figure of 100 crore
rupees.
But Ali Zafar told media people at a recent informal gathering at a hotel in Lahore
that he is happy he did it because of the
amount of love he received in India not
only from fans and critics, but also industry
seniors.
His co-star in Kill Dil, the legendary
Govinda, was reportedly so impressed by
Ali's performance that he said the young
actor has the potential to get offers from
Hollywood filmmakers. Megastars Salman
Khan and Shahrukh Khan graciously
obliged Ali Zafar by recording personal
messages for his mother-in-law and mother
who are big fans of the two Khans.
Lately Zafar has been talking about
making a film in Pakistan featuring both
Pakistani and Indian artists, aiming to project a positive and strong image of the
country and showcase its immense talent.
"I am putting together my own produc-

THE FIRST STEP


LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Imran Zahid and Mahesh Bhatt


Khan also assured us help in all possible ways to help make it a successful play." Calling for greater commercial investment between India and
Pakistan, Mahesh Bhatt believes that
investments in any form will contribute to "harmonious ties and peace
between the two countries".
"People say I have utopian and
unrealistic ideas about Indo-Pak relations but I have a firm conviction that
through cultural spaces, India and
Pakistan can bridge a lot of distances," says Bhatt.
He gives the example of his own
journey as evidence of this belief.
"When I began my crusade for stitching these gaps through movies and
released films in Pakistan, there were
people heckling and sniggering and

Ali Zafar:
Back in town

Ali Zafar: the rugged look. Styling: Nabila; Photographer: Amean J.

laughing, saying that it's an impossible dream. But now Indian movies
are being shown in Pakistan, and
Pakistani soaps are being shown in
India. There are actors and singers
from Pakistan working here. We
have moved light years ahead in just
10-11 years."
He hopes that such cultural exchanges will "eventually fulfill the
dream of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi of the two countries
walking hand-in-hand."
This vision, incidentally, was also
shared by Pakistan's founding father
who wanted India and Pakistan to
have the kind of relationship that the
United States and Canada enjoy.
Beena Sarwar

tion house, the first project under which is


in planning stages," he said. The inspiration
behind this project is what he terms the
"ocean of talent" that he has come across in
Pakistan.
"I plan to take my film to India or maybe
there will be a collaboration so that new avenues open up between the two countries."
A solid patriot, Zafar has always dreamt
of doing something for his country. Making
a film locally would be his contribution to
strengthening the Pakistani film industry.
He has also reportedly expressed his desire
to write, direct and act in that film.
Despite his fame and Bollywood ventures, the 'superstar' bug has clearly not
bitten Ali Zafar. His huge philanthropic
heart was evident in his invitation to 50
students from the Sanjan Nagar School for
under-privileged children to a special
screening of Kill Dil. He spent the entire
evening celebrating the success of his film
with them.
He also announced that he would support the education of 50 students from the
school to enable them to get their high
school diplomas and pursue a better
life.Rubia Moghees is a freelance journalist
with a Masters in Mass Communication
from Kinnaird College. She lives in Lahore
with her husband and three children.

A peace initiative whose time has come...

Destination Peace: A commitment by the Jang Group, Geo and The Times of India Group to
create an enabling environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together,
contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between our countries.

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