Page 30 - Pakistan Link - July 30, 2021

P30 – PAKISTAN LINK – JULY 30, 2021 ENTERTAINMENT
n By Siraj Khan Garam Hava (The Scorching Wind) written scripts and directed many
Boston successful concerts of performing
arts in multiple cities of the US,
smat Chughtai’s name will go (Translation: Nobody listens to South Asia and UAE and is a free-
down in history as a luminary Geeta or Qur’an, the conscience was lance writer for several journals and
Iin Urdu literature, especially shocked there as it is here.) publications. Siraj is a global finance
as a prolific short-story writer, The film Garam Hava (The and audit professional and serves on
for which she was Scorching Wind) was based on an the board of several non-profits)
awarded a Padma unpublished short story of Ismat COST FROM P23
Shri by the Gov- Chughtai and later adapted for the vides this service as a last resort, will
ernment of In- film by Kaifi Azmi and Shama Zai- work with referral services to obtain
dia. What is less di. Chughtai narrated the story to low-cost funeral services or directly
known, and even M.S. Sathyu and his talented wife – with families to arrange a county
less discussed, is screenplay writer, costume designer, burial. There are strict income and
her contribution to the Indian art director, theatre artist and docu- asset requirements.
cinema. mentary film maker Shama Zaidi - Utah – No programs are avail-
From Ziddiin 1948 to Mehfili deriving from the struggles of some able at the state level.
n 1981, she was involved in various of her own relatives, who were mi- Vermont – Call your county
roles in no less than 17 Indian films, grating to Pakistan. To that Kaifi for suggestions. Some locations may
together with her fellow Aligar- Azmi added his own experience of provide up to $1,100.
ian husband and producer-director Agra and the local leather industry, Virginia – Funeral assistance
Shahid Latif. In the couple is re- while developing the screenplay and will vary by county. Norfolk County
sponsible for providing Dev Anand also penned the songs accordingly, offers $500, and other counties may
his debut as a male lead and Kishore besides the dialogues. The musical provide aid too.
Kumar as a playback singer with his score was provided by Ustad Ba- Washington – Programs are
first film song “Marne ki duwaein hadur Khan, the renowned sarod available at the county level. Seattle/
kyun mangoon, Jeene ki tamanna player. King County provides up to $500 for
kaun kare”.. The location shooting of the funeral costs.
Apart from being a prolific film took place in the city of Agra Washington DC – The ESA
screenwriter, Ismat Chughtai has as well as in Fatehpur Sikri. Due to Burial Assistance Program offers
penned dialogues, written screen- continued protests by some local cash assistance to low-income Wash-
plays and has even produced and elements owing to the controversial ington, DC residents.
directed several films of the top stars theme of the film, a fake second unit West Virginia – Some county
throughout her illustrious career. with unloaded cameras was sent to human services organizations may
This article focuses on two of her various locations to divert atten- be aware of funding.
films, which are also connected with tion from the film’s actual locations. Wisconsin - Apply for up to
each other through some gentle po- As the film’s commercial produc- $1,500 for funeral home expenses
etic strokes. Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), ers had earlier already backed out, and $1,000 for cemetery costs.
which she wrote and also co-pro- fearing public and governmental Wyoming – Park County may
duced with her husband is one of backlash, the Film Finance Corpo- offer up to $2,500, and other allow-
them. Starring Nutan, singer/actor ration (FFC), now NFDC, stepped ances are available from the Depart-
Talat Mahmood and Balraj Sahni in with a funding of IRs 250,000. ment of Family Services in some
in lead roles, it was a social drama Sathyu borrowed the remaining IRs instances. Individual counties have
which told the story of a child actor, 750,000 of the budget from friends set rules and regulations for offering
who was abused and exploited over and relatives. The film was co- role was initially offered to noted the city, and established a brothel, burial assistance for disadvantaged
the course of her career. The film produced and shot by Ishan Arya, ghazal singer Begum Akhtar, but which had a long line of patrons. people.
was well received by audiences and who after making ad films made she had declined. Badar Begum was This role was cut out for her! How to apply
the success of the film translated di- his feature film debut, using an Ar- then in her 70s and almost blind Prior to its release, the film was For more information, or to
rectly into the further enhancing of tiflex camera, lent by Homi Sethna, held by the Censor Board of India, apply for funeral assistance, call the
Ismat Chughtai’s popularity. Sathyu’s friend. As Sathyu couldn’t for eight months, fearing com- social service, community action
Sone Ki Chidiya has been de- afford recording equipment, the Kaifi Azmi’s poem munal unrest. However, director agency, coroner, or local Department
scribed as a significant production film was actually shot silent, and Garam Hava had Sathyu persevered and showed it of Human Services in your state or
for reflecting on prime as well as the location sounds and voices were to government officials, leaders and county. roner, or local Department
grime time in Indian cinema, the dubbed in post-production. Shama traveled a long and journalists many times, convincing of Human Services in your state or
scenes behind the glamor of the Zaidi also lent her skills of a cos- eventful journey. them that there was nothing ques- county.
film industry. Nutan, who received tume and production designer in tionable in content. The film was
superlative accolades for her work the scheme of things. What started from a released eventually in late-1973 to UMMAH FROM P7
in the film, has herself described it Sathyu (almost 90 now, but short recital in Sone ki both critical and commercial suc- in the wake of the US withdrawal
as one of her favorite screen perfor- still active) had long been associ- cess, receiving numerous interna- from Afghanistan, are staging a re-
mances. The lyrics were penned by ated with the leftist Indian People’s Chidiya, the Kaifi Azmi, tional and local awards, including surgence. In a terrifying illustration
Sahir Ludhianvi which were set to Theatre Association (IPTA), so not Ismat Chughtai and Filmfare awards for Best Dialogue of the bizarre times we inhabit, the
music by the very best in the busi- surprisingly most of the roles in the - KaifiAzmi; Best Screenplay- Kaifi Taliban’s English-speaking spokes-
ness – composer OP Nayyar. Al- film were played by prominent stage Balraj Sahni connection Azmi-Shama Zaidi; and Best Story person now boasts about the group’s
though Sahir had written the songs, actors from IPTA troupes in Del- had ended 15 years Award – Ismat Chughtai. plans to BBC. In one recent interview,
there was a poem of Kaifi Azmi, hi, Mumbai and Agra. The role of Kaifi Azmi’s poem Garam this spokesperson told the BBC that
quite distinct, which was picturized family patriarch, Salim Mirza ,was later with Garam Hava had traveled a long and event- the reason the Taliban were not in
in the film on a poet, played by Bal- played by Balraj Sahni, also known Hava – a film, which ful journey. What started from a control of the cities in Afghanistan is
raj Sahni. What makes it fascinating to Sathyu through IPTA. The dis- short recital in Sone ki Chidiya, the because they had not yet attempted
is that there was no music involved appointed, but stoic Muslim ma, turned out to be their Kaifi Azmi, Ismat Chughtai and to do so. The message, of course, be-
and the voice-over was not provided refuses to migrate to Pakistan. Just last one together. The Balraj Sahni connection had ended ing that once they did attempt to take
by any singer or the actor, but by the like his ageing mother is reluctant 15 years later with Garam Hava– a the cities, they would succeed in do-
poet Kaifi himself. Yet it was Balraj to leave the ancestral haveli where scorching wind stopped film, which turned out to be their ing so.
Sahni, who stole the show. she came as a young bride, her son to blow abruptly, as last one together. The scorching A recounting of Muslims who are
Aaj ki raat bohat garam hava Salim Mirza, too is holding on to his wind stopped to blow abruptly, as suffering and of Muslims who are in-
chalti hai, Aaj ki raat na footpath pe faith in new India. Despite the fact Balraj Sahni died the Balraj Sahni died the very next day flicting suffering is an apt exercise for
neend aye gi that his shoe manufacturing busi- very next day after after he had finished the dubbing all Muslims as they celebrate Eidul
As the wheels of time moved ness is suffering in the new com- work for the film and, according Adha this year. The question before
on, none of the people involved munally charged environment and he had finished the to film critics, brought the curtain all of them must essentially be wheth-
knew what was to follow 15 years the family has to sell off their haveli dubbing work for the down with the finest performance er the concept of the Muslim ummah
later. So, fast forward from the year to move into a rented house, yet he of his long and illustrious career. as a united polity is one that is being
1958 to 1973, in order to connect struggles to keep his faith alive in film and, according to That fateful day was April 13, 1973. honored by Muslims and by Muslim
with the film Garam Hava. secularism and idealism. film critics, brought the The last line he recorded for states. It may also be useful to ask when
Garam Hava alludes to the The role of his wife was played this film was also the last recording the annual pilgrimage, a glorious and
scorching wind of communal vio- by Shaukat Azmi, wife of Kaif iAzmi curtain down with the of his life. “Insaan kab tak akela jee transnational reflection of the ability
lence, political bigotry, and intol- and mother of ShabanaAzmi. Fa- finest performance of sakta hai?” Translated into English: of Muslims to come together, can be
erance, which blew away humanity rooq Shaikh, a law student in Mum- “How long can a person live alone?” restored to its former dimensions. As
and conscience from across North- bai, who until then had played only his long and illustrious The question remains unan- we present our sacrifices and pray that
India in the years after the parti- minor roles in IPTA plays, made career. That fateful day swered. they be accepted by the Almighty, we
tion in 1947, especially after the his film debut in the role of Sikan- (The writer is a world citizen, should also look inward, consider our
assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, dar. The locale of the Mirza Man- was April 13, 1973 based in Boston, and lives a life own ability to revive the idea of the
to which the film opens. In its pro- sion was an old haveli of R. S. Lal without boundaries, having traveled ummah by saving those Muslims who
logue, Kaifi Azmi narrates a couplet Mathur, who assisted the whole unit 75 countries on this planet so far. are suffering and not free.
summing up the theme, “Geeta ki throughout the shooting. Mathur due to cataract. She had worked as He is a connoisseur of South Asian Celebrations in times of distress
koi suntan na Qur’an ki sunta, Hai- also helped Sathyu find Badar Be- an extra for many years in films in film music, using art and culture ef- and the vast shadow of death that Co-
ran sae emaan vahan bhitha yahan gum in a city brothel, for the role of Mumbai and had returned to Agra, fectively, to build bridges between vid-19 has cast over the world has
bhi” Balraj Sahni’s mother. This intricate ending up in the red-light area of boundaries and people. He has UMMAH, P28
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