Khuda Kay Liye

Khuda Kay Liye

Theatrical poster
Directed by Shoaib Mansoor
Produced by Shoman Production
Written by Shoaib Mansoor
Starring Shaan
Naseeruddin Shah
Fawad Afzal Khan
Iman Ali
Naeem Tahir
Hameed Sheikh
Music by Rohail Hyatt
Cinematography David Lemay
Ali Mohammad
Neil Lisk
Ken Seng[1]
Edited by Ali Javed
Aamir Khan
Distributed by Geo Films
Percept Picture Company (India)
Release dates
  • 20 July 2007 (2007-07-20) (Pakistan)
  • 4 April 2008 (2008-04-04) (India)
Running time
 167 minutes
Country Pakistan
Language English
Urdu[2]
Budget ₨6 crore (US$590,000)[3]
Box office ₨25 crore (US$2.5 million) (worldwide)[4]

Khuda Kay Liye (also released as In The Name of God in international markets)[5] is a 2007 Pakistani drama film directed by Shoaib Mansoor, and stars Shaan, Fawad Afzal Khan and Iman Ali in pivotal roles, with a cameo appearance by Naseeruddin Shah. The film follows Mansoor and Sarmad (played by Shaan and Khan), two singers whose lives changes after the events of 9/11 attacks in America and misinterpreted teachings of Jihad.

Khuda Kay Liye was released on 20 July 2007 in Pakistan and on 4 April 2008 in India, as well as the screenings at various international film festivals. The film subsequently won a number of awards for its acting, notably three Lux Style Awards, one Silver Pyramid Award at Cairo International Film Festival, one Roberto Rossellini Award, Italy and one Fukuoka Audience Award at Fukuoka International Film Festival, Japan.

Apart from international accolades, Khuda Kay Liye received mixed reviews, with critics praising the story and acting, but criticising the script and direction. Commercially, the film became the highest-grossing Pakistani film of 2007 domestically, was declared "hit" by the Pakistani box-office, earning ₨11.5 crore (US$1.1 million) during its theatrical run.

Plot

Mansoor and Sarmad, the two successful singers from Lahore. Sarmad eventually gets influenced by an Islamic activist Maulana Tahiri, as he begins to practice Islamic way of living and gives up his music career as it is considered "haraam" by the Islamic community. Maryam (Mary), a westernised British Pakistani girl, falls in love with Dave from the British community. However this displeases her father, who is hypocritical, despite himself having a live-in relationship with a British woman.

Meanwhile Mary's father plans to take her for a trip to Pakistan to meet Sarmad and Mansoor. While touring FATA, she gets deceived by her father to marry her cousin, Sarmad. Mary, forcefully gets married and abandoned in her household. In an escape attempt, Mary tries runs from the village but gets caught by Sarmad. He eventually consummates their marriage by force as a sort of punishment so that Mary would not escape again.

Mansoor goes to a musical school in Chicago, where he meets Janie. They both eventually fall in love with each other and Janie even leaves alcohol for him. However shortly after the events of 9/11, Mansoor gets arrested by FBI, due to his Islamic background and gets detained for a year in Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Mary is rescued by Sarmad's father under the protection of the British government. A devastated Mary, takes her father and cousin to court in Pakistan. Wali (Naseeruddin Shah), a Maulana, then explains to the court how Islam is being misused in the name of war and hatred, bringing the religion forward in a believable and peaceful manner. Traumatized by all the suffering he has seen and caused, Sarmad withdraws from the case. He also realizes the damage that he was made to do in the name of religion. Mary is now free and returns to the village where she was kept prisoner so she can educate the girls there. Meanwhile, Mansoor is still in FBI custody after a year of torment; the last torture session having inflicted permanent brain damage. After a failed rehab attempt, he is deported and reunited with his family in Pakistan where he begins to recover.

Cast

Production

Development

"The way America and the West are dealing the problem is very wrong — they are just trying to kill and suppress those Muslims who are being labeled as terrorists. And it will not solve the problem because if you will kill 10, a hundred more will emerge."

Shoaib Mansoor during an interview for the film.[7]

Shoaib Mansoor, the director of the film, developed the idea after the misconceptions about Pakistan in Pakistani diaspora and India.[8] Mansoor stated that the film will clear the irrelevant thinking of Indians towards the Pakistani community.[7]

Filming

Federally Administered Tribal Area of Pakistan, where the film shot

Principal photography of the film took place in Lahore, where most of the parts were filmed. Besides, the film was also shot at Chicago, London and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[9]

Box office

Khuda Kay Liye is one of Pakistan's highest grossing films, with a domestic gross of $1.1 million and a worldwide gross of $2.1 million.[10]

Music

Khuda Kay Liye
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released July 7, 2007
Recorded 2006-2007
Genre Film soundtrack
Label Republic Music Group, Huqa Entertainment Corp, Sony BMG
Producer Rohail Hyatt

The music of the film was released on July 7, 2007. The soundtrack album of the film was composed and produced by Rohail Hyatt.[11][12] All songs were written by Shoaib Mansoor with an exception of "Mahi Way" and "Bandeya".

No. TitleWriter(s)Artist Length
1. "Duniya Ho"  Shoaib MansoorAhmed Jahanzeb; Shuja Haider 3:57
2. "Hamaray Hain"  Shoaib MansoorAhmed Jahanzeb; Shuja Haider 3:49
3. "Bandeya-I"  Bulleh ShahKhawar Jawad; Farah Zalah 3:38
4. "Tiluk Kamod"   Ahmed Jahanzeb 4:37
5. "Janie Janie"  Shoaib MansoorAhmed Jahanzeb; Lagan the Band 6:01
6. "Allah Hoo"   Saeen Zahoor; Zara Madani  
7. "Mahi Way"  Faiza MujahidKhawar Jawad; Faiza Mujahid 3:10
8. "Khuda Ke Liye"  Shoaib MansoorAmmar Hassan 3:33
9. "Bandeya-II"  Bulleh ShahKhawar Jawad; Faiza Mujahid 3:34

Accolades


2008 Lux Style Awards
31st Cairo International Film Festival
Roberto Rossellini Award (Italian film industry)[13]
Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival 2008 [14](Japan)[15]
Asian Festival of First Films[16]

See also

References

External links

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