One of most coherent voices from Pakistan, Sabiha Sumar, makes films that draw sustenance from the estuary of fact and fiction. Sumar grew up in a household where storytelling and poetry recitation were a way of life. No wonder then, from a very young age, she believed stories can change the world.
This conviction was validated with her first documentary, Who Will Cast the First Stone, about three women in prison who were sentenced to death by stoning. The film helped Shahida Parveen, who was accused of adultery, escape a similar fate. We also remember Sumar for Khamosh Paani , a film that dealt with the increasing radical influence among youth much before it became a global problem.
In pursuit of answers
More than a decade after the film was released, Sumar continues her pursuit for finding answers to growing religious intolerance on both sides of the border. In India to give the final touches to her feature-length documentary Azmayish , Sumar says the film is a travelogue with Kalki Koechlin, where the actress goes to Pakistan and Sumar comes to India. “It is a road movie where we are asking questions about contemporary violence and the use of religion in India and Pakistan,” says Sumar. “I lead the questions in Pakistan and she leads the way in India. We are focussing on people of both countries. What do they want, what is the human angle to the political discord?”
The filmmaker says she started with certain questions and then allowed them to be challenged and countered on the ground. “India began as a secular country and Pakistan started as an Islamic republic,” she says. “Where are they today, why is religion becoming an important factor to India’s identity? Has Pakistan gained or lost by creating an Islamic identity? Are Pakistanis questioning that identity? Has it done for them what they wanted to achieve or are they overwhelmed by the problem it has created?”
In the past decade, the space for a liberal believer has shrunk in society. Khamosh Paani delved into that space. “Islam is a monotheistic religion, but it is open to interpretation and whoever has the power says his interpretation is correct,” says Sumar. “It is very clear in the Book that your intention is what governs everything but you should not judge the intentions of your fellow beings. If you say you are a believer, I am no one to question that; I don’t have that authority over you. But if you politicise a religion, you lose its philosophy and real meaning and you start seeing very rigid lines of good and bad and become self-righteous. This is what has happened in Pakistan all these years and only recently, we have started questioning what good it has done to us. Can’t we allow everyone believe in the way they want to?”
For instance, in Khamosh Paani , Salim asks her mother, ‘If you believe in Islam, why are you scared?’. Sumar’s spouse Sachithanandam Sathananthan, who is of Sri Lankan origin, adds that no religion is free from politicisation. “Buddhism has been politicised in Sri Lanka. It is the most open of all religious philosophies but there are monks who tell you this is right and this is wrong.”
Azmayish also deals with how the establishment used religion for vested interests to deviate attention from socio-economic development over the years. “Religion has been used to shut out opposition. When General Zia Ul Haq said, ‘If you believe in Islam, vote for me’, there was little space left for argument. Instead of addressing the daily issues of roti, kapda aur makaan , children were being told what is more important is the afterlife.”
There’s been a recent surge in the Pakistani film industry, with as many as 60 films on the floor. Sumar says while there is censorship, the establishment wants to encourage Pakistani films. “It allows us to question our religious identity, which has become so straitjacketed that the arts have gone out of the window,” she says. “Now a dialogue has begun through cinema.” Is the army part of the process? “The army also has a vision for the country. Even in cultural sphere, the army remains an important voice. So I am sure it is working in tandem with the government.”
Pakistani serials on the Zindagi channel have opened a window to a society which is seldom seen on news channels. Sumar, who has herself directed a couple of serials, feels at times fiction represents a more wholesome picture of a society. The opening of the media, she says, has provided financial independence to women. This reflects in her film, Good Morning Karachi , which is about a girl who wants to become a top model. “Before the opening up of the media what chances did Rafina have of finding financial independence in the world?” says Sumar. “With minimal education and a humble background, at best, she could have been a secretary, a receptionist or a kindergarten teacher.” Till the 80s, the situation was no different for the Rafinas in India. “Here, before the pressure of marriage comes up, she uses the window to go out and say, ‘Here I am and I want to do something.’ She is driven by her ambition.” And today, she exults. This is the real life of Amna Ilyas, the actor who played Rafina. “She came exactly from the same humble background and today she is at the top of the modelling industry. And is part of Pakistan that is modern, liberal and is driven by ambition.”
As somebody who dabbles in both fiction and non-fiction, Sumar says the subject defines the format. “There has to be a strong connect with reality, and research is common to both. Then I see what is the best possible format. Like Khamosh Paani started as a documentary, but then I realised I will not be able to capture the heart of the story unless I feature real women talking about their wounds which I didn’t want to.” Sumar’s also game to direct a film in Bollywood. But for now, the adventurous filmmaker is working on a popular theme called Love Zindabad, which will feature actors from both the countries.
We are focussing on people of both countries. What do they want, what is the human angle to the political discord
