“A man’s heart is a wretched, wretched thing. It isn’t like a mother’s womb. It won’t bleed. It won’t stretch to make room for you.”
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini weaves an intricate tale of two women brought together by unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances. Their journey especially the bond they forge as mother and daughter over the course of their imprisonment is far removed from Dukhtar’s central premise, but is it…?
Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar is a timely and (more importantly) local effort at questioning the importance of women’s rights in Pakistan’s tribal dominated north-western provinces (FATA – Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa). It is the story of two women brought together by ties of blood but bonded by the adversity they face. Like Hosseini’s Mariam and Laila, Dukhtar, is definitely a woman’s story from the perspective of another woman.
Nathaniel’s vision of this self-confessed “road-trip thriller” isn’t all running and hiding, though, there are moments in the trailer that I feel belie her true intentions. As much as the fast paced scenes with upbeat music are testament to cinematic license, the shrill climax that ends with a girl being clad in a bridal chunni suggests deeper intentions.
Now, make no mistake, this isn’t a hard hitting documentary like Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Saving Face nor is it meant to outwardly critique a culture, a tribe, a people, or even a nation rather this is a story about larger, dare I say it, more philosophical questions like freedom, dignity, and love. As Nathaniel says: “The film is a unique cinematic journey into the heart of Pakistan.” I wonder, though, how many people out there even know that Pakistan has a heart? I do, and I firmly believe in it, which is why I think Dukhtar is a step in the right direction.
What direction? Well you’ll have to wait for the review for that one.
Moreover, it doesn’t hurt that the film is easy on the eyes. The cinematographer makes sure we know our landscape as its nestled in the Himalayan foothills juxtaposing snow-capped mountains with deserted and sandy valleys. The art director equips the barren and lifeless locations with colour in the form of costumes, sets, and that very Pakistani icon, a truck covered in art. All the while we have our actors – Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, et al – giving us a range of emotions from fear to anger and then some.
Speaking of actors, Samiya, Samiya, Samiya, from what I’ve seen, there is no one who could have done justice to Allah-Rakhi like you have. Of course, I am thoroughly biased, and if any of you have seen Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan, then, you know exactly what I’m talking about. As for Mr. Mirza, janab surma bahut jachta hai aap par, Masha’Allah.
For all intents and purposes, Dukhtar is a legitimate outcome from an industry often accused of illegitimate belonging. I would definitely keep my eyes on this one, Khawateen-o-Hazrat.
Till we meet for a review,
This is RB signing off.
Filmistani Journeys 
