tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post4273881279261112450..comments2024-03-22T12:27:50.002-07:00Comments on Die, Danger, Die, Die, Kill!: Maula Jat (Pakistan, 1979)Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post-32578396764558208612010-08-06T08:57:11.011-07:002010-08-06T08:57:11.011-07:00Thanks, Leeqa. I'm glad to have your input on ...Thanks, Leeqa. I'm glad to have your input on <i>Maula Jat</i>!.<br /><br />The whole idea about the connection between <i>Maula Jat</i>'s success and the Zia-ul-Hag regime came from Mushtaq Gazedar's history of Pakistani cinema. And I think that the point -- which I'm sure I failed miserably to convey -- was not that the film itself contained any kind of intentional message about the current political situation, but that public frustration about that political situation was a contributing factor to the film's popularity. In other words, Maula Jat, with all his throaty righteousness and thirst for frontier justice, just happened to come along at the right time to benefit from popular feelings of powerlesness and outrage. Of course, the overwhelming mystery of a phenomenon like that of <i>Maula Jatt</i> makes it tempting for an outsider like myself to grasp onto such a sweeping explanation, while, at the same time, I have no idea independent of what I've read whether it's true or not.<br /><br />It seems like you and I are of the same mind regarding the similarities between Maula and Nuri, which indeed makes Maula seem like something of an arbitrary choice for a hero. Interestingly, your review seems to go on to suggest that there is an undercurrent of bromance to their relationship, which is something I sort of thought I saw, but didn't feel secure enough about to put forward, given my inability to understand the dialog.<br /><br />Anyway, I really enjoyed your review. Mine was definitely lacking an infographic!Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post-29689923852156419432010-08-05T21:00:10.104-07:002010-08-05T21:00:10.104-07:00Found your blog because of Beth! Just wrote someth...Found your blog because of Beth! Just wrote something on Maula Jatt as well, and it is pale by comparison by your piece. Bravo, and assuming you didn't have the translation of the said movie.<br />http://dishoomdishoom.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/punjabi-classic-maula-jatt-1978-te-noori-natt/<br /><br />Few very quick things! First the disco death scene! Okay there is nothing in the dialogues that determine the motivation behind the would-be-rapee to start dancing! I suppose it was achieved to reach a particular goal, which was not to have a single woman with attempted rape in her history, given her would-be-rapist would be killed in the next scene by his sister.<br /><br />As for Maula vs. Noori! I thought they were more similar than different. They both are ruthless, vicious, and ultimately driven by ego! The only difference was the filmakers motivated the audience to root for one of the characters (the one who saved the raped vs. the one who's brother tried to rape).<br /><br />As for the message in the movie which might have been aimed at the military rule: I do not really think so thats a plausible scenario (and given i was born in 86, i might be totally wrong as well). Yes, one must concede that a message can be construed from the movie which calls for individuals, esp in the rural setting, to take matter in their own hands when they are dealing with corrupt and/or unjust social institutions. How much the filmakers intended this target to be the military rule, one cannot say, but certainly it might have targeted the gentry and the landlords that always are in cohort with any govt that is in power - civilian or military. By an extension, the govt might have felt threatened, but perhaps the film makers never tried to aim for the govt.<br /><br />I shall read more of your Pakistani cinema material, soon!leeqahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12948304447720246938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post-42056705959682753592010-07-10T08:04:26.914-07:002010-07-10T08:04:26.914-07:00Ah yes. That would do it. Very interesting re: the...Ah yes. That would do it. Very interesting re: the cloth! Yet another reason to watch this with someone with massive cultural knowledge.Beth Loves Bollywoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05540154833326987567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post-50512285664343125472010-07-07T07:14:26.030-07:002010-07-07T07:14:26.030-07:00I do think that there's an element of "pr...I do think that there's an element of "preserving the family honor" to her self inflicted death, but I can't say conclusively without translation. I think it's probably also important to note that the first thing that Maula Jat does when she comes to him, before he thrashes her pursuer, is cover her hair with a white cloth.Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7118098779778491600.post-79728396389641428842010-07-06T19:29:52.291-07:002010-07-06T19:29:52.291-07:00She dances to death out of relief/triumph of not b...She dances to death out of relief/triumph of not being raped? And she's not even anyone's sister or cousin or friend? Whoa. I wonder if that's some sort of really sinister condemnation of a woman who has had the misfortune to be a victim - I feel like we see that in the rape-ier (not rapier, obviously) Indian films of the 80s and early 90s. <br /><br />I would love to see this with people who could 1) translate (both linguistically and culturally) and 2) were around at its initial release and remember some of the goings-on around that time. Though as you say, some things are clear without words.Beth Loves Bollywoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05540154833326987567noreply@blogger.com