Jinnah movie review

Critical review of Jinnah movie

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam "Great Leader") and Baba-e-Qaum ("Father of the Nation"). Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah with his untiring efforts, determined and strong will, and bold courage united the Indian Muslims under the banner of the Muslim League and carved out a homeland for them, despite stiff opposition from the Hindu Congress and the British Government.

Jinnah is a film on the subject of the life of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The film was released in 1998 in the United Kingdom and Pakistan. This film follows the life of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan (formerly part of British India). This film traces the footsteps of one of the forgotten men of history, Mohammed Ali Jinnah (Lee), as he tries to establish a separate state after the British withdrawal from India in 1947. Concerned that their departure will mean his fellow Muslims will not be properly represented in a self-governing, de-colonised country with a large Hindu majority, the eponymous statesmen attempts to create the nation of Pakistan.

 It begins with the death of Mohammed Ali Jinnah; through a computer error, the details of Jinnah’s life have been lost, and he and his recording angel must travel back through his life to reassess it. He tells of the key point in 1947, when India was about to get independence from Britain, and Jinnah advocated a separate nation in which the Muslims will be in the majority. Gandhi suggests Jinnah be made prime minister of the new India, as a compromise, but Jinnah rejects his suggestion and Nehru is handed the job. Jinnah's nemesis is Lord Louis Mountbatten, the British viceroy who opposes the idea of Pakistan. As well as this historical turning point, Jinnah recalls his youth, and formative relationships with his sister Fatima and his marriage to a former Parsi, Ruttie, who when reaches the age of 18 converts to Islam before marrying Jinnah.

Jinnah strays from the straight and narrow biopic path by having a figure called The Narrator trying to access data stored on computers imported from the future and escorting the black-clad Jinnah back in time. These debates - between Jinnah the elder statesman and Jinnah the young, ambitious leaven the conventional period.

Quaid-e- Azam in this movie was telling through flashbacks as his soul tries to find eternal rest. The flashbacks start in 1947 as Jinnah pleads for a separate nation from the Muslim regime, infuriating Lord Mountbatten. Mountbatten then tries to enlist Gandhi & Nehru to persuade Jinnah to stop his efforts. Gandhi sides with Jinnah, which upsets Nehru. However, Jinnah turns down the offer to become prime minister and the film takes another slide back to 1916, which reveals all of the political implications that have occurred.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah told us that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi suggests Jinnah be made prime minister of the new India, as a compromise, but I rejects his suggestion and Nehru is handed the job.

Jinnah’s fate is Lord Louis Mountbatten, the British viceroy who was in opposition to the idea of Pakistan. As well as this historical turning point, Jinnah recalls his youth, and formative relationships with his sister Fatima and his marriage to a former Parsi converted to Islam before marriage.

Jinnah's probity, emphasis on the protection of minorities and promotion of the role of Women in public are highlighted in the film. Fatima Jinnah - played brilliantly by Shireen Shah - is shown as sharing the public platform with her brother. It is argued in this film that for Jinnah, the safeguarding of religious minorities and promotion of Women was totally consistent with Islam, indeed deeply rooted in his understanding of the religion.
The tragedy of the deaths that go together with partition is not forgotten either, as is bear out by the emotional ending. This film therefore challenges the prevailing view of Jinnah and presents his personality as multi-dimensional.

In essence, by drawing us into the theological conflict through the eyes of Pakistan’s foremost politician, Dehlavi makes us vividly aware of the carnage and loss that resulted from a legacy of colonialisation and partition. Unfortunately, the problems of this hasty and blundering split are still with us today, as the intransigent rancour between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, and a whole host of other issues testifies.