On the face of it Dukhtar falls in line with what seems to be the solitary criterion for international acclaim for Pakistani productions: highlight a ‘negative aspect’ of the country and the world applauds. But this movie is much more than a cynical attempt at cashing in on cliched ideas about Pakistan and its people. Child marriage is a very sensitive issue in Pakistan and the director, Afia Nathaniel, has handled it adroitly in her directorial debut.
Dukhtar is the tale of a mother trying to protect her 10-year-old daughter from marrying Tor Gul (Abdullah Jaan), a man multiple times her age – a fate the mother herself had to experience at the age of 15. After finding out that her daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref) will be married off to a 60-year-old man to settle a tribal dispute, Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz) takes up the impossible task of escaping from the village. The inevitability of her plan of action is evident from the moment Zainab’s father, Daulat Khan (Asif Khan) finds out that the mother and daughter have managed to escape, in what is one of the most captivating sequences of the movie.
[quote]The movie’s cinematography towers above anything that Pakistani cinema – or even Bollywood – has to offer[/quote]
Tor Gul’s men are always a whisker away from catching Allah Rakhi and Zainab. And as the mother and daughter manage to distance themselves from harm’s way, the audience keeps wondering how long they’ll be able to dodge their fate. The question lingers long after the movie is over.
Along the way, Sohail (Mohib Mirza), a truck driver, plays a crucial role in espousing the hope that Allah Rakhi, Zainab and the audience collectively cling on to.
Among the chasing pack is Shehbaz Khan (Ajab Gul), Daulat Khan’s key man, who has known Allah Rakhi since their childhood. Shehbaz expresses interest in Allah Rakhi, in one of the initial sequences, by claiming that he would’ve married her had she not become Daulat Khan’s wife. Whether he is chasing Allah Rakhi and Zainab to reignite his own love story or to follow his cultural and tribal loyalty, is one of the many questions that the movie leaves intriguingly unanswered.
Allah Rakhi’s awkwardness while dealing with Shehbaz Khan’s interest and Sohail’s flirtations is another subplot of the movie. The woman who was married off at 15, in a society where gender intermingling is restricted, is obviously at complete odds in dealing with any advances. But despite the societal handicaps, Allah Rakhi manages to stand firm as the end draws closer.
The cast’s acting remains solid throughout the movie without anyone standing out or significantly letting the script down. Adnan Shah, as one of Tor Gul’s men chasing Allah Rakhi and Zainab does really well as the principal antagonist. Samina Ahmad as Allah Rakhi’s mother is as dependable as ever in a cameo role as she completes three generations of women who have suffered at the hand of tribal traditions. Ajab Gul plays his mysterious character with expected flair.
[quote]Samiya Mumtaz excels as the lead in a movie that refreshingly avoids melodrama to catalyse emotions[/quote]
Of the three main protagonists, Mohib Mirza fails to shun his urban mannerisms and isn’t quite convincing as a Punjabi truck driver who joined the Afghan mujahideen when he was young. Saleha Aref plays her challenging role competently and provides noteworthy support to Samiya Mumtaz who excels as the lead in a movie that refreshingly avoided melodrama to catalyse emotions. Allah Rakhi stands tall amidst a barrage of crises, and Samiya Mumtaz admirably holds her together.
Dukhtar has been nominated for Oscar consideration after the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee chose Zinda Bhaag for the same last year. Zinda Bhaag, despite portraying Pakistan as a country you’re lucky to escape from, wasn’t accused of ‘defaming’ the country – probably because it didn’t showcase the plight of Pakistani women, unlike Saving Face.
While Dukhtar will inevitably be accused of washing our dirty linen in front of the world as it garners acclaim, what won’t be highlighted is the fact that the movie’s cinematography towers above anything that Pakistani cinema – or even Bollywood – has to offer. When Oscar-nominated films like Zero Dark Thirty are depicting Pakistan as a desert-laden Arab country, Dukhtar captures the scenic beauty of the north masterfully and showcases it for the world to admire.
Dukhtar is a must watch not because of any moral duties to support the ‘revival of Pakistani cinema’, but because it is a really good movie by any standards. Take your daughter with you as you jump aboard this truly emotional journey. You will inevitably find yourself holding her hand…
