The Colloquium for South Asian History and Cultural Studies, in association with History Seminar 197N, "History and the Hindi Film," presents a screening of the film "Mujahid" (Pakistan, 2003, 105 minutes).  The screening will be followed by Q & A with its director, Shahid Nadeem.

The theme of "Mujahid" is unusual but extremely relevant to present-day Pakistan. This is a story of two friends who have returned from Afghanistan where they had gone to fight as "jehadis." The film then follows the "reintegration" of the two young men into mainstream society but also goes into the circumstances which had made them leave a normal settled life to go and fight someone else's battle in an alien land.  The film does not pass judgments but attempts to understand the frustration and lack of hope for our youth which leads them to take the extremist causes.

"Mujahid" explores the social and psychological factors which make a young man into a "mujahid". It seeks answer to the question, "what motivates a Mujahid to shun his family, his friends, the society and opt for a suicidal path of glory in the life hereafter. The film depicts the aimless and drab existence of the urban poor youth and their vulnerability to conversion to extremist causes.  "Mujahid" has remarkable action scenes, filmed in locations such as the dangerous Pak-Afghan border area of  Torkham and Jamrod. Specialists in special effects and action from film industry and martial arts experts were hired for these scenes. The scenes of Jehadi training and Afghan war give authenticity to the film.

Shahid Nadeem is a Pakistani screenwriter, journalist, and human rights activist.  He was a Feuchtwanger Fellow at the Villa Aurora last year.  Shahid Nadeem has worked for Amnesty International since 1980: in London from 1980 to 1988 and in Hong Kong from 1991 to 1993. As a playwright since the 1970s, he has written over thirty plays and six television serials for Pakistan television, many performed all over Asia and Britain. He is the in-house playwright for Ajoka Theatre, Pakistan's leading non-commercial theatre group.

As an activist, Nadeem has held media seminars on human rights reporting, organized human rights film festivals, and produced two documentaries on human rights campaigning in Asia. As a journalist, he has edited a collection of Punjabi feminist plays (1994) and has published articles in "The Far Eastern Economic Review" (Hong Kong), "The Frontline" (Madras), "The Leveler", "Index on Censorship", and "The Socialist Women" (London).

Nadeem was imprisoned under all three past military governments (1969, 1979, 1978) because of his non-violent opposition to military rule and his writings. He has been harassed by the government since 1986 for writing about the Pakistani government's human rights record and for supporting India-Pakistani friendship. In 1998, he was fired after adapting a Brecht play on Hitler, regarded as an attack on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and for openly criticizing government interference in Pakistan Television affairs. In spite of the change of government, he is still banned from having his plays on Pakistani TV and his wife is banned from acting.

The screening is free and open to the public.  A DVD print will be shown on a roll-down screen.

Young Hall is at 600 607 Charles E. Young Dr East, opposite Geology Building and adjoining Slichhter Hall (not far from the Faculty Center). Closest parking is at Lots 2 and 9.

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Cost : Free

www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia

Sponsor(s): Colloquium for South Asian History and Cultural Studies