Since 1999

ZEHR-I-ISHQ

Reviewed by FAIZ ANMED FAIZ

CREDITS: Banner: Select Pictures. Producers: Kh. Khurshid Anwar and Sultan Jilani. Director: Masud Pervez. Story and Screenplay: Kh. Khurshid Anwar. Music: Kh. Khurshid Anwar. Songs: Qateel Shifai. Dialogues: S. Imtiaz Ali Taj. Photography: Nabi Abmad. Audiography: S. Afzal Hussain. Cast: Mussarat Nazir, Habib, Yasmin, Neelo, Bibbo, M. Esmail, Nusrat Kardar and Pishoo.

Released in April 1958

'ZEHR-I-ISHQ' is a bold experiment in finding new and better values for the Pakistani film. It defies convention in almost every respect-subject matter, treatment, and music. There is no relying on pseudo drama or cheap emotionalism. Select Pictures have earned no small credit by asserting the artiste's independence of the box-office. This clean film raises the crucial question how far aesthetic values can be adhered to in the films of today. The choice, of course, is for the public to make. It will be a choice that will greatly influence the future quality of the Pakistani pictures.

It is the story of an impulsive woman. Sanwli (Musaraat) develops early in life uninhibited instinct of motherhood and of possessing what she loves. Her whole character is moulded by these two dominant traits. When she falls in love with Jamil (Habib), an artist belonging to a house where social status and family prestige are still held most sacred, she wants to have him all to herself. But both of them are loved and sought in marriage by other persons. Both are forced into marrying persons they do not like. They are equally madly in love with each other, with the difference that while Sanwli knows of no bonds on love and has the will to fight for happiness, Jamil suffers inwardly and submits under his domineering mother to the painful routine of home life with his loving and dutiful wife. Even the arrival of a baby fails to relieve his torment.

Sanwali breaks away from bondage and returns to bring peace to her love. Jamil's wife, seeing the lovers' happiness, decides to move out of their lives. Sanwali gets Jamil. But she must have a child. Four years pass by and the only thing she can fondle is the old doll. She tries to accept her stepson as her own but the grandmother's baby would not take her for mother. She also comes to know of her rival's sacrifice. Caught in a dilemma she follows her natural motherly instinct to solve her misery.  

This is a powerful story. Sanwli is a real living being with genuine feelings and impulses. Her character has been drawn with remarkable understanding and her emotions are interpreted with perfect clarity in visual terms. Her tragedy has been brought out both, as a personal case and in contrast with two mothers-Jamil's mother and his first wife and their Values of life.

As a classical' tale, the style it follows to a considerable extent, one may not be able to find' fault with the theme but as a film story it is open to criticism on two main points.' Firstly, the writer 'does not appear to have taken into' consideration the fact that in Sanwli's love story Jamil has no will of his own, still he is absolutely faithful to his love and is prepared to sacrifice everything for her. He may not be the move of things but, nevertheless, he is as much involved in them as anybody else. This character should have been given more importance. Secondly, due to various factors Sanwli does not get the audience's sympathy, which she deserves, till the last few reels. By that time they have formed certain definite impressions about her which conflict with later conclusions. Further, the whole theme is so different from what the people find in films that they may have difficulty in identifying themselves with the characters. Their appreciation depends upon their sense of understanding the psychology of motherhood and `the subtle points of drama, which a majority of our film goers cannot be said to possess. This point, however, goes in favour of the film rather than against it, from the purely artistic point of view.

Even more different from the routine is the film's musical score. Completely untraditional it is the work of an individualist  whose zeal for aesthetic perfection does not  admit of many compromises. His experiments in Pakistani film music are valuable  but for the audience that we have opera music  and the expression of feelings with notes are  as yet rather unfamiliar. Unfortunately, the music director has not been adequately  helped by the singers and the recordist. Still,  some of the songs are excellent. The background music all along is appealing.

 Taking the theme as it is, it has been  developed intelligently. The narrative is com pact and follows a logical course. In presentation the basic requirements of film craft  have been observed and there are touches of poetic treatment at suitable points. Symbolism and irony are treated with success.   Situations of dramatic effect are exploited  with maximum effect. The director, however,  has not paid full attention to the tempo,  although the plot is tense throughout. Shots  of motion have been taken exceptionally  well.

 The film presents some of the artists at  their best. Musarrat displays a fine command  over histrionics in her marvellous performance  as Sanwli. The role fits her completely and  she lives it up like a great artiste: Yasmin is  a perfect foil for her. She is dignified and  restrained. And after a long, long time one  sees Bibbo acting. The child, Pishoo, shows  gifts of naturalness and confidence.

 Technical values of the film, barring  recording, are first' rate. The photography is  clear and sharp. Lighting is satisfactory and  the camera movement smooth.

 On the whole an excellent film, far above the common run of local productions.

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