Details

Published: 08 August 2014

Last Updated: 08 August 2014

GHUNGHAT An artistically made film

Reviewed by Q. Z. MALIK

CREDITS: Banner: Select Pictures. Producers: Kh. Khurshid Anwar and Sultan Jilani. Director: Kh. Khurshid Anwar. Story and Screenplay: Kh. Khurshid Anwar. Music: Kh. Khurshid Anwar. Songs: Tanvir Naqvi and Faiz Ahniad Faiz; Dialogues: Naseer Anwar. Photography: Nabi Ahmad. Audiography: S. Afzal Husain. Cast: Nayyar Sultana, Santosh, Neelo, Laila, Bibbo, A. Shah and Talish. Released in November 1962

An off-beat, purposeful theme, mounted with the skill and precision of a surgeon, and treated with the warmth and imagination of a poet, Ghunghat comes gracefully to the screen like a cool, invigorating early-morning breeze after a stuffy and suffocating night, it rescue the Pakistan film industry from a very awkward position and promises to infuse new life into it. Ghunghat is not only a source of inspiration for the imaginative technicians but a slap on the face of the plagiarists and the box-office pundits.

Opinions have always differed as to who and what makes a good and successful film: is it the Producer, the Director, the Writer, the Music Director, the Star or the Technician? The few big names in modern cinema the world over tend to agree that it is the team that matters. It no doubt does, but there is one person in the team who has to use the team in transforming the film on paper to the film on celluloid: the Director. If the story, photography, performances, music, decor, sound, editing, processing all matter, it is the putting of all these together, the blending of all into a compact absorbing narrative, that matters most. This is most creditably effected in Ghunghat and is Khurshid Anwars major achievement, major because he is not only the Director, but the Producer, Script writer and Music Director too. While he has excelled in all the three latter departments, he has done much more in the former, the most challenging job. It was easy for Khurshid Anwar the Music Director to have dominated the film. What has actually happened is that Khurshid Anwar the Director is on top while at the same time Khurshid Anwar the Music Director is as appealing and refreshing and as hauntingly melodious as ever. There could be no more convincing proof of this mans versatility.

For his subject, Khurshid Anwar once again goes off the beaten track discerning flim-goers will not forget his Zehre Ishq. No one can honestly say that he slipped in that earlier experiment but for a slight mis judgment of his audience. Zehr-i-Ishq went across to the intelligentsia, but not to the masses. Khurshid Anwar realised his misjudgment and that realisation has aided him in infusing into Ghunghat an appeal that is almost universal:

A newly-wed, educated and sensitive Young girl is on her way with her husband to Her new and real home. She is clad in the traditional bridal attire and jewellery of her faith and culture. The traditional veil ghunghat is still hiding her face. She is sitting huddled up in the corner of her seat in a 1st Class railway coupe in the traditional posture of a newly-wed maiden. Outwardly she is calm, silent and motionless almost lifeless a true picture of the fabled Eastern bride, but within her an unfamiliar and strangely pleasant mixture of joy, excitement, misgiving and apprehension is wildly surging.

The bridegroom a wealthy young man with a fertile imagination that has won him recognition as short-story writer approaches and addresses her with gentleness and love. The picture of calm and storm stirs. . . This is the biggest day of my life and you my biggest possession, he says.. . I often asked my mother how my bride would look like and she told me: Your bride will be a Purban ki Rani. . . .Have you ever heard of Purban ki Rani? he asks. Her name was Usha Rani and she lived in Purban. . . everyone in that land of beauty calls her purban ki haw. When I was a little boy, I visited Purban with my parents. There, I heard her story and then I saw her in my dreams. She is dead long ago, but her spirit, they say still returns to Purban when the moon is full ... ah ever since my childhood she has lived in my thoughts and I have cherished her... . He breaks off and moves towards her with a longing in his eyes, pray lift your veil now, my bride, and let me see your face.. . .let me see her. . let me see Purban ki Rani .. . He approaches the bride but she huddles up in traditional modesty and resistance. Please, he pleads. The strange storm raging within appears to take hold of her, she lifts her head slightly and shakes it in alarmed pleading. The bridegroom gives in, smiles understandingly and moves towards his own berth. Alright, he says, I give in.. . dont lift your veil here. You must be tired. I will let you rest.. but at home, you will have to lift, it. . I make sure that the face I see is the one that I long to see. . . . the face of Purban ki Rani. The bridegroom stretches on his berth, turns on his side and eventually goes to sleep. The train rattles on. The storm within the bride bursts to the surface and grips her; but now it is something familiar, it is no longer strange. Her bowed head lifts and her motionless body stirs in nervous movements.

The trains rattles on a lifted shutter crashes shut. The bridegroom wakes up with a start . . -. . he notices the lavatory door bang loudly shut, then slowly open, and bang shut again with the motion of the train. He looks at the other berth and finds it empty. Rising, he moves to the lavatory and hesitatingly looks in. Suddenly, he stiffens and turns round to look at the empty berth, the bridal garlands scattered on it, the brides shoes on the floor board, the broken waterpitcher near the door, and his jaw sags in shock, he springs towards the emergency chain and pulls it. . . .the train squeals to a halt, the Guard arrives, and on his heels, the bridegrooms father from the adjoining compartment. . . .Father, stammers the bridegroom, Naheed my bride she she has disappeared.

This is the base from which Khurshid Anwar proceeds to unravel a strange story with such warmth understanding and skill that the audience remains spellbound to the final fade out.

There is not much of a story in the general sense, but the idea that has inspired this versatile writer, music director, producer, director has received such masterly treatment at his hands that one remains absorbed to the end.

The substantial part of the picture, however, is the world of spirits, which appears to be more realistic than the matter-of-fact scenes of every day life, which only serve as a backdrop, against which the main emotional experience is projected. This world of spirits is a dream world conjured up by the artistic genius of Khurshid Anwar by an exquisitely sensitive blending of ethereal patterns of melody with suggestive pictorial imagery. The result cannot be analyzed in terms of independent elements of experience. It is a totality of experience, which is the hallmark of all that is really good in art.

The biggest technical achievement of the director in collaboration with the cameraman, is the atmosphere of mystery that has been captured in the outdoor location sequences of the pictute. It is comparatively much easier to create such an effect on the artificial sets, where the studio lights are urnder the control of the cameraman and a limited space facilitates the manipulation of artificial mist. But to successfully launch such a ventute in the wide expanses of a mountain is an achievement of which our film industry, can well be proud.

One of the major highlights of the picture is Nabi Ahhmads photography, a highlight, one may say but it has all the delicate shades of mpod, that, the director appears to convey. If was no mere accident that white mist was used in all scenes suggestive of the purity of Ushas spirit and dark foreboding mist when The hero brings his wife to the forest lake with the intention of murdering her.

Performances unmistakably bear the impress of directorial suggestions, particularly in the delicate, nuances of gestures, except in the case of the versatile Talish who gives a spontaneous portrayal of a comic character. But credit goes to Nayyar Sultana for having integrated the suggested gestures with feeling and giving the most convincing performance of her stereotyped actions. Santosh could not have done better in the role of an escapist dreamer.

The audiography of the picture is of a surprisingly high standard, particularly in the recording of songs. There are a few lapses in the mixing at some places but, keeping in mind this sadly mishandled technical aspect of Pakistani pictures in general, recordist Afzal Hussain deserves the gratitude of the industry.

Khurshid Anwars music is as original and appealing as it has always been. But this fine his imagination gives shape to a weird experience and his keen and deft sense of orchestration blooms forth into such strange flowers as can grow only in a fairyland. The eerie yet sublime and soothing sound patterns, in which bass flute plays an important part are Khurshid Anwars latest contributions to the repertoire of Oriental music.

Details

Published: 08 August 2014

Last Updated: 08 August 2014

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.

Details

Published: 08 August 2014

Last Updated: 18 October 2016

About Khurshid Anwar 

Khurshid Anwar, a leading light of the film world won immense popularity in the Subcontinent for his stylish and heart rending compositions. He was pluck away from our midst by the inexorable angel of deatn seventeen years ago on October 30, 1984 signalin the end of a golden chapter in film music. It is difficulL to encompass his multi-faceted personality in a single piece of writing. He was at once a poet of considerable merit, a perceptive playwright, sensitive film director, and a competent film producer, a musicologist of uncommon erudition and scholarship and, above all, an original and stylish composer. He had the knack of picking the right instrument for the conveyance of the nuances and emotion sofasong. He created a new style, provided a new tangent and gave an elan to film music. Dulcet, tender and tuneful, his songs were decorated viith dreamy cadences. Music buffs and listeners were equally hypnotized by the sweetness of his compositions.

To the art of composition, Khurshid Anwar brought the same trenchant and restless intellect that made him so fine a scholar, poet, producer-director and one of the most erudite interpreters of classical music in the Sub-continent. His musical thinking was profound (sometimes abstruse and esoteric) as perhaps only those who listened to his discourses frequently could best appreciate these. His special gift for endowing tonality in general; and the use of shurtis (microtonal pitches) in particular, were the striking features of his songs.

Khurshid Anwar was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His father was a leading specialist in criminal law, but had an irresistiole passion for music. He had a large collection of gramophone discs, containing good selection of classical and light classical music. He also held soiree at his residence wherein seasoned practitioners of classical music were invited to demonstrate their melodic prowess. It was in this congenial environment that Khurshid Anwar was brought up. Besides, he spent a part of his formative years in Rohtak (Haryana), where his grandfather served as a senior civil servant. The influence of Haryana folk melodies on Khurshid Anwar's compositions can easily he discerned by discriminating listeners.

To some, because of his excellent educational qualifications and rich family background, Khurshid Anwar was a dry, not very affable individual, but to those (like this scribe), who succeeded in penetrating the veneer of the introvert ambiance of his personality, Khurshid Anwar was friendly, kind and an understanding person.

It was a time of great political unrest when Khurshid Anwar was studying at Government College, Lahore. Left-oriented and anti-colonial enthusiasts started a movement to rid India of colonial Yoke of the British. As an acutely sensitive person, young Khurshid Anwar could not resist the temptation of joining the movement. Touching base with freedom frontline fighters of the time like Bhagat Singh and within his limits, he took part in the struggle for independence.

It is a popular misconception that Kh~irshid Anwar could not sing, nor he could play an instrument. The fact of the matter is that he was a practitioner of the art of classical singing, which he learnt from Ustad Tawwakal Husain Khan. According to his younger brother, Khawaja Sultan Ahmad (a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan), Khurshid Anwar was extremely good at imitating the singing styles of classical vocalists of different hues. He learnt classical vocalization by listening to the recorded music of frontline melodists of that time.' Once Ustad Tawwakal Husain Khan chanced to listen to Khurshid Anwar imitating his style of singing during one of his visits to our house, disclosed Khawaja Sultan, adding, "My brother was not aware of the fact that someone was eves-dropping on him. The Khan Sahib did not interrupt Khurshid Anwar and waited for him to complete his practice session. Giving him a friendly hug, Tawwakal Khan, who was so pleased with my brother's talent, congratulated Khurshid Anwar and offered to teach him on a regular basis. In the estimation of the Khan Sahib, Khurshid Anwar become a competent classical singer already'.

We inquired how come Khurshid Anwar did not vocally rehearse his compositions with the singers during the final pre-recording sessiors. "It is not entirely true", he responded with a touch of authority, adding, "I have in my possession a cassette containing a very difficult composition of my brother - Chaand hassey duniya bassey, which Khurshid A2war recorded in his voice without any musical accompaniment. It was only after he underwent surgery for the removal of his inflamed tonsils that he gave up singing on doctor" advice".

At that stage of our conversation, another younger brother of the late composer, Khawala Afzal interjected to remind us about the daily Riaz (training) which Khurshid Anwar used to have during the prime of his youth. "He would sing for hours", Khawaja Afzal pointed out, "when we, as younger brothers, used to listen in such a manner as would not disturb him or distract his concentration.

When asked to comment on his brother's acumen for compositions, Khawaja Sultan reminded about an incident that took place in Pehalgam in Kashmir in the year 1940, "When all of us had gone there on a vacation. While Khrshid Anwar was enjoying the swings of a 'Jhoola tied with strong branches of a tree', and was being pushed by Rafiq Ghazanvi, he composed a beautiful song using his own lyrics written simultaneously with the invention of the tune surprising all of us. Mind you! He had not yet made his debut as a film composer althougn he was working for All India Radio as the producer incharge of music programmes . Creativity was simply oozing out of him", Khawaja Sultan recalled with a touch of nostalgic fondness.

Khawaja Sultan Ahmad also recalled his brother's association with lyricist D.N. Madhok in Lahore and Bombay and how KA was cheated by the songwriter on several occasions.

"Madhok was not a clean person as he would stealthily sell my brother's compositions to producers of other films. After the success of Kurmai, my brother was assigned to score music for Kardar's film Sharda, ano he composed a song - ghir ghir ayee badariya - for the film. But when Khurshid Anwar learnt that the film would not be directed by J.K. Nanda, as agreed upon earlier and that Mian Kardar would direct it, Khurshio Anwar go miffed and repudiated the commitment. Learning of toe development, lyricist Madhok, who had earlier on rehearsed the mukhra of that song with my brother, passed it on to composer Naushad, who used it as his own creation in the film Sharda.

"Similarly, the tune of the song Mohay mera bachpna, in Kajal (produced by Malikka Pukhraj in Bombay) was invented by my brother Khurshid Anwar, but was passed on to music director Ghulam Muhammad by Madhok. The tune of another song, which Khurshid Anwar composed for the film Parwana, and was not included in it, was also given to the music director of the film, dak Bangla by Madhok. Later, Khurshid Anwar used the same composition - Jaab yad kisi ki aye - in pakistani film Jhoomar, which was a remake of Parwana".

It is generally believed, that Khurshid Anwar when he was asked to sing for the radio, he shied away from the offer. What do you have to say about it?

"The perception is not based on facts. Khurshid Anwar did participate in the morning stint of radio by singing a morning raga. However, he was visibly nervous because it was the first time that he sang before a live microphone. Later in the night, he rendered a ghazal for the radio - Ye Kaya keeya mujhey kuch kuch mita kay choor diya, zara sa chehrey say parda utha ke choor diya with complete confidence and ease. Perhaps, the ghazal was written by Khurshid Anwar, but not known for sure. What about the episode in which Late Mangeshkar reportedly did not wait for Khurshid Anwar for the rehearsal of a song when she learnt that the composer could neither sing or play an instrument, as narrated by Raju Bhartan in the biography of Lata Mangeshker he has outhored, Khawaja Sultan was asked.

This too has been misreported. The factual position is that Lata had been booked for recording at HMV studios for five consecutive days, and she had no time for the rehearsal of a song composed by Kiurshid Anwar. Learning about it, my brother used the voice of Asha Bhosley, which he found equally effective to convey the nuances of his composition. Lata did not show any contempt for Khurshid Anwar for his inability to sing or play an instrument as narrated by the author of her biography.

A majority of Khurshid Anwar compositions are heard and enjoyed even today for their sonic freshness and enduring impact. His songs have the irresistible appeal of the sentiment of love and tender pahtos. They also radiate matchless beauty of music true to nature and daring in invention, and are as captivating to a child as to the sophisticatec grown up individuals. The more often one listens to his compositions, the more meaning he/she reads into their melodies. One's aesthetic experience gets enriched and stimulated after a listening session. His varied pieces are original in all respects and exhibit a marked individuality of style distinct from those of his illustrious contemporaries in the subcontinent.

The mortal Khurshid Anwar is no more but his immortal melodies continue to provide solace to millions of his fans in the Subcontinent.