Author: Wajeeha Amir
Abstract
The use of cinema as a tool to cement carefully crafted notions of national identity is not uncommon, and there has been some scholarly work devoted to exploring Pakistani cinema from this lens. However, the regional cinemas of the country have largely been neglected. This research compares two major themes, the construction of Pashtun identity and gender portrayals across two Pashto films, Ajab Khan Afridae (dir. Rahim Gul, 1971) and Ajab Khan (dir. Badar Munir, 1995), by studying the characterization, narrative analysis, and a mise-en-scène analysis of selected scenes. As both these films are historical adaptations of the same story, that of the anti-colonial Pashtun hero, Ajab Khan Afridi, they offer a convenient space to study the evolution of Pashto cinema itself, between 1971 and 1995. The study finds that Islamic elements came to occupy a greater space in construction of the Pashtun identity, while the objectification and sexualization of female characters, as well as on-screen violence, increased simultaneously. This essay then situates these changing themes of Pashto cinema in the broader sociopolitical context of the country during this time. The changing notions of identity and increasingly hypermasculine characterization of the lead characters are found to be linked to nationalistic project of the state, prominently featuring Zia-ul-Haq’s quest for legitimacy, and both the preparation and aftermaths of the Afghan Jihad. It concludes with a call to seriously study regional cinemas of Pakistan, particularly Pashto cinema, and move beyond stereotypical portrayals devoid of any efforts to contextualize these in their respective time periods and political environments.
KEYWORDS:
Pashto Cinema, Ajab Khan, Pakistani Nationalism, Pashtun Identity, Afghan Jihad
