Khuda Kay Liye

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Khuda Kay Liye
Khuda Kay Liye poster
Directed by	Shoaib Mansoor
Produced by	Shoman Productions
Written by	Shoaib Mansoor
Starring	Shaan Naseeruddin Shah Fawad Khan Iman Ali Hameed Sheikh
Music by	Rohail Hyatt[citation needed] Production Manager: Rizwaan Chowdhri Assistant Director: Rizwaan Chowdhri, Bilal, Ali Javed.
Cinematography	Ali Mohammad Neil Lisk Ken Seng[1]
Editing by	Ali Javed Aamir Khan
Distributed by	Geo Films
Release date(s)	July 20, 2007 (PAK) October 25, 2007 (UAE) November 2, 2007 (UK) November 21, 2007 (US) April 4, 2008 (IND)
Running time	167 mins.
Country	Pakistan United Kingdom United States
Language	Urdu, English, Pashto
Gross revenue	over $10 million [1]

Khuda Kay Liye (Urdu: خدا کے لیے, also known in English as "In the Name of God") is a Pakistani Urdu language movie written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor. It stars Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Khan and Hameed Sheikh as its main characters. It was released on July 20, 2007.

Plot

Three different people from different continents have problems that relate to on going issues and Islam.

Two brothers who are both singers, Mansoor (Shaan) & Sarmad (Fawad), become the best singers in Lahore. Sarmad becomes influenced by an Islamic activist. He begins to practice the extremist interpretation of Islam, grows a beard and goes against music, also putting pressure on his free-spirited family to comply. Those parties interpret certain verses of the Quran and Hadith (Islamic religious texts) to call for a ban on music and pictures.

In England, a girl Mary/Mariam (played by actor-model Iman Ali) is a westernized girl in love with a white person called Dave. Her hypocritical father disapproves, despite the fact that he is living with a British woman to whom he is not married. He tells Mary that they are going to Pakistan for a trip and that once they return she can marry Dave. This, however is a trap. While touring FATA, he has her forcibly married to Sarmad, who is her cousin. Mary is then abandoned in FATA at her new household.

Meanwhile, Mansoor goes to music school in Chicago. There, he meets a girl called Janie and instantly falls in love with her. She quits alcohol for him, and they eventually get married. After 9/11, FBI officers capture him when someone overhears a drunk man accusing Mansoor of being a terrorist. Subsequently, he is tortured for a year in custody just because of his Islamic background.

Meanwhile, Mary manages to run away, but is caught by Sarmad in the process. She is kept under strict supervision and due to this incident, Sarmad eventually consummates their marriage by force. She doesn't lose hope, managing to sneak a letter to Dave under the guise of writing to her father. Mansoor and Sarmad's parents finally come to her rescue under the protection of the British Government, but Mary, driven by vengeance, then takes her father and cousin to court in Pakistan. There, a wise Maulana (Naseeruddin Shah) explains to the court how Islam is being butchered in the name of war and hatred, bringing the religion forward in a believable and peaceful manner.

Traumatized by all the suffering he has seen and caused, Sarmad withdraws from the case. He also realizes the damage that he was made to do in the name of religion. Mary is now free, but decides to return to the village where she was kept prisoner, so she can educate the girls there. Meanwhile, Mansoor is still in U.S. custody after a year of torment; the last torture session having inflicted permanent brain damage. After a failed rehab attempt, he is deported and reunited with his family in Pakistan where, thanks to the hope of his family, he begins to slowly recover.

Cast

• Shaan as Mansoor
• Fawad Afzal Khan as Sarmad
• Iman Ali as Maryam/Mary
• Naseeruddin Shah as Maulana Wali
• Austin Marie Sayre as Janie
• Rasheed Naz as Maulana Tahiri
• Simi Raheal as Mother of Mansoor & Sarmad
• Hameed Sheikh as Sher Shah

Reception and Implications

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Khuda Kay Liye was released on July 20, 2007.

It is important to note that this is one of very few, if any, independent motion pictures to be released to a cinema-going Pakistani market. The general trend in local cinema revolves around formulaic song and dance numbers, reminiscent of Lollywood musicals. Independent films, or films that break this formula, are rare if not entirely absent.

Khuda Kay Liye was produced in conjunction with the film division of the popular TV network, Geo TV. The film is a joint venture of Pakistan, United Kingdom, and the United States.^[2][3]

The film opened to generally mixed reviews. There was tremendous curiosity around the film. Presence of Big Names and Naseeruddin Shah resulted in a grand opening and the film turned out to be a huge commercial as well as critical success in Pakistan.

Islamic militants in Pakistan have passed fatwas banning the film for its allegedly "Islamophobic" content. The Islamic militants, based on some comments by Mansoor (the film's director) attacked the film without watching it.[2]

Music

Khuda Kay Liye
Soundtrack by Various Artists
Released	July 7, 2007
Recorded	2006-2007 at Gravity Studios in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genre	Film soundtrack
Label	Republic Music Group, Huqa Entertainment Corp, Sony BMG
Producer	Kami Jee, Rohail Hyatt
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Indiatimes link The News International link Bollywood Hungama link

• Background Music: Rohail Hayat
• Vocals: Ahmed Jahanzeb, Shuja Haider, Farah Zala, Ammar Hassan, Khawar Jawad, Faiza Mujahid, Saeen Zahoor, Zara Madani and Hadiqa Kiani^{[citation needed]}
• Lyrics: Shoaib Mansoor, Bulleh Shah, Faiza Mujahid
• Compositions: Ahmad Jahanzeb, Shuja Haider, Lagan The Band, Khawar Jawad, Javed Bashir, Amar, Kamijee

The OST was recorded at Gravity Studios in Chicago by Kamijee

Track listing

The track listing for the Pakistani version of the soundtrack is:

Awards and Accolades

Khuda Kay Liye is the second highest grossing film of Pakistan of all time with a gross of over $10 million.^[4] Iman Ali makes her cinematic debut with this film, playing an Anglo-Pakistani. Shaan's wife is played by Austin Sayre. Ahmed Jahanzeb and Shuja Haider produced the film's soundtrack. The film has won the following awards since its release:

2008 Lux Style Awards

• Best Film
• Best Actor - Shaan
• Best Actress - Iman Ali
• Best Soundtrack

31st Cairo International Film Festival ^[4]

• Silver Pyramid Award for Best Picture

Roberto Rossellini Award (Italian film industry) ^[4]

• Best Film

Fukuoka Audience Award (Japan) ^[5]

• Best Film

Asian Festival of First Films ^[6]

• Swarovski Trophy for Best Cinematography

See also

• List of artistic depictions of September 11 and its aftermath

References

External links

• Khuda Ke Liye official website
• Khuda Ke Liye at the Internet Movie Database
• Lollywood Hits Bollywood
• Khuda Ke Liye Cast & Crew
• Khuda Ke Liye Review at Indian Muslims Blog
• Shoaib Mansoor's fanaticism - In The Name of God
• How Khuda Kay Liye is inspiring a generation
• http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=17348