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Journalism of Courage
Joint cinematic efforts between India and Pakistan have not been uncommon in the past. Actresses Salma Agha and Zeba Bakhtiar, or the late Sufi singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and several other Pakistani artistes have made forays into Indian films. But with the serial, Tanha (STAR Plus), Navid Antulay has extended the frontiers of creative interaction between the neighbour nations to the small screen. Scripted by Haseena Moin and featuring Pakistani actors Marina Khan and Sajid Hasan, the serial brings together artistes from across the border in an Indian production for the first time.
So how was Tanha conceived? When STAR Plus approached Antulay to produce a Muslim social three years ago, he was clear that he would not be party to the reductionist and anachronistic portrayal of Muslim life which dominates the Indian screen: “Think of any Indian film or social set against a Muslim background in the last forty years and you are instantly transported to a world of kothas and mujras, bearded nawabs and gentlemen in churidar kurtas and sherwanis… This is nothing but a ridiculous caricature of Muslim life. I wanted to make a modern Muslim family drama which people could identify with.” Convinced that only Haseena Moin, whose pen has produced classics like Dhoop Kinare and Ankahee, could script his dream project, Antualy went to Karachi to meet the writer. The trip paid rich dividends: not only did Moin accept his proposal, but a chance meeting with actors Sajid Hasan and Marina Khan led to the latter being signed on for the serial as well.
Moin, who contributed to the making of Raj Kapoor’s Heena and also scripted an Indian television serial called Kashmakash in the past, says she agreed to do Tanha as a gesture of goodwill and friendship between the two countries. “Ultimately it is not politics, but the people and their feelings that matter most. If people from the two countries continue to interact culturally, they can come closer together.” A similar sentiment is echoed by Antualy who says that art and culture have no boundaries.
However, goodwill alone doth not a serial make. As with any collaborative venture, Tanha presented its own share of logistical hurdles. Says Antulay: “It took a whole year for me to arrange the various clearances and work permits. Also, a dollar contract had to be signed with STAR TV to pay Haseena appa, Marina and Sajid.” Gruelling shooting schedules packed between tight visa deadlines is the most daunting challenge the Tanha team has had to reckon with. Moin also regrets her physical absence during the recording of the first few episodes, which led to some differences in the rendition of the script on the screen from what she had visualised.
Moreover, Naseeruddin Shah, who had an important role in the serial, backed out at the last moment leaving a huge void in the story. As a result the first 26 episodes had to be entirely rewritten. Looking visibly upset, Moin says: “There is a stronger code of ethics in Pakistan. People cannot just opt out whenever they please.”
Set in contemporary India, Tanha is the story of a rich Muslim widow and her family. Running a successful business and secure in the cocoon of her family, Shakeela Begum (played by Sushma Seth) seems to have the best of both worlds. However, the matriarch finds herself painfully straddled between her past and the present when her son from a previous marriage (to be played by Lucky Ali) arrives upon the scene.
Is loneliness an important theme in the serial? “Yes,” agrees Moin, “Through Tanha I have tried to show that every human being is like an island in the ocean. At some point of time in his life, he find himself completely alone and has to fight his own individual battles.”
As with human beings, the destiny of television scripts is often also shaped by certain pragmatic considerations. Moin reveals that she wanted to call the serial Rafta Rafta and was completely against the name Tanha, as she had already written a play by the name Tanhaiyan. However, since the channel refused to yield to her request, she had to tailor the script to suit the title. As a result, she laments, the element of loneliness had to be enhanced and the serial was divested of much of its humour!
Spanning 20 odd serials, Haseen Moin’s career is marked by strongly etched women characters and a distinct emphasis on family bonds. Did she have to make any changes in her scripting style to cater to an Indian audience? “Not really,” she says. Tanha is the story of universal human emotions which remain the same everywhere. The people of India and Pakistan share the same roots and are very alike in their thinking. So I did not make too many conscious changes. Still, there are certain differences. For instance, we do not have such bold stories or sexually explicit scenes in Pakistan because of our religion and culture”.
But isn’t the serial, which has been on air for over two months, a bit slow-paced for an Indian audience? Arguing that a gradual rhythm was intrinsic to the structural design of the initial episodes, Antualy adds that the drama will unfold with greater momentum in the coming weeks. Says the young producer, a trifle self-importantly: “When you have a serial on such a huge canvass with the best artists from the two countries, you need to give enough time so that the viewers can identify with the characters and the story”.
