Post-colonial studies on movie- Midnight's Children and Reluctant Fundamentalist

Post-colonial studies on movie- Midnight's Children and Reluctant Fundamentalist

Midnight's Children is a 2012 Canadian-British film basedon Salman Rushdie’s 1981 novel of the same name. Midnight's Children film directed by Deepa Mehta. It was the one of the success movie at that time.

       It is story of Saleem Sinai, he is protagonist character in the movie. Saleem Sinai tell his life story to Padma. In the movie we can see that Saleem life journey and also he mentioned his mother life journey as like he started his story settings at Kashmir with his grandfather. How his grandfather as Doctor and he loved his patient and married with his patient. Then story move on in Agra. Then his mother story started his mother first marriage with Nadir Khan then second marriage with his father Ahmed Sinai. Again settings it is changed Ahmed is business he moved away with his wife Amina to Mumbai. In the Mumbai they meet William Methon, he is Britisher. His physical relationship with Vanita which is not shown movie but suggest that thing Vanita pregnancy behind Methon not her husband. And other side Amina has pregnancy, both child both as same date  midnight, 15 August 1947, therefore, exactly as old as independent India. He later discovers that all children born in India between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. on that date are imbued with special powers. Saleem, using his telepathic powers. And Saleem say his life journey how he faced struggle and film end with his son Adam.

Narrative techniques-

In the film Saleem narrated whole story as post Colonial perspective I can said it is not well narrated film story, it creates some confusing narration start with Grandfather and end with his son. So it is such long narrative by one man perspective.

Use of symbol-

In the movie two symbol effected more like Spitton and Taj Mahal broken symbol. One scene when Saleem mother leave by her first husband Nadir at that time Ahmed to give personal to her for marriage with her at movement Taj Mahal broken because Amina's sister wanted to marry with him but Alia's dream like taj Mahal it broken and situation became completely different. Tik tok is other symbols when Ahmed and his wife Amina check one pot and say everything is Tik Tok. It means perfect. Film one scene Mother India poster image is symbol of mother image broken when Amina went to meet her first husband during Saleem follow his mother.

Filed Marxism ideas like Rich and Poor

In the movie two child born at same hospital one is Vanita and William Methon poor family belonging  child other Ahmed Sinai and Amina child rich family belonging child and nurse Mary exchanged that child each other according to Joe. And she changed destiny of there child one name Saleem and other name Shiva. But she filled to that ideas and she felt guilty. But here I noticed one thing she has sympathy with Saleem, she said Saleem's mother died but after her exchanging children situation completely change then Shiva became without mother child so Mary has more sympathy for Saleem not for Shiva, actually Shiva is without mother child.

View as Religious perspection-

Film central Religious is Muslim. Mary one mistake it became changing two children destiny. Actually Saleem has hybrid ideatity mixed of Hindu and Christine son. While Shiva identity as Hindu but really he is son of Muslim. But entire I can not see Masjid and Temple but only I see their religious faith. Parvati character portrait as Indian Hindu girl , she has more faith in God that sign portrait and otherhand Amina mother as Muslim she has more faith in God that scene portrait. And one action also remarkable Saleem as Muslim and he is married with Hindu girl Parvati. Because nowadays is highly problematic around Gujarat, If Muslim boy married with Hindu girl so it become “Love- Zehad” cases. Here one thing also remarkable Rushdie selected hero as Muslim and heroine as hindu. So may be it called religious set as patriarchal mind. Because Rushdie belong to Muslim so he portrait Muslim as hero and hindu as heroine.

Hybrid ideatity –

Saleem has hybrid ideatity because he is child of mixed blood Christian and hindu. But actually Saleem get Muslim identity so it is match with hybrid identity. And other characters like Shiva has also hybrid ideatity because really he is muslim son but he has hindu identity. Again Shiva and Parvati both son identity became hybrid because his father Shiva really is Muslim son and his mother Parvati is hindu so their child religious identity may be differ.

Magical realism-

Rushdie used magic realism in his novel. It is like metaphor on society, Saleem born at 15 August 1947 midnight so he has magical power in his nose, he can listen voice which born at same night. Saleem has telephetic power and Shiva power in his knees and Parvati called Parvati the witch. Here I has suprising thing is they all have power but they don’t use for good purpose most of they fight each other.

Complexity in relationship-

Saleem is son of slum Vanita and white man Methon but Mary one mistake, that child became rich so Saleem becomes son of Ahmed and Amina. When Saleem born at that time his father compare his nose with him. Unfortunately truth real Saleem is not son of him at movement his father behaviour complete change, his father hated Saleem. In the film second complexity is Parvati and Shiva relationship it like different to understand, Shiva leave her at that time Parvati became pregnant and married with Saleem.

Superstition VS Science

In the film we can see that one side growth of science and other people drowned in superstition. Included 1974 Nuclear test and other side show people blind beliefs on superstition. Parvati used black magic and PM Indira Gandhi listen her horoscope.

Historical events -

Rushdie involved  historical event in his novel. And in the movie I can see war between Karachi and Pakistan in 1965, East and Pakistan between war in 1971, Nuclear test in 1974.

Political satire

In the film strong politics satire on PM Indira Gandhi policy. PM image shows blind faith on horoscope as like nowadays PM blind faith on religious. Satire on  PM Indira Gandhi policy like nuse bandhi ,declaration of Emergency and broken slums eras.
As post Colonial perspective I feel film is not well narrated because Saleem forgot everything due to one accident but his power may be not gone , so he remembered Parvati. And other side Shiva belonging to slums family and he was not going school even beomes officer without shown his learning process. So It is like unbelievable thing.


Reluctant Fundamentalist

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a 2012 political thriller drama film based on the 2007 novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, directed by Mira Nair, starring Riz Ahmed and Kate Hudson in lead. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a post-9/11 story about the impact of the Al Qaeda attacks on one Pakistani man and his treatment by Americans in reaction to them.

           This film is suspence thrilled, political thriller and frame narration. Protagonist character name is Changez Khan. He was born in Pakistan and he went to USA for full fill his dream become top business man. After his uncertification there he come back in his native place Pakistan. And he became professor in Lahore University during anAmerican professor at Lahore University, is kidnapped and held for ransom. An American journalist in Pakistan called Bobby Lincoln (Liev Schreiber), arranges to interview a colleague of Rainer, Changez Khan (Riz Ahmed), whom he suspects is involved in the kidnapping.
Film start with Muslim jashna and other side kidnapping of American proffesor. And next day an American journalist Bobby come to Changez Khan for enquiries. Changez Khan ready for given answer to him. And Changez Khan first line is

“नज़रें भी धोखा खा सकती है”

His film directed use flash back method, Changez tell his story started with company to his beloved with relation all things said to American journalist Bobby.

9/11 Attacked -
Suddenly 9/11 attacked happen in US, after situation completely change for him because their he feel like Mujahib and most every react with him he is enemy country person. On returning to the USA, he is strip-searched at the airport.
That attacked completely change Changez life even Erica invites Changez to the opening of her art show, but he is angered to discover she has used intimate details of their relationship in her art, breaks up with her.

Sometimes identity become danger without doing wrong –
Here Changez Khan has not done anything even USA people behaviour like unfair with him. He has Pakistani identity so people think he may be involved that attacked, that type people thought as like nonsence. I can connect Changez character with Ikabal who is character of 'Train to Pakistan” novel by Khushvantsinh. In this novel Ikabal also faced situation as like Changez. Ikabal don’t want to reveal his identity but educated police force full ask his religion.

Here I also want to share my personal experience when I was reading “Train to Pakistan” novel in train at that time near sitted people watched me as like I am ' Deshdrohi', may be they think this book for finding way to Pakistan or may be hindu show me as Muslim girl. So how only one book through people thought about our identity.

Corporate world VS Humanity

Changez's father is poet while Changez Khan attached with corporate world so his father don’t like his son job.
          Such bad experience after Changez leave USA and gone Turkey, While valuating a publishing house in Istanbul, Changez learns that the financially worthless firm had translated some of his father's work into Turkish and published them. One person change of heart his heart that person say USA person wants to become slave not slave but lovable slave then they tried to used for attacked on our native place. Then he quits his job and come back to Pakistan and start job as proffesor.

Proffesor's lecture –

Changez as proffesor at Lahore University, he given lecture in the class and said about his experience, and how uncounted his lecture on other way and CID office thought he was also involved in kidnapping.

When this is same as like bollywood masala movie. For example New York movie protagonist character arrested in USA his reaction such different to compare Changez arrested scene.

Reluctant Fundamentalist movie end

      At the end of movie kidnapped proffesor dead photos reveal in mobile when Bobby seen Changez had done in his mobile so Bobby thought Changez reveal that photos and murmured his friend. And blames Changez and demands to see his phone. Lincoln holds Changez at gunpoint, using him as a shield as he ventures into the crowd of protesters. The crowd destabilizes and Lincoln falls to the ground, and accidentally shoots and kills Sameer Changez's Brother. Another student fires at Lincoln from a balcony, wounding him, and Lincoln is quickly removed by CIA agent. Then Bobby know reality Changez is not involved in that murdered.

Again that line most important part for the film
“नज़रें भी धोखा खा सकती है”