News just in, ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ will be releasing on TikTok soon!
Sarmad Khoosat recently dived onto our news feeds, asking well-wishers to take back their Mubarakbads on his imminent Presidential Award – apparently it had been struck off the recipients list. But this article is not about the Presidential Awards, or Pakistan Day – 23rd March, when the government confers its recognition onto those who have served the nation well in their personal and professional capacity and from a wide cross-section of public occupations. This article is simply about a project that never saw the light of day in Pakistani cinemas but made it to YouTube – Zindagi Tamasha by Sarmad Khoosat. Do the Pakistan Day award and this movie have anything to do with each other? Not really. But since we were on the topic of Sarmad Khoosat, whose project this is, both came to mind one at the same time – so let’s let it rest. And onward to the show that, after all, must go on.
This contemplation on the movie Zindagi Tamasha, (contemplation is what it is, not really a full blown review), is for those who haven’t watched it yet. News is that Mr. Khoosat’s movies are a tad too deep, tragic, intense and do not play out like a Haseena Moin drama that can be watched on repeat to elicit repeated peals of laughter.
No way. Go watch Ankahi or Tanhaiyan for that one please!
Zindagi Tamasha has elicited emotions too though, but more so of the “other’ kind. Sad, embarrassed, ashamed, empathetic, sympathetic, rage, anger, confusion, and perhaps, a deep sense of loss. We have after all, lost our sense of what should or should not be allowed as good and appropriate content on our digital screens. Often, what is allowed needs to be filtered, revisited, and perhaps even sanitized for the level of sensationalism it carries – from women receiving a resounding slap on the face to extra marital affairs, saas bahu conspiracies and men stalking women in the name of love – what is passed off as acceptable content (and not a red flag on PEMRA) might actually have the power to corrupt pure minds and our very impressionable youth?
Says nobody!
And what is censored, or cancelled in the name of impropriety might well reflect the ills, or even answers to those ills in our society. But somehow, such projects never see the light of day. They are often screened in international film festivals, where they win awards, attract social commentary and the folks back home share the wins only to proclaim the project be banned later, in its home country – case in point – Joyland.
But I digress.
So let’s get this over with, and talk about Zindagi Tamasha, the topic at hand and one should observe (I won’t say celebrate, for reasons personal to me and the odd million Pakistanis), Pakistan Day by watching this flick which is, incidentally, available FOC on YouTube. (Did I mention that earlier)?
The Story & Why It Carries Weight (A Heavy One)
Rahat Khwaja is a devout man. He recites naats in praise of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and is a doting, caring husband to Farkhanda. All this sounds pretty smooth, till we discover that Rahat is also fond of dancing. And his dance mode is not one that is traditionally accepted in male circles as very macho (if there ever were such an adjective to describe dance). Considering that dance is a form of self expression and Rahat’s self expression fell far from what his cronies expected, he ended up being shunned from the very community that was his living, breathing lifeline. Relegated to a life of tending to a sick wife, which he did with the utmost tenderness and purity, to sharing an endearing bond with her, where they both had an honest, unfiltered relationship, one that many Gen Z couples could only hope for, Rahat could not be understood by everyone who witnessed his suggestive dance moves.
Tragically, his dance performance, which was only meant for his close friends, and performed on their insistence, went social media viral. The end result was his daughter loathing his presence, the cancel culture taking over as he was disinvited from reciting naats on his most favourite day – Eid e Milad-un Nabi – occasion of the birthday of our dear Prophet Mohammad, and later, pressurized to apologize for his heinous act. – (a dance performance in the privacy of a few friends).
But our hero was no munafiq (hypocrite) and did not see any point in repenting for what he did not consider a sin. Oh well, story goes that it all didn’t end too well for him.
Standout Performances From The Entire Cast
From Arif Hassan who played Rahat to picture-perfect perfection to Samiya Mumtaz who was the best version of Farkhanda, to Emaan Suleman aka Sadaf (Rahat’s daughter), and every character in between fit like a jigsaw puzzle, ready to cast a stone on Rahat’s character.
The film, albeit, does not show that all men who are religiously inclined or recite Naats are inherently corrupt. I feel this disclaimer is necessary as many have walked away with this message for some odd reason. In fact, the movie reveals the diabolical nature of our hypocricies regarding faith and the keepers of that Faith. We decide who is Godly enough to connect with Allah and we decide whose Faith needs to be reprimanded or held in check.
The conversations surrounding the film seemed to address that religious male depictions are shown in a negative light, which unfortunately, took away from the absolutely heartfelt portrayal of Rahat Khwaja who was, perhaps, the best example of a human being we have yet to see in all his complex layers – as a naat khwan, an ageing husband, a caregiver, a friend and a devout lover of our Prophet. Yes he had his flaws, and yes his beliefs led him to shun those who lived on the peripheries of society, but tragically, he too, was soon relegated by us, the keepers of our Faith, to the same periphery that he disowned himself.
Takeaways From Zindagi Tamasha
Arif Hassan made us feel for Rahat Khwaja in all his flaws, he was human, courageous & honest in his determination to speak the truth, he was pathetic (as no one really wanted the truth from him). In his disbelief at being ostracized and judged by those who kept him on a higher pedestal once, he gained immense sympathies from audiences. There was a scene especially where he walks back from the Naat gathering where he was disinvited, to his utter shock and dismay, totally defeated, in complete despair – the scene, I kid you not, pulled at the toughest heartstrings amongst us, and a standing ovation to the makers for nailing it 100%!
One wonders, that if after watching Zindagi Tamasha, one were to ask a single question to one self, it would be this: where did we go wrong, and how far down have we slipped in this spiral of pretending to be good, attempting to wash away our sins by hobnobbing with the apparently Faithful, leaving behind many pure souls whose only sin was, that they wanted to embrace their Faith and the world together, in one life. And they wanted to do it with zero secrecy, hundred percent purity and humanity.
Does our Faith demand that we pretend, that we hide a part of ourselves, even from our closest peers?
The saving grace in relationships was the bond shared by Rahat and his wife, unfortunately that too, was sullied by those who failed to understand it. Sadaf, Rahat’s daughter judged him too, which was quite tragic yet perhaps, true to life, as she too, is after all, a product of us, our society?
It would be fair to suggest that Zindagi Tamasha attempted to put forth a more humane face to the cleric debate in Pakistan and portrayed them as human beings with human flaws, desires and a soft-feel that perhaps, our society is not ready to accept, at least not now. But I wonder if the clerics felt the same way as the creators of the film? Considering that religion allows us to carry on with the world and our Faith in one and the same life, one wonders if the fault, dear Brutus, is perhaps, not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are, after all, underlings?
Which Brings Me To My Final Question
Why was Sarmad Khoosat’s name (allegedly) struck off the awards list? Oh well, my guess is as good as anybody else’s. Let’s hope that one is resolved soon!
Incidentally and a fun fact: Zindagi Tamasha was released on YouTube by the makers in August 2023 after it failed to be screened in cinemas.
Zindagi Tamasha (Circus of Life) is a project of Khoosat Films, directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat of Kamli, with a compelling screenplay penned by Nirmal Bano. The movie boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring the talents of Arif Hassan, Eman Suleman, Samiya Mumtaz, Mehar Bano, and Ali Kureshi in prominent roles.
Disclaimer: *The views expressed above, in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of FUCHSIA Magazine.*
