Khuda Kay Liye

While Bollywood's New York (2009), for example, treats direct action and post-9/11 reactions in a slightly different light, In the Name of God mixes in the seriously non-fairy tale story of Namastey London (2007). Thus, in this bold Pakistani version, we follow stories from both worlds. A father who, though he raised his daughter in London, kidnaps her and forces her to marry in his native county... He chooses a former popular singer who leans towards extremism as his son-in-law. Coincidentally, at the same time, his brother leaves for the fundamentally democratic USA, where he briefly finds a happy marriage. All this is intertwined as the liberal Mansoor is tortured in an anti-terrorist camp and the extremist Samad stands trial in the case of his fake marriage. The point of it all is the scene of Naseeruddin's interpretation of the Quran, which highlights the differences in interpretation that so bitterly divide people's lives. (10/08/2013)