Introduction of Halim Mirza: Stylistic Elements

The first appearance of Halim Mirza is accompanied by a clapping sound, as well as images of various Muslim leaders. The clapping sound is associated with anonymity, public-ness and mass-participation - the same characteristics we associate with the concept of the 'crowd' that was much discussed in Intizar Hussain's 'Basti'. By placing him in a setting full of images of Muslim leaders, the director is locating the character of Halim Mirza is a particular tradition of Muslim ideology and Muslim leadership. Halim Mirza is a self-proclaimed messiah: while taking off his sherwani and haar he states to his wife, ''Liaqat Ali Khan kay chalay janay kay baad U.P kay musalmaan sirf mujhe apna leader mantay hain.’’ His wife, interestingly, interjects by raising familial concern about their son. If she is seen as the domestic then Halim Khan’s dismissal of her concerns is seen as a rejection of the domestic in favour of the public. He claims that he has the entire Muslim population to look after, and cannot be concerned with trivial matters. At times, Halim Khan’s dialogue is interrupted with an alternative scene – Halim Khan delivering a public speech in front of the Pakistani flag. He is wearing a Turkish-style red cap and a haar made of roses. His hand gestures are dramatic, and his voice rises and falls for maximum impact. The crowd is not shown – their only indication is a continuous clapping noise. This visual collage adds weight to the film stylistically – the audience is never fully sure if the interjecting scenes are flashbacks, the character’s own visualisation of past events or a projection of the character’s own desires. Perhaps they reinforce the rejection of the domestic - even rather private moments with his wife are intruded upon by something of the public. Either way, they add to the character by presenting the audience with his subjective point of view - whether they be his future aspirations or his perception of the past. In the end, he dramatically proclaims that he is Halim Mirza.

For a complete reading, Halim Mirza's character must be seen as a foil to the character of Salim Mirza. An interesting comparison can be made to the scene in which Salim Mirza goes searching for new houses after being evacuated from his own. When he is negotiating the terms of the transaction with the potential seller, he delivers a poignant monologue. The cinematic approach to this moment add to its raw honesty - the audience gets a close-up shot of Salim Mirza's face and he looks straight into the camera. There is no clapping. There are no dramatic hand gestures and there are no props. The message is evident; this is not a performance and this man is not a performer. At the end, Salim Mirza proclaims that he is Salim Mirza.