A conceptual film by the Pakistani media industry is a rare occurrence, They Are Killing The Horse by Mushtaq Gazdar, a short documentary film is a decades-old hidden gem. It is a black-and-white film released in 1979 that aptly portrays the social dilemmas of that era. The story unfolds with a bleak, bone-chilling song and the iconic scene of a man riding a horse which is a verbatim to the movie’s title and a recurrent symbol throughout. The theme of the film was ahead of its time, disclosing the languid, agonizing descent of a young girl Noori into complete madness. Saeeda Gazdar, writer of the movie, not only dauntingly took upon the taboo of mental health but also webbed an immaculate story around a woman. In the decade when women's existence was an emblem of threat – under Zia-Ul-Haq’s regime.
The iconness of the movie does not only reside in the legendary feminist and educational theme but also the social misconceptions about mental health treatment. Gazdar masterfully although not so subtly highlights the decades-old malpractice of treating mental illness with imprudent spiritual amulets, taweez, and invocations. While, indicating that all psychological diseases stem from possession by jinns and witchcraft. In the movie, Noori is suffering from social isolation and depression and is dragged around from Pir’s sanctuary to the mausoleums of famous spiritual figures like Abdullah Shah Ghazi. Where she is brutally chained to a wall until the Pir finds a cure for her illness.
The narration throughout the film bravely indicates and targets the societal norm of laying unwavering faith in the hands of self-proclaimed spiritual healers instead of seeking professional healthcare. The idea of electing and posing questions about the religious integrity of the masses so blatantly in a time where blasphemy laws forgave none is what makes this short film commendable. Therefore, worthy of a Grand Prix award at the Cannes Festival.
Notably, the film’s creativity in terms of gallant ideas, champions at fighting the social conventions. Nonetheless, when it comes to the actual portrayal of the disease it falls short of fully explaining the social isolation and long-term depression of the protagonist, and somehow reduces it to unfulfilled sexual lust. Noori hallucinates a horseman as her potential lover who satisfies her intimate longings. She is presented dressed up as a bride, kissing her husband later as the film progresses. This portrayal raises the question: was marriage the solution to her worsening mental health? This seems the most imminent explanation, as contradictory as it may sound to the progressive nature of the film. However, this ideology was not distinctively manifested by any characters or dialogues so it could hopefully be a speculation – not good enough to taint the advanced theme of the film.
Lastly, it does not matter in which era it is, the regressiveness of our society has made this masterpiece, despondently, timeless. Gazdar made a movie to identify cultural and religious misbeliefs around mental health but such scenarios stay true in this century as well. While one can see the fiction in real life, enjoy it as an art.