Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad "An empowering representation of women"
Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, a Nabeel Qureshi’s production, revolves around how to end corruption and some introspection to go with. Mr. Gulab (Fahad Mustafa) is a corrupt cop who falls in love with an animal activist Jia (Mahira Khan). Mr. Gulab’s actions has concrete justification that why he becomes so. Things take turn and Gulab turns into a good cop overnight. This film has many confusing scenes, feels like there’s something missing amid a storm of hype. The movie tries to give a social message by using “What-if” card. What if Quaid-e-Azam on your currency notes gets disappear because you have been a bad boy who’s involve in corruption? Sounds unbelieving. On the whole, Quaid-e-Azam is a thrilling watch that could have been so much better had it not been for the loop-holes and lacklustre storytelling. There are few themes that piqued my interest to write about, the film has brought to the fore-front. Revolutionary in its refusal to submit to the heteronormative and patriarchal institutions, Jia (Mahira Khan) is shown as a girl who stood for a “message,” whether it related to the harassment of women or human and animal rights. She is a girl who doesn’t think about social norms, rules that define acceptable and appropriate actions. She does what she wants to do and she has a very strong moral compass. She believes this is right and this is wrong. There’s a point in film when Jia is spraying pepper spray when she feels in an attempt to be physically harmed. So, it’s a good self-defense strategy, film has shown.
Another woman is shown as a food-cart owner selling bun-kebabs in the film. I really liked this depiction of women in the film. The stereotypes we see in films unconsciously shape our world-view. Seeing women given an empowering roles resets the prevailing idea of submissive women. The more these type of roles we get to see in films, the more our brains automatically associate “strength” as a feminine trait, and because of this, the more women will be treated as strong members of society. Have you watched Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad? What are your thoughts? Do you want to add something to it? https://youtu.be/rkm0txJVN9k