Mohsin Hamid's acclaimed novel is now a powerful film and with masterful direction by Indian director Mira Nair the story of a young Pakistani Professor Changez, who becomes a leader both in the eyes of the Pakistani students who adore him and the American government, which suspects him, is an exploration of bias and the phenomenon of globalisation. Set in 2010, a young Pakistani Professor Changez Khan (Riz Ahmed) is interviewed by American journalist Bobby Lincoln (Liev Schreiber). As student demonstrations rage in Lahore, Changez tells Lincoln of his past as a brilliant business analyst on Wall Street, about the glittering future that lay before him, his mentor, and the beautiful and sophisticated woman with whom he was set to share that future.
Nair shows Pakistan in a way that one never sees it in the newspapers, "with its extraordinary refinement, the searing poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, its heart-stopping Sufi music and ancient culture that is confident in fashion, painting and performance".
This world is fluidly juxtaposed with the energy of New York, the ruthlessness of corporate America and, through our hero Changez's love for the elegant, artistic Erica, a portrait of Manhattan society at the same exalted level once occupied by Changez's own family back in Lahore. It's a vibrant and vivid exploration of different cultures and poignantly peels away the layers of bias that influence our true identity.
Riz Ahmed, a British actor and rapper, is sensational in the title role and is very different from his roles in films like The Road To Guantanamo and Four Lions. For Ahmed, the filmmaking experience resonated with him on a personal level rather than a political one. "The emotional journey of trying to find home is a universal one we can all relate to. The film did make me question what I really value and why. How I see others and myself. Does where we are from, or where we would like to head, inescapably define us?"
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a bold and daring examination of our need to communicate and be understood, particularly in the context of the 'clash of civilisations'. At the heart of the film lies a compelling portrait of human conflict, not just between nations and people, but within ourselves and, as Ahmed states, "strongly exploring our anxiety and anger that exists not just towards the unknowable 'other,' but also the tension between how we see ourselves, and how others see us".
Following Liev Schreiber's successful stage performance in Talk Radio and A View From The Bridge and films like Taking Woodstock, he is perfectly as the American journalist who interviews Changez. Kiefer Sutherland is also great as the managing director of a fictional high-end boutique Wall Street hedge fund who hires Changez and becomes a father figure of sorts to the young Pakistani man as he initially thrives in this meritocratic environment. Kate Hudson delivers another memorable performance as the love of Changez's life; she aptly reflects the artistic, bohemian, aspirational, American way of life.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist provides ideal escapism for intelligent discerning viewers looking for a politically flavoured film that reveals the darkness, light and love of human nature.
It's not a film about politics, but ultimately a film about people, about how we see others through our eyes and how our subjective point of view can severely impact on our relationships and communication with those who live outside our world.
"Over the last few years, we have seen many films about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but always told from the American point of view," said director Mira Nair. "In our story, the encounter between the characters of Changez and Bobby mirrors the mutual suspicion with which America and Pakistan (or the Muslim world) look at one another. We learn that as a result of America's war on terror, Changez experiences a seismic shift in his own attitude, unearthing allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and maybe even love. The book is an elegant mind game. It was about how we, East and West, see each other. I felt I intimately knew the worlds in the book, as both an insider and an outsider."
Hamid added: "What this film gives you is a human being with whom to empathise and with whom to relate on a human level. We haven't seen a character like Changez on film, or certainly not many of them. Moving things out of the theory, out of the hot-blooded political debate and into the emotional, human dimension is something the film does, and hopefully does well enough to disarm or surprise the audience."
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