The Blood of Hussain
The Blood of Hussain is a 1980 Pakistani drama film directed by Jamil Dehlavi. The film was released in February 1981 in the UK. The film was banned throughout Pakistan as the military junta led by General Zia-ul-Haq toppled the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.[1][2][3]
| The Blood of Hussain | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jamil Dehlavi |
| Produced by | Jamil Dehlavi |
| Written by | Rafiq Abdullah Jamil Dehlavi |
| Cinematography | Walter Lassally |
| Distributed by | Parindah Films Ltd Cinegate Limited |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Language | English |
| Box office | ₨0.003 crore (US$190) |
Premise
The film is about the life and death of Hussain, the youngest son of a Pakistani family. He meets a holy soothsayer who foretells his destiny, which is to liberate the poor and oppressed against a tyrannical government. Of course, the movie viewers are reminded of the paralells between this movie's plot and the actual historical event of Battle of Karbala between Imam Hussain and Yazid ibn Muawiya from the 7th century history of Islam.[3][1]
Cast
- Aliya Begum
- Durriya [1][3]
- Fauzia Zareen
- Kabuli Baba[1]
- Khayyam Sarhadi
- Imran Peerzada
- Kika Markham[1][3]
- Jamil Dehlavi
- Mirza Ghazanfar Beg[1]
- Mubila
- Salmaan Peerzada[1][3]
- Samina Peerzada[3]
- Saqi
- Shoaib Hashmi[3]
- Zil-e-Subhan
Alternative titles
The Blood of Hussain is known as To Aima tou agonisti in Greece, Husseins Herzblut in Germany and Le Sang d'Hussain in France.
Banning
The film was banned by the Pakistani military ruler General Zia ul-Haq, after he seized power in a coup de état and became President of Pakistan in 1977, as the film portrays a fictional military coup in a less than favourable light. The ban on the film has not been lifted, and the director later moved to the United Kingdom. The film was eventually released and shown on British television.[3][4]
Credits
- Director: Jamil Dehlavi[1]
- Production Company: Parindah Films Limited[1]
- Producer: Jamil Dehlavi[1]
- Associate Producer: Sharira Masood, Sandra Marsh
- Production Accountant: Gerry Wheatley
- Production Manager: Kaiser Baig
- Assistant Director: Imran Peerzada
- Continuity: Omar Norman, Marian Nicholson
- Screenplay: Jamil Dehlavi
- Dialogue Writer: Raficq Abdulla
- Director of Photography: Walter Lassally, Jamil Dehlavi
- Assistant Camera: Ashiq Rahi
- Focus Puller: Tony Garratt
- Key Grip: Afzal Akhtar
- Electrician: Barkat Joseph, Mohammed Saeed
- Special Effects: Colin Arthur
- Editor: Sue Collins, Jamil Dehlavi
- cost: Rashida Masood
- Make-up: Colin Arthur
- Titles/Opticals: Les Latimer Film Associates
- Music Supervisor: Jamil Dehlavi
- Playback singer: Reshma
- Sound: Christian Wangler, Shahid Rasool
- Boom Operator: Javed Khan
- Dubbing Mixer: Paul Carr
- Sound Editor: Martin Evans
- Studio: Mark One Films Studios, (London)
Release
TV transmission
- First Transmission date: February 16, 1983
- Country: Great Britain
- Series/Slot: N/A
- Start time: 22:00
- Stop time: 00:00
- Duration: 120 mins.
- Company: N/A
- Channel: Channel Four
- Second transmission date: October 2, 1988
- Country: Great Britain
- Series/Slot: N/A
- Start time: N/A
- Stop time: N/A
- Duration: N/A
- Company: Channel Four
- Channel: N/A
See also
References
- "The Blood of Hussain (1980 film) - Cast, Crew and Plot". British Film Institute website. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- Baets, Antoon de (2002). Censorship of Historical Thought: A World Guide, 1945-2000. ISBN 9780313311932.
- Raza Ali Sayeed (7 September 2012). "Weekly Classics: The Blood of Hussain (a detailed film review)". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- Sumera Naqvi. "Interview: Reconnecting to his roots (interview with the film director Jamil Dehlavi)". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 25 October 2020.