THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST

US/UK/Qatar, 2012, 130 minutes, Colour.
Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland, Om Puri, Martin Donovan.
Directed by Mira Nair.

A strikingly challenging film.

Based on a Pakistani novel, this is a parable for a post-9/11 world. It is the story of Changez, a young man from Lahore, who goes to the US, to Harvard, where he completes a successful degree and is head-hunted by a top Manhattan financial company, a company who not only advises but closes down unprofitable businesses. He lives a late 20th century version of Wall St and greed is good. Changez excels in his work, travels to Manila and Istanbul, and is offered a partnership. We see all of this in a series of flashbacks as Changez is being interviewd by an American journalist, Bobby Lincoln.
British actor, Riz Ahmed is convincing as Changez. Liev Schreiber has a substantial role as Bobby.
But, the context of the interview is the abduction of an American university professor in Lahore and the surveillance of Changez’s family, his father (Om Puri) being a celebrated poet and the family in the spotlight because by this time, 2011, Changez is a professor at the university, teaching courses on ideologies and violence, well-respected by his students, but under suspicion by the local CIA operatives, led by Martin Donovan.
An important development in Changez’s life is his encounter with a photographer (a solid performance from Kate Hudson) which mellows him. But, unintended events after 9/11 have disastrous consequences.
After the flashbacks narration of Changez’s life in the US, there follows the narrative which makes Changez the reluctant fundamentalist of the title. He is in Manila when he sees the planes crashing into the twin towers. He returns to a United States already embarked on the war against terror. In declaring it a war, President George Bush set up a fierce dichotomy against American citizens and Arabs from Middle Eastern nations as well as Arabs in the US who became targets of the bigoted patriotism that ensued the declaration of war, compounded by the attack on Afghanistan and, later, on Iraq.

We are shown this American aggression and bad-thinking bigotry: an wrong identification in mid-Manhattan where Changez is taken into custody (just doing my job says the arresting policeman), his tyres let down in a car park and a driver spitting on him, calling him Osama. The worst, which audiences will find irking, is his being taken aside on his return from Manila, segregated and strip-searched on the assumption that he was suspect because of his look and his beard. There are even unthinkingly snide remarks in the office.
And, back to Changez and Bobby, the CIA attacking the café where they are speaking, student protests, deaths and the anti-American stances, even of those who love America (as the final words of the film indicate).
It is easy, outside the United States, to look at both sides than it may be for American audiences. There is great regret at the events and deaths on that September day. But, it is the consequences that we live with, one of which was the often blinkered anti-terrorist responses amongst officials and from ordinary citizens.

1. The title, the crescent in the title and the credits? The original novel and adaptation? Perspective of the novelist?
2. The film as a challenge, to Pakistani audiences, to western audiences, especially those in the United States?
3. The range of the audience, the impact of 9/11? The consequent war on terror and the results, in the United States, beyond? In the Arab world? The 21st century invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq, wars in the Middle East and the role of Americans and the CIA?
4. Mira Nair, her career, her perspective from the sub-continent?
5. The Lahore settings, areas of poverty, homes? The university, cafes? The streets, the vistas and panoramas? The contrast with the American settings, Harvard, New York City, central Manhattan, the buildings and skyscrapers? The contrast with Manila? The beauty of Istanbul? The international perspectives?
6. The musical score, local music during the credits, visualising the ensemble? Music from the sub-continent? American songs?
7. Audience identify in with Changez? Or not? Change in attitudes towards him? Understanding him or not, sympathy or not? His advice of not judging until the whole picture was seen?
8. The opening celebration, the picture of the family, the older father, poet and his outlook? Mother and her concern? The sister, the extended family?
9. The intercutting of the professor, at the movie, the girlfriend, walking the street, the struggle and the abduction? His claims that he was only a professor? The phone calls, the images on mobile phones? Audience response to Changez’s behaviour, the calls? The later revelation about the professor and CIA, the visuals of his murder?
10. The consequences of the abduction, Changez as a professor, the nature of his courses, issues of violence, his students, his leadership, his control of the crowds? His assistant and his work, loyalty, his verve?
11. Bobby, the counter to Changez? In Pakistan for seven years, his command of Urdu? His work as a journalist, publication of his books, his perspectives on political situations? Interviewing Changez, going to the café, his motivation, his earpiece and Cooper speaking into it, his task as regards Changez? Revealed as CIA? And Changez knowing it? His reasons for his choices, taking sides? His interest in interviewing Changez, for the story?
12. The structure of the film: flashbacks and the story of Changez, his development as a person? The structure and the dramatisation of the radicalisation of Changez?
13. Changez’s love in America, the American songs, the American influence and family, the television with the parody James bond, the American mood before 2001? Pakistani colour and style? Going to Harvard, playing football, seeing himself as American? The interview with Jim Cross? The eager applicants? The test, the examination of the company, Changez and his winning the test, being accepted, his skills and his work, finance? The friendship with Jim, promotion? Friendships in the office, Wainwright? Ambitions? Going to Manila, solving the issues, skills and diplomacy, hard decisions? His being offered the partnership? Possibilities for his life?
14. Life in the US, the capitalist dream, the company, Jim Cross and dealing with millions, a new version of greed is good?
15. Changez in the park, the encounter with Erica, the skate boarder, the photo, repeating it? Carefree, leaving, meeting her at the party, her uncle and his financial control? Friendship with Erica, her phrase, ‘I met of that Pakistani once…’? The growing relationship, love, the effect on him, emotions, his sister’s wedding, Erica’s gift?
16. Erica as a person, the death of her partner, their friendship from childhood, revealing it to Changez, the need for time for mourning, Changez knowing this? Her preparing the gift? Her puzzle about 9/11, Changez and his reaction, of why she was asking him about how it could happen? The invitation to the exhibition, his making the effort to go, the visuals of the exhibition, the lights, the slogans, the photos? His shock reaction, anger, incomprehension?
17. The post 9/11 experiences? The talk in the office, the blasé and bigoted comments about the Arabs? The overall bigotry in the United States, fear, the war on terror? The irrational beggar in the street, Changez’s being arrested, the treatment? The policeman ‘just doing his job’? Changez interned? The return from Manila, his being stopped, segregated, strict, the intrusive search, the humiliation? His car, the tires let down, the man spitting on him and calling him Osama?