IN THE NAME OF GOD

India, 2005, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Jayaraaj.

In the Name of God is a particularly interesting Indian film for the beginning of the 21st century. Its title, In the Name of God, indicates that it is a film about Islam and the devotion to Allah and its consequences in a literal interpretation of the Koran.

While the film is a message film, it can also be seen as a women’s film. The focus is on a young woman, her place in her household, her love for her father, her place in the hierarchy of the household and the preparations for an arranged marriage.

However, the film takes a different line from that expected. The woman loves her husband – but he is a student, becomes involved in radical Islamic movements and involved in terrorism. He is arrested and jailed. He disapproves of his wife and her behaviour, especially as she becomes involved in the media, writes a book, becomes something of a celebrity.

Different audiences will bring very different presuppositions to this film. A western audience will be interested in the emancipation of women, their status in Islam, the bucking of patriarchal expectations and conventions. Islamic audiences, especially men, may well be somewhat scandalised by the behaviour of the woman and the film’s exalting her. They may be much more sympathetic to the role taken by the husband and his conversion and his willingness to participate in violence.

The story is interesting, the issues contemporary – even though the film does take a more partisan stance for the woman and her place in society, her place in the world and the quality of her life.

1. A film for Indian audiences? Muslim audiences? Beyond Islam? Beyond India? Themes of 2005, religion, fanaticism, terrorism? Peace and change?

2. The film as a message film – explicit message, earnest message? Propaganda?

3. A woman’s film? Sakhina and her place in her household, the flashbacks to her as a young girl, her love for her father, playing with her sister? Her place in the household? Sakhina as older, her strength of character, relationship within the family, the preparation for the arranged marriage? Seeing her husband-to-be, flirtatious, sharing experiences, culture? Falling in love with him? Her hopes, the preparation for the marriage, the dress, the jewellery, the engagement ceremony? His change? Phone call, the haste, wanting her to come to him, her seeing the differences and her apprehension?

4. The opening, Sakhina at the jail, waiting, the maimed child and her mother, the nature of the injury? The guards? Her husband refusing to see her? The recurring theme of the child, the explanation of what had happened, the visualising of the terrorist explosion, the girl herself, her continued smile, going to the prison, the gift of the book to the husband, his continued reaction to the girl – and his memory of his horror of knowing that she would be injured?

5. The husband, his relationship to his own father, place in the household, his liberal studies, the arranged marriage, his wooing Sakhina? In love with her? The engagement? The transformation, the ideology, the cause, the growing fanaticism? The consequences? The group, the mind control, the objectivity, not worrying about injuries, the loyalties? The interpretation of the Koran, of law? His dominance of his wife, wanting her to observe the purdah? Her reaction, his brutal treatment of her?

6. The terrorist incident, the motivation, the old man and his shop, the rebuke, the little girl carrying the bag, the bomb’s explosion, her injuries?

7. Sakhina and her puzzle about her husband, his behaviour, his flight, his appeal to her because of his hunger, her locking him in the room, informing the police?

8. Sakhina and the bond with her husband’s father, sharing, ideals, ideas? His support? Her decision to go to the police, her reasons? People’s reactions, for and against, the condemnation of her? Her being exiled, her relationship with her family, her sister coming to visit?

9. Her stances, the reasons, the explanations, informing the police, saving lives? Her reading, studies, her writing? The achievement, the media interviews, the television? The elders meeting and their reproaching her, burning her manuscript? The impact of the loss of the manuscript? Her father-in-law and his urging her to write again?

10. Her husband in prison, the harsh treatment, the guards, his refusal to see his wife, the visit of the girl, giving the book, his seeing his wife on television? His reading the book, lying on his bed, reflecting, the challenge, the possible change?

11. The effect of the experience on Sakhina, the dire aspects, her strength? The role of women in Islam, in their relationship to their husbands, brutality? The traditions and the good and the bad? The patriarchal elders and their condemnation, intolerance of women? The experience of terrorism? Reaction? The response of the audience – whether they agreed or not, persuasive of change of those who hold fanatical views?