Note: This movie will not release in India, because it is a Pakistani production and it is banned in India. But for me and millions of others, Internet is here to empower. No, I am not advocating piracy, but simply speaking “Internet boldly goes where no media has gone before”. This is a political movie and this post is political.

About the Movie: The movie is about a moderate, progressive Pakistani family residing in Lahore and their brush with fundamentalism in Islam. It does carry forward an important message about how a common Muslim is equally affected by “Religious Fundamentalism”, just as in other religions. Mansoor and Sarmat are two musician brothers, caught in the perils of time. Samrat turns into a Taliban guy, whereas Mansoor, who is pursuing a degree in music in USA, is suspected of being a terrorist. Cousin Marry(Mariam), who is wanting to marry her gora boyfriend, is deceived by her father Hussain Khan to join him for a trip to Pakistan to see his long lost family and in turn she is forcibly married to Sarmat. Somethings dont change, and some people are determined to make that change. Marry returns to the village where she was forced to stay up and decides to educate the women there. Sarmat returns to the music and also starts praying everyday. Extremist Shershah brings his daughters to the school. A blend of progressives upholding their religion is a winner in the end. More about the Plot, Cast and Background at the Movie’s Official Site or Wikipedia or IMDB. The movie also has a good soundtrack and some fantastic visuals of areas bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan. The acting has been fairly good, however Mansoor and Shershah are the characters that have been acted best along with our very own Naseerudin.

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“Don’t Kill me Mom-Dad, please I am your small little daughter“, cries a baby, who has not yet seen daylight.

Sometime in middle of 2006, a shocking and devastating news came out about the discovery of a deep pit in punjab, which contained dead female foeticides, right behind a maternity clinic. No surprise, that the state has one of the poorest male:female ratio. Media did a good job of exposing the racket.

A child is child, irrespective of whether it is he or she. Infact, when you see a puppy, kitten, a cub, baby lizard, you always get the same feeling of CUTE. I fail to understand what runs inside those men and women , who can do such acts of murder? How cold-hearted would they be or how deeply rooted are their beliefs in indian medieval ages? Why do they kill their own daughters, when they can adore about Aishwarya Rai, praise Sania Mirza or vote for Sonia Gandhi. Why is there still a PREFERENCE for the boy child? Why can’t people simply accept that the family name can run with a girl child as well?

I have seen this idiotic mentality with people in my extended family. They are not against having a girl child, but they desperately want a boy child as well. I belong to Gujarat, though. It somehow has been deep-rooted in the psyche of the earlier generations who coupled a girl child’s birth with additional dowry load and no addition to the family income. The thought should have withered away in 21st century, yet it seems, our people are not going to learn so easily. The government on its part has not been successful in educating the masses. Somehow, the government is also unable to properly enforce the law banning sex-detection tests.

A journalist infact titles an article on the issue as “Female foeticide or genocide?”.

The child sex ratio, which was 945 girls in 1991, is reduced to to 927 in 2001. The situation is worst in North India, especially in Punjab and Delhi. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are as well not in a good shape.

But positive steps have started both at the government and social level

1)Newly wed couples in Gujarat are taking vows that they will never commit female foeticide.

2)Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, thought largely infamous on secular grounds, has infact been a leading a mission to educate the girl children of the state. A step in the right direction.

3)Government is modifying the laws to make the enforcement more transparent and responsible. “SAVE THE GIRL CHILD” is a govt. campaign that is working.

4)2006 has been a year, when the mainstream media has taken up the cause of girl child.

5)Loads of NGO’s are becoming active on this front.

6)Finally, we bloggers have taken note of this and shouting on high-pitch to the enlightened urban youth to do something about it.

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I am not against abortion as a result of unsafe sex or unplanned child, but definitely yes I am against sex-selective abortion.

“Population Control is necessary, and within that population balance between the gender is equally important.”

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Folks, SAVE THE GIRL CHILD, save our sons from regretting the death of their sisters.