Khuda Kay Liye is Shoaib’s critically acclaimed film, which is also his first motion picture project and the international cinemas, dominated almost entirely by Hollywood films have made room for this film. It is also well received in Dubai, London and Pakistan and now for the first time a Pakistani film is being released in the Indian territory from April 4, 2008, by the Percept Picture Company and music on Sony BMG.
The original music for the film has been provided by Rohail Hayat, Javed Bashir, Shuja Haider, Ahmad Jahanzeb, Khawar Jawad and Lagan Band.
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With the offbeat offering Khuda Kay Liye, Shoaib is now foraying into films. He has been awarded Presidential Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz award by Government of Pakistan. Between 2001 and 2003, Shoaib directed the Supreme Ishq series of songs. He was the backbone of songs by Junaid Jamshed and produced most of the albums by the 80's pop sensation Vital Signs. He wrote and composed a number of their hit numbers such as Dil Dil Pakistan and Aitebar.
The film is about two brothers who are pop musicians in Lahore, one of whom gets radicalized under the influence of extremists, while the other goes to America and gets unlawfully detained after 9/11. It is also about Mary (Maryam), a British girl of Pakistani origin, who is brought to Pakistan by her father and married off against her will. Khuda Kay Liye’s themes include the role of Muslim in Islam and the balance of Muslim values with moderate Western enlightenment.
The movie revolves around a young Pakistani man (Shaan) who goes to the United States for higher education. During his study years, the tragic events of 9/11 take place during which the World Trade Center is turned into dust. In a long array of investigations and arrests, the young man gets arrested by the American authorities;
This record-breaking Pakistani film has very delicately narrated the situation after 9/11 which not only created a rift between the western world and the Muslims but also within the Muslim community. It describes a struggle between Fundamentalists and Liberal Muslims after the tragic events of 9/11 during which the World Trade Center turned into a tomb of dust.
The whole story is woven around educated and modern Muslims in a difficult situation because of their approach towards life and their western attire as they are criticized and harassed by the fundamentalists.On the other hand, the western world sees them as potential suspects of terrorism just because of their Muslim names which results in great sufferings for a forward looking Muslim.
The low-budget film ‘Khuda Kay Liye’ which in English means ‘In the name of God’ or literally ‘For God’s Sake’, has Pakistani actors Shaan in the role of Mansoor and Iman Ali as Maryam/Marie in lead roles, while India’s Naseeruddin Shah plays the prominent role of a Muslim cleric named Maulana Wali in a Special Appearance. The other star cast includes Hameed Sheikh as Shershah and Humayun Kazmi as Maryam’s father.
The film has already been hugely appreciated at the Goa Film Festival in India last year.This film covers a vast canvas and stresses on the fact that it is more important to be a true Muslim at heart, than to just proclaim your faith by growing a beard, or by keeping your women in a veil (purdah) or wearing a kurta pyjama.
Audiences and art critics across Pakistan have loved this film, but the conservative religious clergy have criticized it severely. However, the movie has been well received by overseas Pakistanis.
