Jinnah - 1998

Jinnah (1998) by xlnc Jinnah is a 1998 epic biographical film which follows the life of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was directed by Jamil Dehlavi; and written by Akbar S. Ahmed and Jamil Dehlavi. The film was released in 1998 in theUnited Kingdom and Pakistan.

The film opens with the words of Professor Stanley Wolpert:

“

Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.

”

The film begins with the events surrounding the death of Jinnah. On 11 September 1948, the ailing Jinnah's plane lands at Karachi Airport from Quetta where he was retreating at higher altitude in Ziarat. Jinnah's deteriorating health had led doctors to urge him to go to Karachi. On his way to Governor House Jinnah's ambulance breaks down with engine failure, where fate leaves the dying Quaid of Pakistan in a state of confusion.

The film then cuts to a heavenly place where Jinnah is awaiting the final judgement on his deeds, where it is found that the celestial bureaucrats in charge have misplaced Jinnah's life-file and the whole heavenly computer network is down. With nothing but time on his hands, Jinnah has to answer the questions of his life asked by the heaven guide or Narrator (Shashi Kapoor) in order to decide where Jinnah should be sent, to Heaven or Hell.

The guide takes Jinnah to 1947 where, at the Simla conference with Lord Mountbatten, Jinnah demanded a separate homeland for Indian Muslims. After World War II, the British Imperial Government intends to grant independence to India. The would mean a Hindu-dominated state. Religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims erupt into nationwide violence, leading to the idea of the Partition of India. Jinnah's sister Fatima Jinnah starts to campaign for Muslims and is arrested by an Indian police officer for inciting Muslims. In a meeting with Mountbatten, Gandhiproposes making Jinnah the first prime minister of India in order to avoid partition, but Jawaharlal Nehru opposes the idea. Jinnah in any case refuses the offer and says, "Why do you want to force reluctant partners into a marriage?" He argues that by encouraging the Muslims to live in a separate country, violence will abate.

Flashbacks resume when the Guide recounts the marital life of Jinnah, when he fell in love and married a Parsi namedRattanbai Petit, later known as Maryam Jinnah, against the will of her parents on grounds of religion. In 1922, Jinnah faces political isolation as he devoted every spare moment to be the voice of moderation in a nation torn by Hindu-Muslim antipathy. This created tension between Rattan and Jinnah, which made her alcoholic. She finally leaves him with their daughter in September 1922, and they eventually separate in 1927. Ratti died of cancer on 18 February 1929. The death of Ratti had a huge impact on Jinnah's life. Allama Iqbal writes to Jinnah to run the Muslim League and fight for Pakistan. Initially, Jinnah refuses but accepts after the betrayal of the Indian National Congress. He went to India in order to start political journey of two nation theory. In 1940, the Muslim League annual conference is held from 22–24 March. Jinnah addresses thousands of Muslims and gives them the assurance of the birth of Pakistan.

Guide questions Jinnah as to who he loves the most apart from Ratti and Fatima. He then remembers his daughter who married a Parsi boy without his permission.

While addressing a Muslim League conference in 1947, rebel Indian Muslims who were not in the favor of separation attack the conference. However, theseparation was carried out and Guide and Jinnah saw the massacre of Muslims in migration done by Hindus and Sikhs. Jinnah is sworn in as the first Governor-General of Pakistan and announces Liaqat Ali Khan as the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.

After independence and the end of British rule, Pakistan stands as a new nation for Islam and Jinnah is given the title of Quaid-e-Azam of Pakistan. Jinnah waits for the first train carrying Muslims who left India for Pakistan, but when the train arrives, they are all found dead. Fatimah and Lady Edwina Mountbatten visit refugees and Iris learns the importance of independence. Mountbatten betrays Jinnah as the Hindu Maharaja, Sir Hari Singh, stalls his decision on which nation to join. With the population in revolt in October 1947, aided by Pakistani irregulars, the Maharaja accedes to India; Indian troops are airlifted in. Jinnah objects to this action, and orders that Pakistani troops move into Kashmir. This leads to a war between India and Pakistan then and afterward from time to time in the Kashmir conflict.

The film jumps into a final fictional scene of Mountbatten in a Heavenly Court. Jinnah is fighting a case against him over his betrayal.

Directed by

Jamil Dehlavi

Writing Credits (in alphabetical order)

Akbar Ahmed	...	(writer)
Jamil Dehlavi	...	(writer)

Cast (in credits order)

	Christopher Lee	...	Mohammed Ali Jinnah
	James Fox	...	Mountbatten
	Maria Aitken	...	Edwina
	Shashi Kapoor	...	Narrator
	Richard Lintern	...	Jinnah (Younger)
	Shireen Shah	...	Fatima Jinnah
	Robert Ashby	...	Nehru
	Indira Varma	...	Ruttie Jinnah
	Sam Dastor	...	Gandhi
	Yousuf Kamal	...	Liaquat Ali Khan (as Shakeel)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Vaneeza Ahmad	...	Dina (Older)
	Nafees Ahmed	...	Younger Dina
	Roger Brierley	...	Judge
	Rowena Cooper	...	Lady Willingdon
	James Curran	...	Colonel Knowles
	Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Lord Willingdon
	Michael Elwyn	...	Sir Cyril Radcliffe
	Ian Gelder	...	The English police officer
	Christopher Godwin	...	Recruitment officer
	John Grillo	...	Sir Dinshaw Petit
	Talat Hussain	...	Refugee
	Stephen Mortlock	...	English Reporter
	John Nettleton	...	General Gracie
	David Quilter	...	Porrit
	Khayyam Sarhadi	...	Nishtar
	David Sterne	...	Birtwhistle
	Marc Zuber	...	Muhammad Iqbal
	Anthony Maddalena	...	British Raj Juror (uncredited)

Produced by

Akbar Ahmed	...	executive producer
Nasim Ashraf	...	executive producer
Jamil Dehlavi	...	producer
Jane Jackson	...	associate producer

Music by

Nigel Clarke
Michael Csányi-Wills

Cinematography by

Nicholas D. Knowland

...

(as Nic Knowland)

Film Editing by

Paul Hodgson
Robert M. Reitano

Casting By

Sue Jones
Puneet Sira

Production Design by

Mike Porter

Costume Design by

Barbara Rutter

Makeup Department

Lesley Lamont-Fisher	...	makeup designer
Derek Lloyd	...	hair stylist / makeup artist
Christopher Redman	...	hair stylist / makeup artist

Production Management

Andrew Wood

...

production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Dewi Griffiths	...	second assistant director
Faizan Haqquee	...	second assistant director
Barrie McCulloch	...	second assistant director
Daniel Toland	...	assistant director
Gary White	...	first assistant director

Art Department

Campbell Mitchell

...

stand-by property master

Sound Department

Roland Heap	...	additional sound mixing
Godfrey Kirby	...	sound recordist
Branka Mrkic	...	adr editor
Daniel Pagan	...	assistant sound editor
Harry Peck Bolles	...	sound editor
Dan Sable	...	supervising sound editor
Lynn Sable	...	sound editor
Brian Vancho	...	foley artist

Visual Effects by

Eric Person

...

digital effects

Stunts

Gerry Crampton

...

stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department

Mark Dempsey	...	camera trainee
Micky Reeves	...	gaffer
Gary Turnbull	...	director of photography: second unit
Jason Wingrove	...	clapper loader

Costume and Wardrobe Departmen

Mike Skorepa

...

set costumer

Editorial Department

Simon Cozens	...	first assistant editor
Patricia Sztaba	...	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	...	negative matcher

Music Department

Robin Morrison

...

music production

Other crew

Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor	...	production coordinator
Taimur Khan	...	location manager
Cassandra King	...	production coordinator
Peter Winstanley	...	production accountant