The Rock Star and the Mullahs

General Information

Author/Creator
Hamid, Ruhi, director.
Language
English, Persian.
Subtitles
English
Published
United Kingdom : Macqueen, Angus, 2003.
Physical Description
DVD-ROM (50 min.)
Digital ver. identifier
HU_OSA_00002424

Contents/Summary

Summary
The lead singer of Pakistan's biggest rock group travels to Peshawar, where the local government has banned all music, and asks, "Why can't spirituality be expressed in pop song?" That's an issue that "The Rock Star & the Mullahs", a 50 minute documentary commissioned by the BBC sets out to explore. It follows Salman Ahmed, the charismatic lead singer of one of South Asia's biggest rock band 'Junoon' and a devout Muslim, who's concerned about his own country Pakistan's growing Islamic fundamentalism which condemns music as obscene. In this thought provoking film, Ahmad travels to Peshawar, where the local government, voted in on a wave of anti-Americanism, has banned all music. Ahmad confronts and challenges the Mullahs in Peshawar, he meets local musicians to see how they have been affected, he visits young men in madrassas (religious schools) to see what they think about music and finally he shows how the majority of people in Pakistan follow their religion. This is a film about Pakistan grappling with who it wants to be in the 21st centurym while some fear in the West that it may turn into another Taliban state. It is a contemporary film in style with a touch of politics and a mixture of sounds.

Subjects

Genre
Documentary films

Bibliographic Information

Note
Duration: 00:50:00
Copyright Status
Copyright by BBC

Holdings

Item Type Current Location Call Number Status Shelving Location Public Note
DVD-ROMOSA Film LibraryFL Record 0700Available--
Digital filmOSA Film LibraryFL Record 0700
(HU_OSA_00002424.mp4)
AvailableAccess Copy, MP4 format