- IMDb page: The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)
- Rate: 6.2/10 total 362 votes
- Genre: Thriller
- Release Date: 10 May 2013 (UK)
- Runtime: 130 min
- Filming Location: USA
- Director: Mira Nair
- Stars: Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber | See full cast and crew
- Original Music By: Michael Andrews
- Soundtrack: Mori Araj Suno
- Plot Keyword: Title Directed By Female
Writing Credits By:
(in alphabetical order)
Ami Boghani screen story
Mohsin Hamid novel
Mohsin Hamid screen story
William Wheeler screenplay
Known Trivia
Plot: A young Pakistani man is chasing corporate success on Wall Street. He finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland. | »
Story: A young Pakistani man is chasing corporate success on Wall Street. He finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland.
Produced By:
Ami Boghani known as co-producer
Lydia Dean Pilcher known as producer
Hani Farsi known as executive producer
Diloy Gülün known as line producer: Turkey
Anadil Hossain known as co-producer
Courtney Lee known as associate producer (as Courtney Lee-Mitchell)
Christine McKeever known as associate producer
Robin Sweet known as co-producer: US
FullCast & Crew:
- Riz Ahmed known as Changez
- Kate Hudson known as Erica
- Liev Schreiber known as Bobby Lincoln
- Kiefer Sutherland known as Jim Cross
- Om Puri known as Abu
- Shabana Azmi known as Ammi
- Martin Donovan known as Ludlow Cooper
- Nelsan Ellis known as Wainwright
- Haluk Bilginer known as Nazmi Kemal
- Meesha Shafi known as Bina
- Imaaduddin Shah known as Sameer (as Imaad Shah)
- Christopher Nicholas Smith known as Mike Rizzo (as Chris Smith)
- Ashwath Bhatt known as Junaid
- Sarah Quinn known as Clea
- Chandrachur Singh known as Bandy Uncle
- Adil Hussain known as Mustafa Fazil
- Ali Sethi known as Ahmed
- Deepti Datt known as Amreh
- Gary Richardson known as Anse Rainier
- Sonya Jehan known as Nadia (as Sonia Jehan)
- Golam Sarwar Harun known as Ranting South Asian Man
- Rohan Gupta known as Rahim
- Claire Roberts Lamont known as June Davis
- Victor Slezak known as Maxwell Underwood
- Ismail Bashey known as Pak-Punjab Deli Customer
- Mahmood Mamdani known as Pak-Punjab Deli Customer
- Taylor St. Clair known as Cable Company Manager
- Roy McCrerey known as Agent Ford
- Clayton Landey known as Agent Jackson
- Mark Oliver known as Immigration Officer
- Jamie Moore known as Cable Company Worker
- James Sutton known as Airport Security
- Vince Canlas known as Kenzaburo
- Yinka Adeboyeku known as NYPD Officer
- Amuche Chukudebelu known as Nigerian Merchant (as Amuche)
- Cody W. Parker known as Herman (as Cody Parker)
- Kuldeep Lulla known as Little Boy in Mercedes
- Daksh Vashisht known as Bobby's Shooter
- Charu Shankar known as Lovely Girl at Wedding
- Javed Basu Kesselman known as Pakistani Bond
Tim Campione known as Blood Donor (uncredited)
Momo Casablanca known as Airport Patron (uncredited)
Robert Bryan Davis known as Bald Officer (uncredited)
Bradford Haynes known as Jogger (uncredited)
Ashlyn Henson known as The American Girl (uncredited)
Liam Ireson known as Chris (uncredited)
Cait Johnson known as Airport Patron (uncredited)
Zack Kibria known as Subway Patron (uncredited)
King known as Art Patron (uncredited)
Omer Mughal known as Strip Searched Victim (uncredited)
Ryan Nesset known as Cocktail party Guest (uncredited)
Megan Pigott known as Lacrosse Player (uncredited)
John Ridings known as National Guard (uncredited)
Joel Rogers known as Airport Security Agent (uncredited)
Wendy Schweitzer known as Airport Patron (uncredited)
Harley Shellhammer known as NYC Immigration Officer (uncredited)
Jawad Talpur known as New York Deli Patron (uncredited)
Richard Tavernaro known as Police Officer (uncredited)
Erik Thirsk known as NYPD Cop (uncredited)
Naeem Uzimann known as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Makeup Department:
Andrea C. Brotherton known as hair stylist
Cynthia L. Chapman known as key hair stylist
Patrice Coleman known as key makeup artist
Veronica Cox known as assistant makeup artist
Nakita D'Souza known as assistant hair
Vanessa Davis known as hair department head
Walter Dorairaj known as key hair stylist: India
Jale Er known as hair stylist assistant
Kris Evans known as makeup department head
Bill Johnson known as makeup effects consultant
Sumit Malkotia known as hair stylist: India
Ram Prashad Mandal known as assistant makeup artist: India
Tracey L. Miller-Smith known as makeup artist (as Tracey L. Miller)
Yasmin Rogers known as key makeup artist: India
Mark Schmidt known as hair department head: New York Unit
Katrina Suhre known as additional hair stylist
Art Department:
Meltem Acmazzambak known as art department assistant
Brent Addison known as painter
Prabhakar Angoori known as construction supervisor
Jiyaul Ansari known as swing
Rose Ashikyan known as property assistant: Atlanta
Saurabh Bali known as set dresser
Russell Barnes known as art director: India
Prasun Basu known as storyboard artist
Irfan Shabir Beg known as swing
Amira Bhargava known as assistant to production designer
Amira Bhargava known as set dresser
Nathan d. Brown known as prop maker
Mike Brushaber known as painter
Chris Bush known as property master
Leni Calas known as property master
Shankar Chandangiri known as swing
Parjanya Chaudary known as set dresser
Sunil Chhabra known as property master (as Sunil Chabra)
Ram Milan Choubey known as stand-by prop man
Katie Clinebell known as assistant props
Sachin Dabhade known as assistant set dresser: India
Rajendra Kumar Das known as stand-by prop man
Amanda R. Evans known as art department coordinator: Atlanta
Laurie Garner known as property assistant: USA
Michael Gowen known as construction buyer
Shams Kamran known as graphic designer
Mohammad Salim Khan known as draper
Sikander Ali Khan known as assistant draper
Onkar Khot known as on set dresser: India
Julie Knapp known as art department pa
Yogeandra Kumar known as stand by props
Ellen Lampl known as graphic designer
Alba Leone known as lead person: Atlanta
Frank Mckeever known as set dresser
Ram Iqbal Jogi Mehatto known as prop helper
Tamar Meir known as art department production assistant
Nick Morgan known as set dresser
Nik Morgan known as set dresser: Atlanta
Luke Myers known as set dresser
Grahame Ménage known as scenic artist: Atlanta
Joseph Nadeu known as set dresser
David H. Nash known as construction coordinator
Trilok Naulakha known as props
Tripp Norton known as on-set dresser: Atlanta
Georgeanne Olive known as buyer
Jane Patterson known as assistant props
Aman Puri known as set dresser
Kumar Rajendra known as stand by props
Amelia Roberta Ramirez known as art department production assistant: Atlanta
Phil Saccio known as on set dresser
Arif Saifi known as swing
Kapil Saini known as buyer
Marlow Sanchez known as general foreman
Ismail R. Shaikh known as on-set assistant
Mohammaed Hasan Shaikh known as on-set assistant
Suresh Sharma known as props buyer
Gajanan Shinde known as construction buyer
Gurubaksh Singh known as assistant art director: India
Mahavir Singh known as picture vehicle coordinator
Neeraj Kumar Singh known as store man
Eric Stepper known as leadman
Mike Sullivan known as scenic charge
Jeremiah Tamayo known as prop maker
Divya Thakur known as title design
Vishal Thakur known as production buyer
Dewitt Thompson III known as paint foreman
Linda Verzi known as buyer
Jumai Shaikh Wahid known as swing
Alexandra West known as assistant property master: Atlanta
Sushil Yadav known as swing
Nigappa Yaranal known as head painter
Craig Gilmore known as illustrator (uncredited)
Production Companies:
- Cine Mosaic
- Doha Film Institute, The
- Mirabai Films
Other Companies:
- ARRI / Camera Service Center camera equipment provided by
- B.A. Department, The business and legal affairs
- Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment camera dollies
- Codex Digital digital recording equipment
- De Lane Lea ADR recording
- Doha Film Institute, The funding
- Dolby Laboratories sound mix
- Harbor Picture Company post-production facilities
- Harris Diversified a/c & power rental
- Paskal Lighting grip and lighting equipment (Georgia)
- Rocket Post post-production facilities
- Three Point Capital funding
- Transportation Resources transportation equipment
Distributors:
- IFC Films (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
- IFC Films (2013) (USA) (theatrical)
- Mara Pictures (2013) (UK) (theatrical)
- Central Park Films (2013) (Turkey) (all media)
- IFC Films (2012) (USA) (all media)
- IPA Asia Pacific (2013) (Thailand) (all media)
- Rialto Distribution (2013) (Australia) (all media)
- Rialto Distribution (2013) (New Zealand) (all media)
- Shoval Film Production (2012) (Israel) (all media)
Special Effects:
Visual Effects by:
Prakash Aher known as clean-up
Shashi Gowda known as producer: vfx
Neha Hooda known as line producer: vfx
Kailash Jadhav known as head of production
Rajesh Kaushik known as compositor
Aziz Merchant known as compositor
Krishnakant Mishra known as supervisor: vfx
Vishal Parmar known as senior compositor
Seshasayana Rao known as senior compositor
V. Gouri Shankar Rao known as supervisor: vfx
Savita Shankar known as supervisor: vfx
Nilesh Uttarwar known as clean-up
Release Date:
Italy 29 August 2012 (Venice Film Festival)
Canada 8 September 2012 (Toronto International Film Festival)
Sweden 28 January 2013 (Göteborg International Film Festival)
USA 17 March 2013 (CAAMFest)
Denmark 21 April 2013 (CPH PIX)
USA 26 April 2013 (limited)
Sweden 3 May 2013
UK 10 May 2013
New Zealand 23 May 2013
Italy 13 June 2013
Hong Kong 25 July 2013
MPAA: Rated R for language, some violence and brief sexuality
Life isn't fair, we get it. However this film does a terrible job attugging at the heart strings to make you feel for it.
ReplyDeleteThis is an early review.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is about a young ish Pakistani who battlesagainst his own nature in an effort to find a balance between Westernsuccess and Eastern "holiness". Our protagonist, in the late 90s, findssuccess at a wall st firm due to the fact that he's a Will Hunting likegenius (of course this is displayed in a cheapened way). However in thewake of 9/11, of course since he's Pakistani he's treated like aterrorist and interrogated at every turn, even though the sort of dayto day profiling explained in the movie doesn't happen in real life.
Simply put, this film is a melodramatic piece of trash which exists forcheap emotional response. It's basically a lifetime movie.
The one thing I have always noticed in India media and also Indian filmmakers (Bollywood and non bolly wood) They are always trying to bringup and "expose" topics especially about their neighbors when actuallybigger uglier truths are sitting at home which they refuse to bring upor discuss. What Im trying to say is that from the documentary about awoman who was sexually abused to stupid cheesy movies like East iseast. The Indian film makers are always trying to criticize theirneighbors about something that is very much prevalent at their ownhome. India has the highest rate of sexual crimes against woman in theworld. Even more than Nigeria and Sudan. Yet a film maker making a filmabout one woman in Pakistan makes absolutely no sense. Indians have theamazing ability to rationalize and intellectualize to somehow overlookthe ugly facts at home. If Indian film makers are so sincere tohumanity they should talk about and make movies about the approximate300 0000 violent sex crimes against woman in India every year. Theyshould make movies about crimes against minorities like killing of 6000Muslims in Gujrat or religious persecution and killing of Austrian andAustralian priest when the whole family was slaughtered and their deadbodies were dragged on the streets. Or maybe about the rampantcorruption at every level in their country. Charity begins at homeIndians. Learn the truth and accept it.
ReplyDeleteThis movie challenged my views of American policy. I thought that itwas definitely written with an Indian audience as the demographic itwould do best in. We had an opportunity to listen to the Director (MiraNair) speak about this and her other movies. She told us "This movie isintended to start a conversation", and that it does. If you are aHollywood / blockbuster fan you probably will not enjoy this as much.If you are open- minded, watch film for more than just entertainment,and like Bollywood / Indian film, this is for you. I think that just as20 years ago film depicting disability, or sexuality was far lesspopular such is true about a film that illustrates a point of viewthat's not that of a gun toting American.
ReplyDeleteI saw a screening of the film at the BFI film festival in London andMira Nair's intro really did set the tone for the film. She mentionedhow there have been countless accounts of the attacks from theviewpoint of those who died to protect democracy but what of all theinnocent lives lost in the process? She wanted to give the viewpoint ofthe war on terror from the other side, who in one stroke of the brushhave been deemed extremists or terrorists. She wanted to use this filmas a platform to start a dialogue between the East and West, to tell astory of contemporary Pakistan which is caught between whether itsidentity should be pro or anti-American without realizing it has tochoose neither but develop a "Pakistani identity".
ReplyDeleteAnd a dialogue it was. Quite literally. The journalist Changez talkedto had perhaps become a reluctant fundamentalist in his own right,living in Lahore but after viewing the atrocities of the Taliban,reverting to the CIA. There are beautiful touches added to the filmlike linking religious fundamentalism with economic fundamentalism -like the ruthlessness of capitalism where money and success are theonly motivation versus the blind hate of religious extremism, bothideologies pursued without regard for who suffers as a result.
It's a very fine balance to keep from tipping into either extreme andMira Nair presented it beautifully. I read the book and I was afraid ofthe treatment - a British Asian playing the lead role did not conformto the image of Changez I had in my mind and I was afraid that theessence would be lost. But he managed to pull it off. The movie wasadapted quite well. Every character had a story, nobody was good orevil, and everyone's behaviour had a consequence on the decisions madeby other characters. It was a story of humanity where we are all thesame yet cannot seem to get over the colour of the other person's skin.
As a director, Mira is blunt - she shows things as they are. Ratherthan seeing an aerial view of the Badshahi mosque or the glossy shopsof Liberty, we see the gritty part of Lahore. The film is ambitious -set in five countries and telling a complex story but I think itsucceeds. It's not that I don't have problems with the film but Ihighly doubt someone else could have told it so well. It seamlesslyintegrates the beautiful sounds of Pakistani music from the highs andlows of qawwali to the beautiful poetry of Faiz.
As a Pakistani who has worked on Wall street, I have seen reluctantfundamentalists pop up everywhere post-9/11 with the polarizing "withus or against us" Bush ideology, unapologetic racial profiling atairports, media portrayal of Pakistan as a cultural backwater, etc. Iam glad someone is telling the story of how they came to be, how peoplewho were once proud to be American withdrew back to their formeridentities, albeit reluctantly, but through the actions of the fewpeople who unfortunately will have no interest in watching this moviebecause they are not interested in a dialogue. No, the only viewpointthat matters to them is their own.