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I came back because you can't bully a woman: Reham Khan on her foray into films

I came back because you can't bully a woman: Reham Khan on her foray into films

Reham Khan opens up about Pakistani cinema, dealing with abuse ... and love
Updated 05 Sep, 2016

Everyone’s interested in Reham Khan’s business, which might be why the former TV host has tread carefully these past few months. The result? Reham’s regular presence on billboards promoting her talk show Tabdeeli has been quietly replaced by her perennially active Twitter feed and stories about her personal life that graced tabloids in Britain have tapered off.

But this month Reham will find herself in the spotlight again, and for very different reasons. She’s one of the producers behind upcoming film Janaan, starring Armeena Rana Khan, Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan, and is reinventing herself as a devoted patron of the arts.

Also read: You can only talk politics with Imran, says Reham Khan

“In the Pakistani entertainment industry it’s very, very difficult to get your foot in the door if you don’t have a network in Karachi or Lahore or in the film circle,” says Reham during our chat. “So I try to facilitate anyone under 30 if they want to improve their skills. I tend to mentor young people in the creative arts anyway, because I did that for the BBC for five years.”

In a sense, Reham’s sympathy for young talent others might deem the underdog is congruent with her recent brush with fame and the media. Both during and after her brief 2015 marriage to PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Reham was dismissed as, at best, “a weather girl,” and at worst, a threat to her spouse’s political future.

So why has she decided to plunge back into public life, that too through a medium with which she has little experience? In this candid exchange, Reham minces no words as she talks about present-day Pakistani cinema, being a role model – and love.

Reham Khan hopes to highlight true Pakhtun culture through her film, Jaanan
Reham Khan hopes to highlight true Pakhtun culture through her film, Jaanan

What prompted you to get involved with producing Janaan, a film that focuses on Pakhtun culture?

Reham Khan: Janaan is very much a romantic comedy. It’s light, fluffy and doesn’t pretend to be anything serious. It’s a contemporary film, a story from our own families, such as what happens when a modern Pakhtun wants to marry a Punjabi.

But we have addressed our genuine problems as well, such as the Punjabi-Pakhtun rift.

I’m Swati. [In film], I think we should promote communities that we know and understand and that haven’t been promoted. The Pakhtun voice has disappeared. The piecemeal offering in dramas is a stereotypical character, with the Chitrali topi atop the head, weapon in hand. I felt very strongly that this is not the Pakhtun culture I know and love.

How is Janaan different from other, recently released Pakistani films?

RK: One of the things my family found very objectionable [in recent films] – mind you, we’re from abroad – was language that was objectionable for family viewing. Two films we watched featured open swearing in Urdu and English and then innuendos, which made it very uncomfortable for us. Not just because they were sexual innuendos, in a very cheap way, but because they contained a lot of misogynistic messages.

For me, film is a responsibility. For example, if we’re teaching people that they can cheat on their wives in Bangkok... Although you might have a moral at the end of the story, you’ll have people actually pick up these messages from films.

“I’m a film buff. I don’t watch much TV, but I watch a lot of films in the cinema and it frustrated me to go and see poorly made films coming out of Pakistan.”

Apart from cliches about Pakhtun culture, what other stereotypes does the film break?

RK: Well, in Janaan the protagonists are all women. So the chunkier, meatier role is leading lady Armeena’s. She is the one who precipitates things, she is the catalyst in the film. Likewise, the dadi, the phupi, the second leading ladies in the subplot, they’re all very strong characters.

Who financed Janaan?

RK: Contrary to what has been said about the film, it was the finance that we struggled with. Investors feel film is a very risky venture, and it is, but somebody has to do it.

See, I’ve taken a major risk by giving the film my name since I have given these boys a lot of independence. It’s important that they learn from their mistakes and they learn to work independently. Finance was a big issue.

In the end we didn’t get financed from Pakistan, we got better finances from a British-Asian route, because they take risks more than Pakistanis.

Apart from finances, what was the most difficult aspect of making Janaan?

RK: We faced a lot of problems. Children here have done an MA or BA but they can’t write a decent email or CV. I used to work for news channels and they go for cheap labour – but a cameraman paid 8,000 rupees will only do 8,000 rupees worth of work. If you don’t spend on skilled labour, your own quality [of work] will suffer.

The government has to support these projects. If it supports [films] then the corporates will also support them. Initially, the government should support the industry through tax exemptions. Of course it’s a big risk but there needs to be some sort of [financial] attraction to come into this. PTV has lots of space which should be used. There is a PTV Academy, which is empty. It’s a big, huge resource which is empty.

Reham thinks cinema's power to captivate its audience makes it a most important medium
Reham thinks cinema's power to captivate its audience makes it a most important medium

You’re a journalist by profession, why did you decide to go into film?

RK: Personally, my daily routine is journalism.

But people don’t read books anymore, people don’t even listen to the local mullah anymore, the message that you want to convey will be conveyed through the media. And of course, the bigger the medium, the bigger the message, the more emphatic the message.

When you walk into the cinema you have to switch your phones off, you get involved with the big screen, you cry with the film, you laugh with the film. It actually drives the message home far stronger than when you quickly see it on your phone. If you look at things in international terms, a lot of the way we think is because of Hollywood, [or] because of Bollywood.

So these conversations are very important.

And I have always been fascinated by films. I’m a film buff. I don’t watch much TV, but I watch a lot of films in the cinema and I think in Pakistan there has been a lack of this, which just annoyed me. It frustrated me to go and see poorly-made films coming out of Pakistan.

"I feel love is about complete commitment, complete fidelity. It seems like in Pakistan it has become acceptable that fidelity is not expected and I don’t mean only physically. If you can’t keep someone as your confidante then what is the point of keeping them in an obviously very intimate relationship."

Is that also why your own show went off the air? Was it not able to maintain the standards that you wanted?

RK: I’ve always been very careful and with journalism it’s not a good idea to take a break. But of course, I got married [to a politician] and I couldn’t work on TV. When I restarted I really wanted to bring that change.

But now nobody watches TV like that. So the young people, or people like me who pretend to be young, watch everything online. Traditional news channels really limit me.

It wasn't easy to find funding for a film like Jaanan, shares Reham
It wasn't easy to find funding for a film like Jaanan, shares Reham

How have you dealt with the ugliness and the accusations that were leveled at you during your marriage and after your divorce? Do you have any advice for young women in the media who might experience the same?

RK: I do what I do because I have two children who look up to me. So if I pick up a cigarette, I’m their role model. They don’t have a father, they don’t have much of an extended-family support network, so whatever I do, they will inevitably pick it up.

The same goes for the women who are looking up to me, whether they’re my daughters or other young women who I know are seeking advice.

That’s why I came back because I thought, no, this is not on, you can’t bully a woman, it’s not a woman’s fault she’s divorced. Nine out of 10 times it’s blamed on the woman in our culture and if she’s in the media or twice-divorced, God forbid!

I say this to girls in person, I say this in interviews, and you can write this down: work hard, put your head down, stay out of [office] politics. I’m rubbish at politics. [Of course,] it’s harder for a younger girl. I come from a privileged background so I know I can sort this person out.

But this needs to change. I’ve had to tell boys working for me to keep a four-pace distance from female co-workers. If you’re in an authoritative position and a younger girl is coming to work, try to be supportive. [Our problem is] we have no support for other female colleagues, we actually back stab them.

Janaan is ultimately a film about love. Why were you so enthusiastic about this film after everything you’ve been through with your marriage? What’s your own idea of love?

RK: I’m a perfectionist. For me, love is very different from how people think about love in our day and age and particularly in Pakistani culture.

For us, love is generally superficial. You know, you see the girl, the girl’s good looking and you think ‘oh I’m in love with this girl’.

For me, it’s not that. Love, for me – and I think maybe it’s nonexistent, maybe in real life it’s nonexistent – is the Pakhtun love – without any bars, go the long haul. It’s giving your life, and sacrificing, whatever it takes. So I don’t believe in this love where people will say, ‘oh I love my husband but I have my separate life’, I don’t get that. If you want a separate life then you might as well be single, I’d be as brutal as that.

I feel like love is about complete commitment, complete fidelity. I must say, it seems like in Pakistan it has become acceptable that fidelity is not expected and I don’t mean only physically. If you can’t confide in someone or keep them as your confidante then what is the point of keeping them in an obviously very intimate relationship. So I’m quite an idealist and perfectionist in those areas.

A lot of people criticise me for doing this and that but I don’t think it goes against feminism to give so much and also to want your husband to be successful. I don’t see a clash in that. I think if you can support your husband, or the husband can support the wife, then there’s nothing wrong in that.

I think both should do it and it shouldn’t be one-sided but there’s nothing wrong with being devoted to whatever your partner is doing. In Pakistan, that is sometimes seen as negative.


Originally published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 4th, 2016

Comments

Shuaib Qasim Sep 05, 2016 11:35am
don't know her who she is! really saw her photo and her name after a long time.
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karachi Wally Sep 05, 2016 12:00pm
with every passing month my respect and admiration for Reham Khan is increasing. Pakistan needs women like her. For her it is not about feminism but complete commitment for love and marriage, this is something that we totally lack in out country. Good luck sis!
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Nomi Goraya Sep 05, 2016 12:06pm
Beautiful definition of LOVE . Very beautiful and mature interview enjoyed each bit of it.
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kala.ingrez Sep 05, 2016 12:08pm
She is an old Imrani bag need to resign and give young ones a chance to occupy this media space.
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Gul Khan Sep 05, 2016 12:48pm
Love is about the relationship among the two.... Commitment is about an agenda accepted by the two.... So, the Love is a relationship based on agenda and it should remain acceptable by the two.... There is no question about sacrifice my dear human fellow RK.
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Ashish Nair Sep 05, 2016 12:55pm
She is indeed Very Beautiful .
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Thoroughthinker Sep 05, 2016 01:02pm
A twice downed as a women still trying to rise! It takes real sacrifice of very high order!
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Fawad A Khan Sep 05, 2016 01:59pm
@kala.ingrez She has never blocked anyone's space. Those who have talent, make space for themselves. Those who have no talent, blame others for their misfortune.
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Vasan Sep 05, 2016 02:05pm
Beautiful! Welcome to Bollywood!
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shepower.pk Sep 05, 2016 03:00pm
If you don’t spend on skilled labour, your own quality [of work] will suffer, this is beautiful lines what she said , strongly believe on that, but apart from the face that you were wife of Imran khan once now you are not, as a human being best of luck for your 1st film and whatever you choose to do in life, appreciate your efforts. Good Luck
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Readers Diary Sep 05, 2016 03:31pm
now now.... thats women empowerment ... she creates her own space... hail to janaan
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Gul Khan Sep 05, 2016 03:32pm
Hence, if you talk about relationship in marriage or at work place, both is based upon mutual understanding (agenda). In relation with mathematics, left hand side is equal to right hand side. Whereas, in relation with physics, to every action there is an equal, but opposite reaction (newton's third law of motion).
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akram Sep 05, 2016 05:50pm
Reham I congratulate you on the movie making business, I hope you do well.
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Jaan-Bhittani Sep 05, 2016 05:53pm
What a wonderful women she is.. God bless her.
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Rashid Sultan Sep 05, 2016 07:27pm
Lovely woman. Just love her for her personality, forthrightness and bravery.
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kash Sep 05, 2016 07:30pm
This film is being promoted very well in UK though.
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Ehsan Sep 05, 2016 08:05pm
Will it be released in US
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abdulrashid awan Sep 05, 2016 10:50pm
good luck madam -
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Habib Sep 05, 2016 10:50pm
It is yet too soon to pass judgement about RK work in progress in her 1st try in pakistani film Perhaps she can join bolloywood director's film academy with low budget or Hollywood if she like to spend but more to polish her film skills Till now she fail in her to prove herself in talk show on pakistani tv
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sherali mitha Sep 06, 2016 12:43am
At least a 'clean-cut' educated, experienced and intellectual person who can be a guide to other women trying to make a position for themselves in the society and do not get carried away by the dictates of men, her husband or piers. Her stand is very clear and other women should try to follow if it suits them. However, should they wish to be a home maker, take care of kitchen, raise kids and be a 'garelu Bahu' than her education, expertise, talents are all wasted... Women should keep a balance and raise her children to face the 21st Century. Remember..."Knowledge is the KEY to success and and a "Passport" to raise your living standard, wherever you go and reside...
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ukz Sep 06, 2016 01:32am
when she married to IK, i predicted that she is not suitable for him. she is not as mature as her age. But i must say, she is stunning.
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worthless wealth Sep 06, 2016 04:26am
Yes Ma'am, talking wise, or wise talks is one of the many ways to be in limelight! Besides, being from media circle you are lucky to get space in the media! "Easier Said than Done in Practice". It is the sincerity of purpose, and not wish and will, or whims and fancies that actually matters! Anyway, wish you well.
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T.M. Wazir Sep 06, 2016 09:05am
Good luck Ms Reham Khan.
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white noise Sep 06, 2016 11:13am
This is a very confident and decent woman, something Imran khan failed to realise miserably, instead of keep her under the shadows, it would have done him good if he had walked with her, this lady has so much potential to make a difference to a society. Good luck to her.
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A Sep 06, 2016 11:45am
Stunning beauty!
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KnowTheTruth Sep 06, 2016 12:54pm
Very pretty and Has a lot of experience to talk about love and marriage. (at least 2 failed attempts)
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Sukhera Sep 07, 2016 07:42pm
No one bullied you to do something against your wishes. You made your own choices in life. It takes two to tango and both parties have to be in sync before jumping to the unknown. It takes time which both parties did not give. It did not turn out right because you did not do your homework and jumped in the lake without knowing its depth and its temperature So please don't beat around the bush and say what you really want to say.
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N Sep 11, 2016 12:23pm
A very poignant, sweet, and blame free description of life with Imran for such a short time. I wish her success in her pursuit of serving children and the arts.
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