Jamia Journal Independent Student-run News Website of Jamia Millia Islamia (a Central University)
The Center for Afghanistan Studies, MMAJ Academy of International Studies (AIS), Jamia Millia Islamia screened the well-known film “The Kite Runner,” adapted into a film by Marc Foster from the best-seller novel of the same name by Khaled Hosseini, at the Tagore Hall, Dayar-e-Mir Taqi Mir on Wednesday, 18 Sept. 2013.
The screening was following by a lively discussion around important aspects of the film in which the participants raised several questions related to the film as well as the book.
Taking part in the discussion was Dr. Rani D. Mullen, Associate Professor of Government at the College of William and Mary, Virginia, USA and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.
Dr. Mullen said that the film that covers almost three decades time is set against the particular backdrop of friendship and betrayal and showcases issues of nationality, relationship and redemption.
The major part of the film shows the Taliban rule. Kite flying is shown as a symbol of happiness and liberation. However, the most gripping part of it is a small scene of sexual violence by children.
While taking part in the post-screening discussion a student argued that the film lacked the depth of the book and some of the scenes in it were not in sync with the larger theme of the book. The question was also raised about the punishment of adultery as stoning to death, as shown in the movie, without giving the accused chance to state and prove their case, a depiction which actually goes against the due legal procedure of Islam.
Former Ambassador and director of the Academy, T.C.A. Rangachari, Prof. Shri Prakash, Prof. Ajay Darshan Behera, Dr Mathew Joseph, Prof. Suresh Sharma, Dr Rahat Hasan, faculty members of AIS, some embassy representatives, teachers and a large number of students from different departments watched the film and participated in the discussion.
