“This is a noble project. I am not looking for personal publicity,” said Faruq Masudi. “I have had enough of that. This is a project that needs to be done. In fact a film based on the Holy Qur’an is a project, which is long overdue.”
Faruq Masudi, the famous television director, is on a mission. Not used to begging, he is nevertheless standing these days, hat in hand, searching for good Muslims willing to help him produce the film of his dreams. Masudi is working to garner funds to create a motion picture focused on the first 26 ayaat of the Qur’an’s 55th Surah, titled “Ar-Rahman” or “The Beneficent.”
“The Holy Qur’an is the fountainhead of Islam,” said Masudi. “While it is not possible to encompass all of it in one film, it is fruitful to make a beginning somewhere. In strict accordance with classical commentaries like Tafseer ibn Katheer, Tafseer Al Jalalain and other modern interpretations, the film would aim to illuminate these verses in visual form. In explaining the 26 ayaat, the interpretations would be supplemented with other ayaat from different Surahs of The Holy Book.”
Masudi emphasized that there would be no actors in the film. Events would not even be dramatized using fictitious characters. Human elements would be shown only as documentary evidence. The film is planned to address modern day issues such as ecology, the environment, the synergy of the universe and scientific advancements. It would portray the bounties that Allah has given to mankind in abundance.
According to Masudi’s script, the film would reach its climax with the world coming to its end. Live photography of actual events, happenings, nature, the cosmos and other phenomena would be fused with the most sophisticated three-dimensional computer graphics to illustrate the Message of the Qur’an. It would be necessary to shoot on location for much of the film, most likely in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Malaysia and the Indian Subcontinent.
“Surah 55 is known to many as the “Crown of the Qur’an,” said Masudi. “It is famous for its descriptions of nature and it is so poignant. I believe it would be possible to make one million films on the Qur’an. This is simply one consolidated Surah, which is ideal. While it is not representative of the entire Holy Book, the message of Surah 55 is of great interest to Muslims and non-Muslims alike in these difficult times.”
Can Masudi manage such an ambitious project? He does have the background to make it possible. After earning a Masters in English Literature, he enrolled in a three-year course in film direction at the Film and Television Institute of India. Graduating from the Institute in 1975, he spent the next few years working as Chief Assistant Director to some of the most famous film directors of India. He then moved to the film divisions of several international advertising agencies, eventually moving to the United Arab Emirates. In the UAE he found fertile ground for his talents as writer, director and producer.
In 1996, he formed Hoo Productions ([email protected]) with Sheikh Jamal ibn Humaid Al Qasimi to produce television and radio programs in the UAE. Since its inception, the company has produced nearly 1,000 episodes of shows for international television channels such as Zee, Sony, UTN and ARY Digital. Hoo Productions’ flagship weekly program, “Dastaan,” directed by Masudi, became a trendsetter on Indian television during its 5-year run on Zee TV. Some other famous programs directed by Masudi include Chattaan, Kasak, Tu Naseeb Hai Kisi Aur Ka and Kisi Mod Par, Kisi Raah Mein.
“The film I am proposing is not a reaction to the events of Sept. 11,” said Masudi. “I have been working on all the details of this project for a long time. The movie script is complete. We have investigated locations and there is great interest among some of the best technicians in the world to work on this film. Now we need funding.”
Because of the unusual nature of the project, Masudi has been unable to find backers through banks or financial institutions. The movie is to be produced using Arabic text with English voice over. Eventually it could be dubbed into all the major languages of the world. The film, which is scheduled to run 60 minutes, would have a production time of 12 months and a budget of about SR3 million.
“I know that people might be skeptical about this project. Unfortunately, these days there are many con men around collecting funds in the name of Islam. I am inviting interested investors to come and study my proposal. The entire script details are ready down to the final frame,” Masudi asserted. “It wouldn’t even be necessary for people to give me the funds. They could form their own company and have complete financial control on the movie. I am only interested in creating and directing the film. As I mentioned before, it is a project whose time is long overdue.”
Arab News Features 13 December 2002
