Banner: AB Infosoft & Jalsa Picture Pictures
Producers: Pawan Tiwari & Zaigham Imam
Director: Zaigham Imam
Star Cast: Neelima Azeem, Danish Hussain Bhavna Pani, Pawan Tiwari, Aditya Om, Master Saud Mansuri, Shimala Prasad, Gauri Shanker, Ishaan & Aditya Om
Music: Aman Pant
Raza (Danish Hussein) is heartbroken as his Sister Zahra (Neelima Azim) has still not forgiven him for forcing her to be the 4th wife of a Pakistani person and sent off too Pakistan to escape the wrath of the Hindu – Muslim riots. Years later she returns on a 3 months visa. Raza’s son Ali (Master Saud Mansuri) is studying in a Madrasa (a Muslim religious school imparting the teachings of Quran). But Ali’s Aunt Zahra wants him to study in a convent school and become a doctor. Then begins Raza’s conflict between the orthodox seminary education & convent education including his fellow neighbours.
Director Zaigham Imam has made a very poignant film Alif, which deals with the importance of modern education. The narrator of the film Alif is veteran actress Jaya Bachchan. But the film sounds a bit outdated as today’s modern Muslim family’s leanings is more towards convent education along side seminary education, but that is not being orthodox as it is equally important. The film’s tagline “Ladna Nahin Padna hai” is apt. Credit should also go to Pawan Tiwari for making a good film like Alif in lieu with Zaigham Imam.
Performance wise Neelima Azim as Zahra, Danish Hussain as Raza and Master Saud Mansuri are brilliant. While the rest of the actors like Aditya Om, Bhavna Pani, Pawan Tiwari, Shimala Prasad, Gauri Shanker & Ishaan too are good and help in carrying the film’s narration forward.
No doubt Alif is a good film but its prospects at the Box office turnstiles are bleak but may pick up with proper word of mouth publicity and more aggressive promotions. All said and done Alif is more of a festival circuit film where it will garner more critical apprecian and awards galore.
