Gul Makai Movie Review: Malala Yousafzai's Biopic Is The Making Of A Powerful Force
Gul Makai tells the story of Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. The film shows the life and struggle that led to the life-threatening moment she was attacked.
Story:
Gul
Makai
tells
the
story
of
Pakistani
Nobel
Peace
Prize
winner
Malala
Yousafzai.
The
film
shows
the
life
and
struggle
that
led
to
the
life-threatening
moment
she
was
attacked.
Directed
by
Amjad
Khan,
it
also
makes
an
effort
to
share
the
heartbreaking
conditions
of
the
people
in
Swat
Valley
between
the
years
2007-12.
Review:
In
making
since
2012,
when
Malala
Yousafzai
was
attacked
by
a
masked
gunman,
the
biopic
Gul
Makai
is
a
little
late
to
the
theatres.
In
time,
where
makers
have
figured
out
a
formula
for
biopics,
Gul
Makai
finds
it
harder
to
set
a
tone.
With
a
capable
cast,
we
get
a
story
that
is
worth
listening.
The
film
starts
at
the
end,
as
the
scenes
takes
us
to
the
event
which
was
largely
covered
by
media
all
over
the
world.
We
see
a
man
walking
towards
the
Kushal
School's
bus,
climbs
in
and
asks,
'Who
is
Malala?',
within
seconds
the
screen
blacks
out
and
we
hear
several
gunshots
being
fired.
The
film
then
takes
us
back
to
2007
when
the
Taliban
first
started
taking
control
over
regions
of
North-Western
Pakistan.
The
militants
took
over
little
villages
one
by
one,
and
within
a
few
months
managed
to
take
over
the
entire
Swat
valley,
to
make
it
their
operation
base.
We
also
get
to
see
several
other
aspects
of
the
terrorist
attacks.
The
film
is
from
the
viewpoint
of
someone
living
in
the
Swat
Valley,
instead
of
just
Malala.
We
see
one
journalist
trying
to
cover
the
real
truth,
Pakistani
army
trying
to
exterminate
the
terrorist
groups,
politicians
and
government
trying
to
cover
up
the
extent
of
threat,
and
the
people
who
are
actually
suffering
as
Taliban
takes
over
their
land,
and
their
lives.
The
focus
of
the
film
isn't
just
Malala's
story
but
the
situation
around
her
that
inspired
her
to
speak
up.
Malala
knew
nothing
about
the
world
outside
of
her
school,
she
was
happy
with
her
family
and
the
books
that
she
couldn't
part
from.
But
her
world
changed
when
the
Taliban
forced
a
ban
on
Girls
education.
As
a
well-read
child,
Malala
knew
of
her
rights
and
believed
in
pursuing
them
for
all
the
other
girls
in
Swat
valley,
who
were
also
deprived
of
their
fundamental
right
to
education.
In
several
scenes,
Malala
takes
the
stand
publicly
without
fear
of
militants
who
are
ready
to
gun
down
anyone
who
opposes
them.
She
was
also
known
to
have
blogged
about
her
life
in
Swat
Valley
under
the
rule
of
Taliban,
with
a
pseudo
name,
Gul
Makai,
for
BBC
Urdu.
Director
Amjad
Khan
had
good
intentions
of
bringing
the
story
to
life,
but
despite
being
in
post-production
for
years
and
edited
by
national
award-winning
editor,
Praveen
Angre,
Gul
Makai
is
incapable
of
bringing
out
the
best.
Throughout
the
film,
we
see
the
story
through
a
timeline,
starting
in
2007
and
rushing
towards
the
end
in
2012.
Malala's
father
Ziauddin
Yousafzai,
played
by
Atul
Kulkarni
deserved
the
credit
for
driving
the
story.
Atul
plays
the
role
of
a
father,
an
activist,
as
well
as
a
politician
to
his
best
effort.
However,
his
performance
is
brought
down
by
a
slow-paced
screenplay,
wordy
dialogues
and
hard
to
follow
sub-plot.
The
entire
cast,
in
the
film,
can
be
seen
speaking
in
Urdu,
which
helps
with
the
look
and
feel
of
the
story.
It
also
helps
you
feel
closer
to
the
characters,
including
Malala's
mother
played
by
Divya
Dutta.
The
film
eventually
turns
into
a
potboiler
as
the
story
often
diverts
to
chasing
the
terrorist
group
and
their
agenda.
If
focused
on
Malala's
story
it
would
have
created
a
stronger
impact.
During
the
end
credits,
the
film
showcases
a
speech
given
by
the
real
Malala
during
her
visit
to
the
UN
later
in
life.
The
speech
truly
shows
her
burning
desire
for
change
and
drives
the
film
towards
the
end.
Overall,
Gul
Makai
is
also
a
war
film
that
gives
a
bit
of
an
insight
into
what
truly
happened
in
Swat
Valley
between
the
years
2007
to
2012.