A lot has been discussed and written about Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai. Many articles, videos, journals have described her zeal to fight against the odds- each time inspiring people to fight for their basic rights. So does Davis Guggenheim’s documentary ‘He Named Me Malala’ offer any new insights? Yes and no.
Screened at the ongoing JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, the documentary feature, which the world is lauding for narrating the brave tale of Malala, opens with a animation clip and Malala narrating the story of Afghan teenager Malalai who inspired the Afghans to fight the British and how her name came about. The animation is descriptive, beautiful and engaging. Then next shot is of Malala sitting in her kitchen at her Birmingham residence and introducing her two brothers to the crew. It is a light-hearted conversation with her youngest brother chatting about how she protects him and slaps him at the same time. It’s a scene of a regular household with siblings bantering, pulling each other’s leg at the dining table while the parents are busy doing the chores in the background. It is also the side of Malala that the world doesn’t get to see that often- the image of a regular 16 year old (she turned 18 this year) struggling to finish her homework every night.
Juxtaposed with animations, old photos and videos of the Yousafzai’s family in Pakistan- ‘He Named Me Malala’ makes for an endearing watch. There are moments when you laugh along with the Yousafzai siblings, and then in some you are stunned by the harsh realities that exist in the Swat valley in Pakistan and how that one incident when Malala was shot on her head, shook the entire world.
Full of familial anecdotes, the entire Yousafzai family talks about their origin, why they felt the need to educate their daughter, the importance of being honest to oneself and how they yearn to go back to Pakistan- their home, even though the Taliban has threatened to kill Malala if she comes back.
The film was made a year before Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and showcases how her father- Ziauddin Yousafzai- a spirited teacher helped in shaping Malala’s character. The spirited young girl, though, at one point of time, does mention that she chose herself the life she is living now and that no one – not even her father forced it upon her. But the young girl also believes that she is blessed to have progressive parents, “I would have been married and had two children by now, if I didn’t not have extra ordinary parents,” says Malala in one scene.
Based on the book ‘I Am Malala’ – the film beautifully documents the young girl’s her life in Pakistan, and post the incident, her road to recovery in UK. At one point Malala says, “People think I am lucky as I meet Obama, Bono, rock stars- but they don’t realize I have to deal with homework and how scared I am of it.” The interviewer eggs her and says, “Rockstars don’t have homework,” and Malala agrees. Like any regular teenager, Malala is shy to talk about boyfriends and speaking to boys in general and giggles nervously at the mention of it. Such personal moments are infused with the shots of Malala addressing and speaking at various international platforms and TV shows.
If you have read the book, the film may not offer any thing new to you. If you haven’t, then the film opens a world that is tucked away somewhere in the background – a world where basic rights of education are deprived to its people. The film opens up an inspiring tale of a girl and her spirited father who have fought the odds to get their basic rights and who encourage thousands of children in other conflicting nations to take up the book. ‘He Named Me Malala’ makes you value your rights- something that we take for granted and that has come easy to us.
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