An abstract essay on tyranny, the controversial Blood of Hussain is a fictional account of a military dictatorship and the revolutionary movement against it.

Written, Produced and Directed by Jamil Dehlavi

Director:Jamil Dehlavi
Writers:Rafiq Abdullah, Jamil Dehlavi

Cast
Salmaan Peerzada... Hussain Murtaza / Selim (as Salmaan Peer)
Kika Markham... Katherine
Durriya Kazi... Hussain's Wife
Kabuli Baba... Fakir
Mirza Ghazanfar Begg... General
Fauzia Zareen... General's Wife
Zil-e-Subhan... Peasant
Saqi... Akbar
Jamil Dehlavi... Zahid
Mubila... Prostitute
Khayyam Sarhadi... Policeman
Aliya Begam... Mother
Shoaib Hashmi... Man at dinner table
Samina Peerzada... General's Daughter (as Lisa)


Runtime: 112 min
Country: UK | Pakistan
Language: Urdu | English
Color: Color
Production Company: Dehlavi Films
Distributor: Cinegate Ltd.

AWARDS
Grand Prize - Taormina Film Festival
Gold Award - Houston Film Festival
Critic's Choice - London Film Festival

Official Selection:
Director's Fortnight - Cannes Film Festival
Adelaide
Cape Town
Chicago
Dublin
Durban
Ghent
Hong Kong
Johannesburg
Los Angeles
Montreal
Sydney
Thessaloniki
Valladolid

REVIEWS
'A bold universal statement embracing the embodiment of revolution and the imbalance of power. Dehlavi brings a modern interpretation of the parallel metaphor of the martyred Imam Hussain, who fought against the tyranny of Yazid, the most notorious despot in the history of Islam, and whose blood became a powerful weapon in the fight for freedom.'
The Natal Mercury

'A multi-talented filmmaker, he has created an extraordinary Arabian Nights documentary-fantasy which has few parallels in the cinema.'
The Sunday Times

'Dehlavi has a remarkable eye for the telling image.'
The Times

'One of the strongest film from the Third World... a powerful and imaginative plea for freedom.'
The Guardian

'I was affected by the film's sheer force and beauty. It's the story of romance and political intrigue, shot on breathtakingly beautiful Pakistani locations, with images that make politics into poetry.'
Chicago Sun-Times

'A skilled, fascinating movie.'
Los Angeles Times

'A well-made film, lush lensing, played with forthright ability.'
Variety, New York

'A very beautiful film.'
Le Monde, Paris

'A very dramatic film in which the heroic-mystical tradition of Islam relives with powerful symbolism and spectacular impetus. A rousing song of freedom for all oppressed people.'
II Messagero, Rome

An admirable work, both from an aesthetic and political viewpoint.
La Presse, Montreal

'An important film.'
El Pais, Madrid

'Galvanising cinema. What distinguishes it is not just its sophisticated blend of politics, drama and mythology, but also its shatteringly beautiful imagery.'
Asiaweek

'A masterpiece from Pakistan.'
Anoreymatinh, Athens


A gripping, moving film.'
South China Morning Post

A dramatic depiction of the life of Hussain, with allegorical references to the history of the Prophet Muhammad and his descendants. It is prophesied that Young Hussain will one day lead the impoverished masses to a better life. It is his brother, Hasan, however who gains in prominence and when the government is overthrown in a military coup, he tries to adapt.
More at IMDb.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080447/plotsummary



Trivia:
The film was banned by the late dictator General Zia-ul-Haque, after he seized power and became president of Pakistan in 1977, as the film portrays a fictional military coup in less than favorable light. The ban has not yet been lifted, and the director lives in exile to date...

Release Dates:
February 1981 (UK)
17 March 1983 (Hungary)