Cinema as a Bridge: Mudassar Aziz’s Vision of Indo-Pak and Sino-Indian Relations

The 2018 release of Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, a sequel, showcased Sonakshi Sinha, taking over from Diana Penty, which subtly reminded viewers of the shared humanity between people from different countries. Mudassar Aziz, in a past interview, shared his perspective on the film’s message. He expressed his contentment with Happy Bhag Jayegi’s promotion of peace with Pakistan, and his aim to create a comedy which didn’t cast any neighbor in a negative light. The film’s exploration of China was partly influenced by the perception of China’s potential threat to India. The director noted that few films had been made in China. Despite ambitions, the film couldn’t be entirely shot in China and the crew had to utilize Kuala Lumpur as a substitute. Aziz perceives cinema as a means of fostering peace. He highlighted the tendency of films to focus on conflict and demonization of Pakistan. He believes there is much more to these countries than war. He hopes audiences would embrace the humor of the China scenes in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, echoing the positive reception of the earlier film’s portrayal of Pakistan. The director hopes to shift the focus of cinema from themes of war to narratives of peace.