by Subhash K Jha

Is the cultural iron curtain finally lifting off Pakistan? How else do we explain the screening of Jahnu Barua's elegiac every Indian, very patriotic Maine Gandhi Ka Nahin Mara at the Karachi Film Festival which is on at the moment?

"I've no clue how it was selected. But I agree it's one step ahead for the cultural glasnost between the two countries. Imagine a Gandhian film being screened in Pakistan!" raved Anupam before boarding his flight to Karachi.

Incidentally Anupam's wife Kirron made quite an impact in Pakistan with Khamosh Pani. "Yes," concedes Anupam. "But that was a Pakistani film. Maine Gandhi... is a totally Indian film."

Director Barua was not able to accompany producer Anupam . But he hopes the film can be publicly screened in Pakistan.

"Films like Black, Maine Gandhi... and Page 3 don't belong to India alone. They've a universal message about the quality of human life and must be seen across the border," says Anupam.