Balochistan is a region where filmmaking is not much appreciated owing to its low monetary outcomes and “unstable future”. Growing up in a region as Balochistan, one will not normally adopt to a culture of filmography for the mentioned cause. Though there are several topics the camera could record to play its gigantic role in the (Baloch) resistance, it has, only in the very recent years, observed a very tiny touch to record the beauty and pain at the same time to contribute its actual role in the ongoing Baloch crises.
Nurturing in a region as ours, and making a name for oneself is as tough as changing a people’s psyche: following the footsteps of his guiders in filmography, Mehrab Khalid is an emerging name in the Baloch world of movie-makers, with the camera and direction simultaneously.
Mehrab Khalid is a young Baloch filmmaker from Turbat, Balochistan. Braking taboos in a society as ours, he has, in a very short span of time, grown as a source of inspiration for other youth in the industry. In fact, his directed and recorded videos, specifically the single-video-songs and movies, are deemed few among the best works in the field. His works are enough to justify their essence in the present Baloch filmography.
A student at National College of Arts (NCA) in the department of Filmmaking, Mehrab began his journey in the filming field practically during the very famous “Balochistan Hotel” movie of Dr. Hanif Shareef in 2010. He also performed in school theatres and dramas, including his acting role in Wahab Baloch’s song “Mah ey Tabaan Maro” in 2020. The events helped him gain his momentum in the field in the preceding years. Later on, he met with other leading figures in the Baloch filmography including Kamalan Bebagr, who inspired him towards the field. “After my entry through acting, I got to meet Kamalan who inspired me to make films,” he narrates.
The best part in his story is that his people feel happier than he himself on his achievements. “When I secured my admissions at NCA, those who knew were happier than I could actually behave like,” he tells me. It is, undoubtedly, because of his honesty he shows towards his works.
His contributions include several songs including Gulzameen, Mehr, Oshkin Pann, Laado, Daanku and a documentary film titled as “The Red Circle” on thalassemia children in Turbat. He usually captures his land on his camera and selects locations which not only match the song, but also render him an opportunity to show his land. “The best things about shooting in Balochistan is its landscapes that make any film, documentary or a music video to look amazing to people living not only here but around the world,” he says.
“Only a Baloch filmmaker knows how the light from the top of the mountains reflects the lenses of camera,” he remarks, defining how hard and yet very joyous it is to record his mountains. There are so many other such places which have yet not been documented. While recalling his time with (late) Nako Kamanchar, he states that Nako usually captured several Baloch areas with his smartphone, instead of using camera. “When I asked him the reason, he said he feared his camera would be broken by forces if they found it,” he said, narrating the security situations while recording Balochistan’s undiscovered (by camera) regions. But the mountains, he affirms, are the real essence of the videos they record, for which it becomes important to shoot out there. Taking his motivation from Nako, Mehrab puts all his efforts in recording the landscapes of Balochistan, including the mountains in whatsoever means available.
Apart from Kamanchar, Mehrab has driven his inspiration of recording Balochistan from his earlier guider, Kamalan Bebagr. It was, he tells, his (Kamalan’s) guidance which led him towards thinking, or let’s say becoming, a director. It was he, and Kamanchar, telling him the essence of Baloch land which touches not only the sentiments but psyche of the people: it would eventually result in more than one-can-thought love back from the people. “Though we do not get enough money, but it is the love of our people that we give our best to provide our services to,” he says, adding that their motivation is the encouragement that they get from Baloch nation pushing them to contribute to the Baloch culture and history, by recording in their camera the scenario of their own land.
Mehrab’s commitment and dedication cannot be challenged. What is more flexible in Mehrab is his adoptive behavior. Each time he is assigned a task, he gives his 100 percent. Owing to his efforts, his works are largely appreciated, and yet he continues to say, “Each time I turn to the next project, I feel I could have done better in the last project.” He never fills the space for change and improvement, making him excel in his work with each project. “Yes, I am happy, but not satisfied.”
While speaking on his vision, he says his dreams include making films and documentaries on historical events of Balochistan. He sees himself thoroughly connected with his land and his people – a reason for his success in the Baloch film industry, irrespective of his tireless efforts. He is of the view that he is an ordinary, simple Baloch filmmaker who tries to dig out his Balochistan. Anything he would ever think to generate would be something for the people and within the people on their own land. His best work, he affirms, would only come out from the Baloch land. “It would be a dream come true if I ever succeed in doing so,” he says.
Everywhere he goes, he is largely welcomed by the people. In each project, what he simply requires is a selection of location. “I have always found my people at my back,” Mehrab says, pointing out to the people’s response on practical ground and moral support. “As I said earlier, people have always morally showed more than enough love to me after each project I directed.”
As a profession, arts has always been ignored and degraded in our society. It has ultimately resulted in tensions for receiving the required actors as per scripts (as a director), but with each passing phase, things are changing, Mehrab says. “People are appreciating and loving arts resulting in a shift in people’s mind to joining the industry,” he says, adding that all the Baloch (artists) need is love and attention. “If we succeed in creating an atmosphere of respect and focus on films where we create serious and need-of-hour scripts, it will be easier to promote our movie industry and find best of our artists at work.”
Mehrab, at such a young age, has been appreciated and liked by several other personalities of the Baloch for his skills too. “Whether it is Thaheer’s music videos or our films, they would have never been completed without Mehrab Khalid. There are very less characters like him in our community, and even lesser in the film industry,” says Baloch director and actor, Zahoor Fazal Baloch. Kamalan admires him too for his works. Same goes with Obaid GM and Azam Baloch of Thaheer who appreciate and work with Mehrab for his excellence.
Mehrab Khalid is one among the emerging and shining names in Balochistan’s filmmaking field. He focuses on his land, which connects the indigenous people with their history, culture and psyche.
