Mah e Mir () is a 2016 Pakistani biographical romantic drama film directed by Anjum Shahzad, produced by Khurram Rana, Sahir Rasheed, Badar Ikram and written by Sarmad Sehbai. The film is based on the life of the famous 18th-century Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, played by Fahad Mustafa. The film also stars Iman Ali, Sanam Saeed, Alyy Khan and Manzar Sehbai in lead roles. It was the official submission by the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee as the country's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.
Mah-e-Mir is a story that follows the struggle of a contemporary poet and draws parallels with the events in Mir's life. The film was co-distributed by Hum Films and Eveready Pictures on 6 May 2016 nationwide.
Plot The film follows Ahmed Jamal (Fahad Mustafa), a contemporary poet and columnist who is struggling with creative stagnation and emotional turmoil. Living in modern-day Pakistan, his best friend is Siraj (Paras Masroor). When Siraj comes to pick him up, Jamal asks why he seems to be in such a hurry, to which Siraj replies that he has to attend a fashion show. When they arrive, a television nearby is broadcasting a program on Urdu literature that features a discussion on the psychoanalysis of the classical poet Mir Taqi Mir.
The program includes a guest scholar, Dr. Kareem (Manzar Sehbai). Curious and somewhat irritated by the discussion, Siraj calls the show but Jamal insists on speaking instead. During the call, Jamal criticizes on the constant obsession with long-dead eighteenth-century poets while modern-day poets struggle to be heard or recognized. His blunt remarks disrupt the programs, forcing the host to abruptly end the segment, after which Dr. Kareem leaves the studio.
Witnessing the commotion, another modern day poet Naina Kamal (Sanam Saeed) approaches Jamal with a mocking tone, claiming she is a fan of his work. She hands him a collection of her "anti-ghazals" and asks him to read them before walking away. Later, Jamal asks Karam Elahi, the tea boy, to bring them Kebabs. Karam refuses, explaining that Jamal's tabs are unpaid and that the owner will become angry. Despite this, Karam admires Jamal and is inspired by his poetry. When he goes to settle the bill for Jamal, the owner scolds him about the unpaid tabs, but Karam explains that he will pay the amount from his own salary.
When traveling on a bus, he sees a girl in a white dress and becomes infatuated by her beauty. He gets off to follow her but loses her quickly. Later on, when Jamal gets to work, he sees Naina talking to Siraj who explains that Naina is getting a front page interview and that Jamal will be the one interviewing her. Jamal explains that he's not the interviewing type and leaves. At a book store, we see Dr. Kareem shuffling through books before finding one that reminds him of his past relationship.
At a literature conference, Jamal is asked to give a speech on present-day literature. The conference is attended by Dr. Kareem, Naina, and several other contemporary poets and scholars. During his speech, Jamal mocks modern day literature and falsely claims that he is constantly booked and busy with writing. During the event, Jamal notices the same woman he had seen on the bus. Before leaving, she writes on a piece of paper and slips away. Jamal reads the note, and finds that it contains a single line of poetry by Mir Taqi Mir. When he tries to follow her, she leaves in a rickshaw. Shortly afterward, Jamal receives a text message from her that contains another line from Mir's poetry. When he calls the number, she does not answer and instead sends him another poetic line.
The next day, Jamal talks about the encounter and admits that he is drawn to women even when they are modestly dressed. He recalls that the woman on the bus was wearing a hijab, yet he noticed her feet and felt attracted to her. Siraj jokes about this, mentioning toe fetishism and how poets in the eighteenth century would write extensively about even the smallest glimpses of women. Their discussion is interrupted by Naina saying that she could not read his column today before walking away. Angered that his column was not published, Jamal visits the editor and asks why the fashion show was reported instead of his column. The editor explains that he had warned him several times before and that his column is now closed.
Jamal then contacts several newspapers looking for work but to no avail. While leaving a building, he runs into Naina again, who asks why he looks so distraught. Jamal explains that the column he wrote about her has now been closed. Naina seems flattered and asks him to have coffee with her, to which Jamal agrees. During their conversation, Naina talks about how her poems and reputation have won over people in the media. When Jamal asks how, Naina reveals that it was not the editor who stopped his column, but her. Hearing this, Jamal leaves in anger.
After 2 months of no work, his landlord demands rent but Jamal asks for time to pay and has his electricity cut off as well due to which he angrily destroys his furniture. Jamal then goes out for a walk and sees the same woman once again in a white dress, he follows her into a shrine and sees her face before losing her in the crowd again. At the same time, Dr. Kareem recites Mir's poetry in his room having bought the book, he has visions of his father scolding him off his love for poetry before leaving.
Jamal, now suffering from writer's block, sits in his room scribbling various notes before angrily tearing them apart. Siraj calls him and asks why he did not come to the café. Jamal explains that he is unable to leave his house and asks Siraj to come over instead, bringing alcohol with him. When Siraj arrives, he asks why the windows are closed and why the room is messy. Jamal explains that he is fed up with the ugliness of the city and wants to hide in his room. He then recites poetry he has written, inspired by the woman he keeps seeing. Siraj tells him that he has fallen in love which is why his poetic style has changed. Jamal replies that he has written many poems similar to this one. Siraj then reveals that this is the last day he will be meeting Jamal, as he is leaving for Dubai the next day and is getting married soon. Jamal, seemingly angered by the news, throws a fit and asks Siraj to leave before eventually passing out from exhaustion.
Sometime later, Jamal is visited by Dr. Kareem. He explains that he has not seen Jamal at the café lately and mentions that an international publisher is looking for rising poets and wants Jamal's poems to be featured. Jamal asks why he is interested in his work, noting that Dr. Kareem did not seem impressed during the literature conference. Dr. Kareem explains that Jamal's essay focused on riwayat (themes) rather than the classical tradition. He adds that riwayat is derived from the idea of the classical and that many twenty-first-century postmodern writers use playful language to explain their themes, while Mirza Ghalib used the term "Shauqiya Ijad". He then gives Jamal a book titled Intikhab-e-Mir. When Jamal questions why he is being given a book about eighteenth-century poets, Dr. Kareem explains that anyone who writes about love without understanding Mir is walking on dangerous territory. He then hands Jamal a check for his poems and leaves. Jamal later begins reading the book. As he reads, the film shifts into a historical sequence in which Jamal imagines himself as Mir Taqi Mir.
In this vision, Mir is shown reciting his poetry in the court of a nawab (Aly Khan), where members of the court and courtesans(tawaifs) listen to his verses in eighteenth century Lucknow. Consequently, the head courtesan is also the same woman that Jamal has fallen for. After hearing his verses at the court, the head courtesan invites Mir to visit her quarters. When Mir arrives, the two speak privately and express their affection for one another. Their moment is interrupted by one of the courtesan's attendants. The attendant informs her that Nawab Sahab has sent jewelry and has requested that she perform in his court. The courtesan accepts the request. She then tells Mir that they cannot be together, explaining that he cannot offer her the wealth and gifts expected of someone in her position. Mir responds that while he may not have riches, he can dedicate countless diwans of poetry to her beauty before taking his leave.
Jamal feels disconnected from his work and increasingly alienated from the world around him. He opens the windows in his room and sees the woman again feeding pigeons on her roof. They meet eyes before Jamal leaves. At a bus stop, Dr. Kareem meets Jamal and asks him to sit in his car. He then takes him to a bookstore, where they meet Kareem's former partner, Zohra (Huma Nawab). Zohra initially mistakes Jamal for Kareem's son before Kareem explains that he is a modern-day poet. Jamal leaves them shortly afterward.
Zohra tells Kareem that he had once given her a book that she has since lost. Since they are meeting again after thirty years, she asks if they could have coffee together, and Kareem agrees. He later takes her to his home and apologizes for the past. Zohra recalls that they had once planned to leave together, but when Kareem did not arrive at the airport, she choose another flight and went away, though she had waited for him. After some time, Zohra decides to leave. Kareem asks her to stay for another drink, but when he briefly steps away, she wanders through the house. Entering his room, she notices that her old photographs are still displayed there, which moves her and prompts her to leave. When she reaches her car, Kareem thanks her for Visiting and gives her a book wrapped in white paper. She assumes it is his newest publication and drives away. On the way, she opens it and realizes that it is the same book he had given her thirty years earlier, now signed by him and containing their favourite quote.
Jamal visits a publisher in hopes of getting his latest poems published. The publisher suggests that poetry does not sell well and advises him to instead write a detective novel or a book about famous personalities. Jamal refuses, explaining that he has no interest in writing such material. At the same time, the narrative shifts to Mir in the court of Nawab Sahab. The Nawab is distracted, playing with fishes in a pond while Mir recites his poetry. Mir's verses are repeatedly interrupted, and the Nawab remarks that he might pay attention if Mir recites a line that truly interests him. Meanwhile, Jamal continues insisting to the publisher that he cannot write about personalities or produce a novel simply for commercial success. In the court, Mir responds that every line of his poetry holds meaning for those capable of understanding it. The Nawab takes offense at the remark, prompting Mir to apologize and say that he will return another time. Back at the publisher's office, Jamal is interrupted by the arrival of Naina Kanwal. The publisher then asks Jamal to leave his manuscript so that the board members can review it before making a decision about publication.