
Ikkis
2026

1998
Director
Jamil Dehlavi
Runtime
110 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
Biography of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of modern Pakistan is told through flashbacks as his soul tries to find eternal rest. The flashbacks start in 1947 as Jinnah pleads for a separate nation for the Muslim regime, infuriating Lord Mountbatten. Mountbatten then tries to enlist Gandhi & Nehru to persuade Jinnah to stop his efforts. Gandhi sides with Jinnah, which upsets Nehru. However, Jinnah turns down the offer to become prime minister and the film takes another slide back to 1916, which reveals all of the political implications that have occurred.
Overall Score
Good
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film focuses strictly on the historical and political trajectory of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. There is no discernible presence of queer subtext or non-cisnormative identities within the character arcs.
Gender Representation
The narrative prioritizes masculine-coded spheres of statecraft and political maneuvering. While Rattanbai Jinnah offers a window into private tensions, her agency is often framed through her relationship to Jinnah.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The film excels by centering South Asian identities and disrupting the Western-centric gaze. It provides high agency to characters of color by making the South Asian political experience the central driver.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
This work functions as a profound post-colonial critique of Western imperial institutions. It frames the struggle for sovereignty through the lens of religious identity and the complexities of decolonization.
Disability Representation
There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities that serve as central narrative elements in this historical drama.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Jinnah (1998) is a significant piece of post-colonial cinema that successfully disrupts the conventional Western-centric gaze often found in British Raj epics. By centering the South Asian political experience, the film provides high agency to its non-Anglo-Saxon characters. However, the film remains tethered to the traditional gender hierarchies of its era. The narrative architecture favors male-dominated political spheres, often framing female characters through their connections to prominent men. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its rigorous critique of Western hegemony. It replaces the 'civilizing mission' trope with a nuanced study of identity politics and the systemic complexities of nation-building.
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.