A. Pre-Watching Activities
1. Critical Reading & Reflection
You’d want to engage with Ania Loomba’s and Hardt & Negri’s theories on empire to explore globalization beyond a simple center-margin dichotomy. Here’s a breakdown:
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Ania Loomba on the “New American Empire”: Loomba discusses how imperialism is no longer just territorial but operates through economic, cultural, and political dominance. The "New American Empire" refers to how the US, in the post-Cold War period, exercises power globally through soft power (media, culture) and hard power (military intervention, economic control).
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Hardt & Negri’s Empire: They discuss how globalization and empire no longer follow traditional imperialist lines (center-periphery). Instead, empire is a network of institutions that operates on a global scale, creating a new kind of sovereignty that transcends borders. This can be seen in the economic and corporate power structures that dominate the world.
How these theories illuminate The Reluctant Fundamentalist:
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Globalization Beyond Center-Margin: The novel and film explore the rise of corporate power (Underwood Samson, Wall Street) alongside personal and national identity struggles. The narrative becomes not just about East vs. West but about the global interconnectivity that creates new spaces of hybridity (where identities aren’t fully formed by one region).
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Empire: The "New American Empire" and the kind of economic domination highlighted by Hardt & Negri would help us understand how the protagonist Changez's journey is not just about religious or cultural difference but also about resisting corporate exploitation. Changez’s disenchantment with the American Dream is a critique of the neoliberal capitalist empire. To get information about Task Click Here
2. Contextual Research
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Mohsin Hamid’s background and timeline of the novel: Hamid wrote The Reluctant Fundamentalist initially before the 9/11 attacks. The events of 9/11 radically shifted the novel’s tone and narrative, making Changez’s identity as a global citizen even more fractured. The novel, originally about the disillusionment of a young Pakistani professional, took on new resonance post-9/11 when the global political landscape changed drastically.
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Significance of writing before vs. after 9/11:The shift from pre-9/11 to post-9/11 in the novel reflects a transition from idealism and globalism to disillusionment and marginalization. Changez’s internal transformation mirrors the geopolitical shifts post-9/11, especially in terms of Muslim identity in the West. This transformation—from success in America to suspicion of everything Western—reveals how identity is shaped by external forces like the War on Terror, media portrayal, and foreign policy.
B. While-Watching Activities
1. Character Conflicts & Themes
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Father/son or generational split: In the film, Changez’s relationship with his father symbolizes the tension between the rooted, cultural values of the East and the modern, globalized values of the West. The clash between corporate modernity (in the world of Underwood Samson) and poetic-rooted values (perhaps represented by his father’s ideals) is crucial. Watch for how the film presents this tension visually—perhaps through symbolic imagery like contrasting settings (the bustling corporate world of New York vs. quieter, traditional Lahore). Another subtle but significant moment of conflict between Changez and his father surfaces during his sister Bina’s marriage. This event highlights the clash of values not only in terms of East vs. West but also between traditional familial expectations and Changez’s increasingly individualistic, Western-influenced worldview.
Visual and Emotional Contrast: While earlier scenes show them physically close, sharing vulnerable moments, this revelation exposes the emotional and ideological distance between them. The visuals may portray Changez isolated in a crowd, or show his shocked expression against the backdrop of Erica’s "art," emphasizing his sense of displacement and betrayal.
Symbol of Broader Themes: This incident is not just about a failed relationship; it symbolizes the broader Western gaze that views the "Other" as exotic, useful, or threatening—but rarely as equal. Changez's heartbreak becomes a metaphor for the post-9/11 climate, where people from the East are often stereotyped, romanticized, or feared.
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Changez and Erica (the American photographer): A deeply pivotal moment in the film occurs when Changez attends Erica’s art show or reading, where she presents a work that chillingly refers to their relationship with the line: “I had a Pakistani.” This moment shatters whatever emotional connection he believed they had and exposes the uncomfortable power dynamic and objectification at play.
For Changez, this is more than a personal betrayal—it’s a moment of profound alienation and dehumanization. Erica, whom he had grown emotionally attached to, doesn’t present him as a person with depth and identity, but as a symbol, a token of exoticism or an emotional placeholder for her lost fiancé. The phrase "I had a Pakistani" reduces him to an ethnic experience, reinforcing the idea that—even in intimacy—he was never truly seen or understood for who he is.
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Profit vs. knowledge/book: Look for moments when corporate America (symbolized by Underwood Samson) comes into conflict with cultural or literary knowledge. For example, scenes in Istanbul, where Changez is confronted with the commodification of culture, are metaphors for the tension between economic values and intellectual or artistic worth. The film’s visual language could contrast the sterile, profit-driven world of Wall Street with the rich, historically layered spaces of the East.
2. Title Significance & Dual Fundamentalism
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The title The Reluctant Fundamentalist reflects the film’s nuanced exploration of multiple forms of fundamentalism. Changez’s reluctance is not limited to religious extremism; it also extends to the extremism of the corporate world. The film draws parallels between these two rigid systems—religious and capitalist—highlighting how both demand total commitment, often at the cost of personal identity and moral integrity. Visually, this duality may be emphasized through contrasting settings, such as the cold, impersonal corporate boardrooms of Underwood Samson and the tense, paranoid atmosphere of the post-9/11 political climate.
Changez’s inner conflict—his reluctance—lies in his inability to fully align with either side. He rejects both the profit-driven logic of corporate capitalism and the violence of ideological extremism. This ambivalence is especially evident in his interactions with the American journalist in the café. His calm, measured tone and emotional restraint signal a man caught between worlds, struggling to define his identity in a global context that demands clear-cut allegiances. These scenes reflect how Changez navigates spaces of ideological tension, ultimately questioning the very idea of what it means to be a “fundamentalist.”
3. Empire Narratives
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Post-9/11 paranoia and mistrust: The film powerfully captures the atmosphere of post-9/11 suspicion, especially toward individuals perceived as "Other." Visual cues—such as surveillance cameras, tight framing, physical barriers, and imposing high-rise buildings—are used to create a sense of alienation, entrapment, and constant scrutiny. The café where Changez shares his story becomes a symbolic space of tension and uncertainty, where the viewer is left questioning: Is Changez a victim, a threat, or something more complex? This ambiguity mirrors the West’s broader mistrust and its quick categorization of individuals based on appearance or origin.
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Spaces of ambiguity: The film blurs the lines between East and West, safety and threat, power and vulnerability. Changez’s journey—from his success in the U.S. to his return to Pakistan—illustrates how borders (both literal and psychological) are constantly crossed. These ambiguous spaces—whether they are geographic (New York vs. Lahore) or emotional (loyalty vs. disillusionment)—reflect the porous and unstable nature of the geopolitical landscape. The film uses these moments to show how power and resistance circulate within the structures of modern empire, often making clear moral choices impossible.
C. Post-Watching Activities
1. Discussion Prompts
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Space for reconciliation between East and West: The film appears to leave space for dialogue and mutual understanding between the East and the West, particularly through the structure of Changez’s conversation with the American journalist. However, it also subtly reinforces cultural stereotypes and binaries, especially in its depiction of suspicion, loyalty, and ideological conflict. The ending, depending on interpretation, can be seen either as a hopeful call for empathy and reconciliation, or as a confirmation of deep-rooted divides between cultures. This ambiguity invites the viewer to question whether true understanding is possible or merely idealistic.
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Adapting dramatic monologue: One of the key challenges in adapting Mohsin Hamid’s novel lies in translating Changez’s internal monologue—a key feature of the book—into visual and cinematic language. The film attempts this through the use of close-ups, controlled framing, flashbacks, and carefully structured dialogue, especially in the scenes within the café. These techniques are meant to mirror the introspective and ambiguous tone of the novel. Whether the film fully captures the depth and nuance of Change's inner conflict remains an open question and is worth analysing in terms of cinematic success.
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Changez a figure of resistance, a victim of Empire both, or neither ?: This is a complex and layered question. Changez can be seen as a figure of resistance—he rejects the values of corporate America and becomes a voice for cultural and ideological independence. At the same time, he is undeniably a victim of empire, targeted and marginalized as a Pakistani Muslim in post-9/11 America. Yet, his journey is not one of simple victimhood or heroism. His choices, transformations, and ideological shifts resist easy categorization. Arguably, Changez represents both resistance and victimhood, but also transcends these labels—making him a symbol of ambiguity, caught in the crossfire of conflicting global ideologies.
2. Short Analytical Essay
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Mira Nair’s film adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist offers a powerful meditation on the crisis of identity in the post-9/11 world, where notions of selfhood, loyalty, and power are shaped by global imperial forces. Drawing on postcolonial concepts such as hybridity, third space, orientalism, and re-orientalism, the film transforms Hamid’s introspective novel into a cinematic narrative that grapples with the complexities of cultural belonging and resistance. Through visual and narrative strategies, the film portrays Changez as a hybrid figure, caught between conflicting worlds—both admired and feared, both insider and outsider—whose story highlights the instability of identity in an age marked by paranoia, empire, and ideological fundamentalism.
Hybridity and Identity in The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Postcolonial Lens
Mira Nair’s film adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist explores how identity, power, and resistance are shaped in a post-9/11 world. Using ideas from postcolonial theory—like hybridity, orientalism, and re-orientalism—the film shows how difficult it is to belong to two cultures at once. Through both storytelling and visuals, it presents Changez as a complex character who doesn’t fully fit into either the East or the West, and who struggles to find his place in a world full of suspicion and power imbalance.
Caught Between Two Worlds: Hybridity
Postcolonial theorist Homi Bhabha introduced the idea of hybridity to describe people who live between two cultures. Changez is one of these people. He goes to Princeton, gets a top job at a U.S. company, and seems to achieve the “American Dream.” But at the same time, he never stops being Pakistani. The film shows this through visuals: the cold, sharp offices in New York are very different from the colorful, crowded streets of Lahore.
Changez often appears in in-between spaces—airports, hotels, and city streets—showing that he is never fully at home in either place. The novel gives us direct access to his thoughts, but the film uses things like close-up shots, flashbacks, and dialogue to express his inner conflict.
Orientalism and the Suspicious Gaze
After 9/11, Changez’s identity is no longer seen as successful or interesting—it becomes suspicious. Edward Said’s idea of orientalism helps explain this: the West often sees the East as strange, dangerous, or backward. In the film, this is clear when Changez is treated as a threat at airport security. The camera shows him surrounded by white walls and security officers, making him look isolated and powerless.
Scenes like this reflect how people from the East were stereotyped and feared after 9/11. Even though Changez hasn’t changed, the way people see him has.
Re-Orientalism and the Relationship with Erica
Another layer of postcolonial theory—re-orientalism, discussed by scholars like Lisa Lau and Ana Mendes—explains how people from the East can also be turned into symbols or “exotic” characters by the West. This happens in Changez’s relationship with Erica, an American artist. While Changez feels deeply connected to her, she seems to use him as a way to deal with the death of her ex-boyfriend.
This is made clear when Erica presents a piece of art titled “I had a Pakistani.” Instead of seeing Changez as a person, she presents him as an object—someone to be used for emotional or artistic reasons. The film uses this moment to show how even love can be shaped by unequal power and cultural misunderstanding.
Resistance and the Third Space
Changez eventually leaves his corporate job and returns to Lahore, where he becomes a university professor. He begins to speak out against American foreign policy—not with violence, but through intellectual resistance. His long conversation with the American journalist Bobby Lincoln takes place in a café, a neutral space that represents what theorist Bhabha calls the third space—a place where cultures mix, and new ideas can form.
Throughout their conversation, the film keeps the viewer unsure: Is Changez a threat? A teacher? A victim? This ambiguity is key. The film doesn’t give simple answers. Instead, it shows that identity in a globalized world is messy and complex.
3. Reflective Journal
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Your positionality: Watching The Reluctant Fundamentalist challenged my assumptions about identity, power, and how people from the East are represented in a post-9/11 world. As someone outside the experience of being viewed with suspicion or exoticized, I realized how easily certain stereotypes are accepted—especially when reinforced by media or politics.
The film made identity feel more complex and personal, showing how people like Changez are caught between cultures, judged by both sides, and often misunderstood. His story pushed me to think beyond simple labels like “victim” or “threat,” and instead see the nuanced, hybrid identities shaped by global power structures.
Overall, the film deepened my awareness of how postcolonial subjects navigate not just who they are, but how they are seen—and how important it is to approach those stories with empathy and critical reflection.
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