We are living under the dictatorship of mainstream. Be it media, political parties, trade unions, book stores, film studios, it is ‘mainstream’ that dictates. This dictatorship of mainstream is stifling, of course. But it becomes particularly encroaching when it imposes mediocrity-blended-with-idiocy as ’best-sellers’ and ’super-hits’. Based on Khaled Hosseini’s best seller, Marc Forster’s ’The Kite Runner’ is an example currently on offer. We are sold an old wine in a new bottle by the same brand: Hollywood. Instead of a Rambo-with-inflated-muscles reaching Kabul to rescue his friend, this time it is an Afghan-American who returns to Afghanistan recklessly destroyed by Afghans---whether infidel communists or confessional Taliban---and offers refuge in American arms as the panacea for all Afghan troubles that caught hold of Afghan society with the advent of Communists-led Saur revolution.

Prior to Communists rise to power, Kabul was an exotic city living at peace with itself. Kite flying was a popular pastime while dancing, wine and late night parties were part of the society life. Amir (Khalid Abdullah), son of his rich Baba (Humayoun Ershadi), is fond of writing short stories. Hassan, son of family servant Ali, is his best friend. Hassan, having Hazara parents, is Amir’s best friend. Always ready to offer his services for Amir. However, a gang of Pashtun boys in the same neighbourhood, led by Asef, does not like a Pashtun like Amir getting cosy with a Hazara boy. Hassan is even raped by this gang. As the Soviet troops reach Kabul, Baba along with Amir leaves for the USA en route Pakistan.

On their way to Pakistan, there is a Maupassant touch as the buss halts at a Russian check post. The Russian soldier asks, the way German soldier asks Maupassant’s Baule de Suif, an Afghan woman aboard the buss to spend half an hour with him. However, Afghans are not as shameless as French. Baba stands up for the honour of an Afghan woman and she is spared the Russian barbarity.

Amir, as he grows up, becomes a relatively successful writer. One day, a phone call from Peshawar (Pakistan) by his father’s friend Rahim Khan (Shaun Taub) makes him return to Peshawar. On reaching Peshawar, a town bordering Afghanistan where million of Afghans sought refuge during 1980s, he is told by Rahim that Hassan was his brother. Amir is shocked to find out that Ali was impotent whose wife divorced him and married another guy in Khost. But before she left Ali, she had borne Hassan to Baba. Rahim, responsible for taking care of Amir’s home in Kabul when they left, had handed the home over to Hassan. When Taliban came to power, Hassan and his wife were killed by Taliban for being Hazara. Hassan had a son who was sent to an orphanage in Kabul.

Our writer hero, decides to rescue his new-found nephew and reaches Kabul. To reach Kabul, he had to stick a big counterfeit beard for a Taliban-like get up. The cruel Taliban who planned September 11, were not able to detect this small James Bond-style flick all the way to Kabul. Well, never mind such details. On finding the orphanage where Amir’s nephew was supposed to be, he is appalled to find that this orphanage is being run by selling children for sex. A Taliban commander buys these kids for sex. The nephew had been sold for sex too. This commander could be met at Ghazi stadium where sinners were stoned after football matches.

Before reaching the stadium, Amir happens to visit his family home where trees have been mowed down. Well, who else but cruel Russians have cut down these trees too. Never mind the millions of trees, lining Jalalabad-Torkham Highway, planted by Russians. Many have survived thirty-years of war. But our hero, on his way from Peshawar to Kabul, was too occupied with other important questions to notice them as his jeep raced past these trees and farms.

As Amir reaches the stadium, a couple is brought forward and Taliban stone them while spectators, present in their thousands, chant Allah O Akbar. The Commander is guarded by Asef who recognises Amir despite his age and fake beard. In an ensuing encounter with Asef, Amir manages to escape with his nephew under a hail of bullets and reaches USA where a process of rehabilitation for the much-wronged nephew begins.

That it is a work of fiction, hence, one should not point out discrepancies such as entire Kabul on roof-tops to fly kites. As a matter of fact, people gather outside of Kabul for kite-flying since going atop one’s roof tantamount to violating neighbours’ privacy in pardah-conscious Afghan society. Hence, it may lead to a fight. Similarly, one should fast forward 1980s. Even better, do not mention 1980s at all. It may raise uncomfortable questions. Suffice to say communists were Bad Guys, pampered by Bad Guys from Russia, thus leading to now-a-days Bad Guys: Taliban. Here you have an exotic best seller, in turn, a super hit on its way to Oscar Academy. (ends)