Jemima Goldsmith’s debut film *What’s Love Got To Do With It?* has garneredrave reviews in the UK. Starring Shahzad Latif, Emma Thompson, Lily James,Sajal Aly, and Shabana Azmi, the film explores the practice of arrangedmarriages in South Asian households.
In a recent Zoom interview, Jemima explained how the movie’s spirit isencapsulated in its music. The wedding song, “Mahi Sona,” is sung by therenowned Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, whom Jemima admires greatly. Khan alsoappears in the film as himself.
The song was produced by Naughty Boy, a British Pakistani musician, andNitin Soni, a British Indian composer. The goal, according to Jemima, wasto unite artists from all over the world, as reflected in the diverse castof the movie. “For me, the blend and collaboration of these talents werethe film’s beauty,” she added.
One of the movie’s highlights, Jemima revealed, was bringing Rahat into themix. However, this was not her first encounter with the “O Re Piya”crooner. Rahat had previously performed with his uncle, the legendaryNusrat Fateh Ali Khan, at Jemima’s Valima with her ex-husband, Imran Khan,years ago. “I had also been on tour with Nusrat and Rahat many times forShaukat Khanum fundraisers. We had travelled to the US for the same,”Jemima recalled.
Jemima shared that during these tours, she developed a deeper understandingof qawwali and developed a love for classical music. She added that havingAbida Parveen onboard was a great help. Working with these incredibletalents on the film was a special experience for her, and having everyonewho worked on the movie in one place was a privilege.
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The film was shot during the height of the Covid pandemic, and Jemimaemphasized how crucial it was to take precautions during the shooting. Witha large set, ensuring everyone’s safety was her top priority. “Everyone hadto be very disciplined.
It was an incredible atmosphere when we were all working together,” Jemimarecalled. She went on to discuss the experience of collaborating withIndian and Pakistani artists on a single project. “There was amazingcamaraderie and solidarity. Everyone got along so well.”
