Meet Mohammad Saeed Harib (right) and Benjamin Monie (far right) – the two men behind the spectacular, indigenously fashioned and home-grown Arabian theatrical production – FREEJFOLKLORE. By Nargish Khambatta.
When you want to make a bold statement in print, you emphasise it by writing it in bold capital letters. FREEJFOLKLORE.
That simple advertising strategy was not just a gimmick to catch the eye. It made a gallant statement. And the theatrical production did full justice to that statement; it was a magnum opus – a first of its kind – the largest Arabian theatrical production indigenously fashioned and home-grown. And it all began one dreary afternoon in a lacklustre classroom in faraway Boston…
What started out as a classroom assignment in university, went on to become a national treasure, a business venture, a talisman for success and the platform for a meaningful friendship sans borders!
As a student at the Northeastern University in Boston, the only one among a 160 fellow Arabs to study animation, Mohammad Saeed Harib was given the task of coming up with a 'superhero' that the people of his country and culture would be able to relate to and would be able to identify with.
After much thought, Harib came up with the characters of Um Saeed, Um Allawi, Um Saloom and Um Khammas, four elderly Emirati women who live life tongue-in-cheek in a local neighbourhood, in an ever-changing socio-cultural scenario and take everything in their stride.
His teacher was "blown away" when he found that Harib had come up with women as superhero icons (in the broadest sense of the word) in an otherwise male-dominated society and lauded his imagination and spirit.
That was only the beginning. When he returned home, Harib made a beeline for Dubai Media City, and enjoyed working on high-profile projects like the Dubai International Film Festival. However, Harib was soon to realise that was not his calling in life.
He switched jobs but the images of the iconic Emirati grandmothers from his original six-page booklet were refusing to fade away into oblivion. His intuition was sending him signals that he had to set them free and give them an identity. He resigned, gathered his thoughts and instincts and decided to launch his own company – Lammtara Pictures which allowed him to give birth to his first 3D animation project FREEJ (which means 'neighbourhood' in Arabic).
Little did he know what was to follow when the animated sitcom was first aired in 2006 during Ramadan. The series was an instant success and the four characters were loved by old and young alike. It was a celebration of Arab culture and tradition and the viewers could not get enough of the new celebrities!
Mohammad Saeed Harib had arrived.
Commercial success was tremendous and the show spawned a host of merchandise (an eclectic 400 in all) and is a rage across the GCC.
The Arabic show was also made familiar to an English-speaking audience because the producers had taken up the challenge of providing appropriate English sub-titles. Along with the applause came the accolades and Harib was confident enough to dismiss the stereotypical superhero.
His characters, he believes, are a collage of personalities that we all can relate to. Among the many awards that Freej won, the Country Award at the Hamburg Animation two years ago is worth a special mention and is cherished by the team.
Perfect partners
All this would not have been possible had it not been for a chance meeting between two youngsters in Portugal.
Benjamin Monie, the co-founder and producer of JBM, and the executive producer of FREEJFOLKLORE was visiting the land of the Carnation Revolution, on a pleasure-cum-business trip. Harib had accompanied his father, who was part of an official boat-racing deputation. When the two of them were introduced by a common friend, they found instant common ground and what began as a casual meeting on the beach soon turned into a long-term partnership.
Monie and his brother Justin were already successful in England with the family-run business JBM thriving on projects that were technology driven, which included television shows and an interactive museum in France. They were looking at business prospects in the Middle East, especially Dubai, and this chance meeting with Harib was serendipitous in hindsight.
When Monie (everyone around refers to him as Ben) arrived in Dubai he called on Harib, who invited him to be a part of FREEJ and provide the technical solutions for the audio and visual aspects of the production. The rest, as they say, is history!
It is amazing how alike the thinking and ideology of these two young men is. While conversing with them, a sentence that is started by Monie is often finished by Harib. In mid conversation if Harib is interrupted by the ringing of the phone and excuses himself to take the call, Monie will effortlessly continue where his friend left off.
For both young men, their fathers are figures of inspiration and influence. "My father has always believed in what we do. He has always challenged us to break new ground and be successful. That is what drives me to excel even today," says Monie.
Harib's mother passed away when he was very young and it was his father who raised him and his four siblings. "He is more like an older brother than a father for us. He has told me never to limit my vision and to dream big. He was always there for us while we were growing up. He always made sure to take time out from his busy schedule to spend time with us and be there for all the important things in our lives,"
says Harib.
"Mohammad's dad comes for every show and sits proudly in the audience," says Monie.
Bringing it alive
Monie's and Harib's thoughts on the treatment that should be given to the Um characters too, are in tandem. They had a large research team comprising university students in Dubai and a team of 500 technicians and animators in Dubai and Mumbai who were at their disposal to bring every nuance of the characters alive.
Harib feels very passionately about his Emirati grannies. He muses that in the days of yore, the males got all the attention in this part of the world (and in many other parts of the world as well) and the sacrifice and contribution females made towards raising the family were often brushed aside.
Their sacrifices seem to have been lost on the younger generation. A large number of women worked very, very hard in those times.
They sold fish, accessories, raised children and looked after hearth and home. Not many were fortunate enough to be educated, but they all had a wisdom that came naturally from observing, with a keen sense of wonder, Nature unravel its mysteries.
They had a rich collection of folklore and sayings that were passed from one generation to another, but the oral history was getting lost or diluted somewhere along the way. The racy pace and lifestyle of today gives us no time to reflect. This feeling is universal and strikes a chord in almost every society. And FREEJ has captured that yearning and sense of belonging very well with its own brand of humour brought alive by the unique old ladies with masks, each of whom has distinctive character traits.
A resounding success
For three consecutive years, the show has been successful and laurels have been heaped on the team. What was the next logical sequel to it?
Monie and Harib could never have dreamt of having a children's play created around their favourite characters, as was suggested to them. They did their market surveys and progressed with their research.
In the meantime, the germ of an
idea was born.
Monie showed Harib Madonna's mashup performance with the Gorillaz, and they knew where they had to go from there.
Theatre!
Arabic theatre in the region had not yet come of age. The tools of the theatre were outdated. Many people had certain preconceived notions of what the show ought to be but Harib was determined to change all that when it was announced that they would be putting up a never-before-seen production; the first of its kind
in Arab theatre.
Dreaming big
FREEJFOLKLORE was formulated literally overnight. The team decided to cash in on the success of the Um characters and dream big! They would depict the basic features of Arabic culture and folklore, and exploit to the hilt techno-gizmo wizardry to enhance the extravagant optical illusions of the seven acts |they envisioned.
Never before has this unique blend been attempted – animation, 3D, live performances, film, virtual imagery, sound and light all together on a 40-metre stage.
The result turned out to be a world-class, state-of-the-art theatrical production that will be enjoyed by viewers for a long timeto come.
"The aim is to entertain," says Harib, when asked why they only skimmed the surface of Arabic culture. "We have a simple storyline in place, but obviously that is not the strong point of the show. The element of drama, dance, textures, hues, costumes are all part of the visual extravaganza that we want the audience to take home as an experience. Besides, some of the narrative gets lost in translation.
For example, in one scene where horses are brought in, Arabic poetry written by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is recited. Those who follow the language appreciate it very much; those who do not, only appreciate the performance of the steeds."
Passion for production
Monie, who speaks four international languages, has lived in Japan for 11 years, performed on stage at high school and university and has some members of his family who are Spanish. His multicultural background and exposure helped him visualise the scenes very well. He is very passionate about the whole production.
Asked why they chose to use the lowest common cultural denominator to represent a country (like for instance, Bollywood- style dancing and costumes during the scene on India) he says, "We wanted to display the iconic cultural element of a country that would effortlessly speak to the general public.
"People from most countries are familiar with Bollywood and will be able to identify with it. And by the way, the dancers were not Indian, but nobody could tell because we had hired an excellent choreographer who has choreographed for Indian films.
"We have put in a lot of hard work and researched all the sequences well. The Arabic influence in Spain is depicted by making the Andalusian Flamenco gradually morph into the Eastern dance sequence. The four ethereal creatures in the wispy cream costumes are meant to capture the essence of the genies and spirits associated with the cave sequence. The music heightens the mood and it reflects a kind of ritual of awakening. It is open to interpretation.
"I think [the fact that many people have interpreted it in different ways] captures the essence of what we have tried to do," says Harib, "and I am happy with the response that we have got. "I think this show is here to stay and we might even take it on a road show globally with a little tweaking.
It also needs to be a permanent feature in the UAE itself as a cultural performance which will be a 'must see' for first-time visitors who know nothing about our culture and traditions."
A successful entrepreneur
This ability to dream big and make his dreams a reality has made Harib a successful entrepreneur. He is modest about his achievements and strongly believes that there is no replacement for a fertile imagination coupled with hard work. He takes the awards he wins in his stride and does not allow them to make him giddy with success.
"I have a long way to go," he says.
Rated number 33 among the 100 most powerful Arabs in 2008 by a regional magazine, he feels he is doing his bit by spreading a significant message in a world rife with trouble.
He has a responsibility to his country, his family and his audience. His growth as a successful entrepreneur will perhaps be an inspiration to others of his generation and the youngsters, he feels. Only 30 years of age, he is already endowed with the wisdom of his heritage-wise animated Emirati grannies.
What prompted Harib to take
to animation in such a big way?
Was he always fascinated by it?
A sheepish smile betrays his youthful side and grows into a broad grin when he says in a matter-of-fact manner, "Oh, no! I actually enrolled for architecture, but failed miserably! The only part of architecture that I really enjoyed was the design element. I stumbled upon a course in animation in university and loved it, so I decided to do my studies in General Arts and Animation."
Why Lammtara?
Harib is the founder and managing director of Lammtara. There is a story behind choosing the name of his firm. Lammtara was a racing colt which belonged to the Godolphin stables. On a privileged visit to the stables, he saw Lammtara.
The horse, an excellent thoroughbred, was of small build and seemed unwell that day. Harib was crestfallen when he was told that the horse might not survive. But to his delight Lammtara recovered and four months later went on to win the Epsom Derby!
As Harib is small of build too and with a will to make it all the way to the top, he decided that his firm would be named after the spirited horse. On being asked what the Arabic word Lammtara meant, Harib translated 'You have not seen anything yet.'
(The next project for Harib is the FREEJ Dubailand that his company has launched. It is the first comprehensive Arabic theme park and is due to open in 2013.)
– Nargish Khambatta is a Dubai-based writer
