According to Jemima Goldsmith, she misses Pakistan most for its hospitality, Gulab Jamuns, and truck art.
“What struck me were the trucks,” said the ex-wife of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister in an interview with the Express Tribune. The British producer, who recently debuted in the romantic comedy genre with ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It,’ previously worked on documentaries about topics such as the use of drones in warfare and women and children in Pakistan and other countries.
“When I came out, I thought there was a festival going on,” Ms Goldsmith recalled. “I couldn’t believe that every single lorry would be painted so exquisitely!” ‘Where is the festival?’ I kept asking. Is there going to be a carnival? ‘What exactly is going on?’ And I recall people laughing at me.”
It’s worth noting that Jemima and Imran Khan first met in a London club in 1995. They married the following year, with Jemima converting to Islam and moving to Lahore with husband Imran. Jemima and Imran had two sons, Sulaiman Isa (born in 1996) and Kasim (born 1999).
On June 22, 2004, it was announced that the couple had divorced ending the nine-year marriage because it was ‘difficult for Jemima to adapt to the political life of Imran Khan in Pakistan’.
Jemima recollects being told about how this is what a traditional public vehicle looks like in Pakistan. “Every single bus, van and truck is painted like this with pride. Then I became a bit obsessed with truck art. Being so very surprised with the art was one thing still etched in my mind about Pakistan.”
Jemima says that among the numerous aspects of Pakistani culture she wanted to include in her movie was truck art.
“We were shooting during Covid, and I wanted a truck art rickshaw in one of the scenes,” she said, adding how it became quite a challenge. “I was desperately calling anyone I could think of, I was putting out messages on Twitter if anyone has it, we called Pakistani restaurants, thinking maybe we’d find one there. Well, luckily, we did find it. But it was a task.”
Besides the truck art, Jemima said that “Gulab Jamuns and the hospitality” are the two things she terribly missed about Pakistan.