130 african appropriations
which is not uncommon for Hausa videos, and leaves the question of rec-
onci l iat ion open-ended for pa r t t wo. I n t h is second pa r t, Khusufi diverges
from Ta a l. W hile the Indian movie tracks Mansi’s career and introduces a
second suitor (her manager), the Hausa video is keen on castigating those
who have done wrong and thus keeps to a Kany wood narrative conven-
tion. Khalid’s father loses all his money and even has to sell his house, to
Hajjo’s father, who allows him to remain there. In this way, Kahlid’s father
is taught the value of friendship. In keeping with the presence of a certain
measure of misogyny in many Kanywood films, Khalid’s stepmother is
portrayed as the root of all evil. On learning that her husband is about
to run out of money, she steals a large sum of cash from him. However,
the friend whom she entrusts with the money betrays her. She ends up
divorced and empty-handed—unlike Khalid’s father, who is lucky enough
to regain part of his wealth. In the end, all obstacles to the union of Khalid
and Hajjo are smoothed out, and they finally wed.
Ta a l contains a self-reflexive, critical metanarrative on the production
practices of the Indian music industry, which is closely linked to Bolly-
wood filmmaking. Inspired by the possibility of film reflecting upon its
own conditions of production, A li Nuhu seized this opportunity and used
Khusufi to address the critical issue of female careers in Kany wood. Al-
though the Cinderella-like career that depicts a village girl becoming a
famous studio singer is unlikely, many young female video film fans were
willing to try their luck in Kany wood. In 2003, there were many rumors
about runaway girls who joined “the industry” without their parents’
consent. The case of the fictitious Hajjo is different. She is encouraged
by Khalid to chance her luck as a playback studio singer. Though at first
reluctant, her father eventually agrees to take her to the city. A scene in
the film shows the studio owner, who agrees to sign Hajjo only after her
father has given his written consent. By emphasizing that unmarried girls
can only embark on a Kany wood career with parental consent, Ali Nuhu
uses his movie to dispel the myth of Kany wood as a safe haven for run-
away girls. The few shots of Hajjo in the recording cabin serve not only as
diegetic intro to the film’s most spectacular song-and-dance sequence but
also provide glimpses behind the scenes of filmmaking.
For the critics of Hausa videos, Khusufi was just another Kany wood
movie with typical shortcomings, including its failure to promote “Hausa