How many more people right now feel connected to Mumbai because of Slumdog Millionaire, or suddenly are interested in the plight of orphans on Mumbai after seeing that film? The same thing with the Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Afghanistan is a rural nation, where 85 percent of people live in the countryside. And out there it's very, very conservative, very tribal - almost medieval.

People learned to live with the most unimaginable things.

Those who saw Kite Runner loved the film, for the most part, people seemed to really like the film.

I now know that some people feel unhappiness the way others love: privately, intensely, and without recourse.