Why do you think that people in major countries, like the U. S. didn’t know much about the atrocities and violence of the Taliban regime prior to our entering the war? The destruction of the ancient Buddhist monuments should have been a major clue as to what kind of people were running Afghanistan. Your reaction? The U.S. has been accused of being callus — that we only seem to care when tragedy hits home. Is this something that the people in Pakistan and Afghanistan feel?

Shah: It’s very hard for some people in Pakistan and Afghanistan to understand why countries like the U.S. have not detailed information about the atrocities of the Taliban. As you say, there were many indications, such as the blowing up of the Bamiyan Buddhas. Many people in the region have also said to me, ‘The United States only cared about our country when the Soviet Union was occupying it – After the Cold War ended, so did Western interest.’ On the plus side, many women in the United States have campaigned against Taliban abuses of women’s rights. The Taliban’s atrocity against other ethnic groups has been less well covered.

When and how did you first learn about what was going on in Afghanistan? What prompted you to go in and chronologue the horrific situation there? (Your family’s reaction?)

Shah: I first visited Afghanistan in 1986, when the Soviet Union was occupying the country. At that time I was only 21, and my parents were quite terrified for me – but they have always supported me. I became instantly fascinated with the place, and it has always felt like a second home to me. Although I’ve never seen the country at peace, I’ve returned many times. Before I filmed ‘Beneath The Veil,’ I though I knew all about what the Taliban were doing, but I wasn’t prepared for the things we discovered on that shoot. The video pictures from the football stadium were particularly disturbing.

How did you prepare for the documentary ‘Beneath The Veil’?

Shah: I did a lot of reading before I went out. I spent about 8 weeks polishing up my Persian. My crew grew beards!