DALJIT DHALIWAL: Afshin Molavi, welcome to Wide Angle.

AFSHIN MOLAVI: Thank you, Daljit. It's a pleasure to be with you.

DALJIT DHALIWAL: Have you been to Ras Al Khaimah, the tiny Emirate that we feature in our film? What were you impressions?

AFSHIN MOLAVI: Sure. You know, when I was living in Dubai in the late 1990s and throughout my many visits to Dubai since then, Ras Al Khaimah, for many people who live in Dubai, was a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was a place to see natural beauty and scenery.

Ras Al Khaimah has one of the most beautiful coastlines along the Persian Gulf and wonderful beaches, and it also has mountains and a desert. So, for us, Ras Al Khaimah was this natural oasis-- to get away from the city. And so, there were also moments when I stood back and I looked at this film and I said, "Oh, no. You know, what is happening to the pristine, you know, beauty of Ras Al Khaimah?"

DALJIT DHALIWAL: You were disappointed then, at the development?

AFSHIN MOLAVI: Well, you know, it gets to the heart of the issue of development. You know, on the other hand, you look at that pristine natural beauty and you say to yourself, you hope that that will be somehow preserved. But on the other hand, the people of Ras Al Khaimah, just like people anywhere in the world, deserve to develop their economy.

They deserve to develop the kind of growth that will benefit their citizens. And, you know, if the lesson of Dubai is learned by anyone in the United Arab Emirates, it is that hotels and shopping malls and big tourist mega complex do attract people. Dubai last year, Daljit, attracted more tourists than India. Think about that for a moment...

For the complete interview transcript, please visit the PBS website.