British director Steven Moore’s Pakistani film “Tamanna” (An Overlook)

This would be one of the most interesting projects in the history of Pakistan film industry. The upcoming Pakistani film Tamanna is directed by British director Steven Moore and produced by Sarah Tareen, who by the way also has the experience of working with Shoaib Mansoor for his blockbuster hit “Khuda Kay Liye (KKL)”.

The movie is Pakistan’s first feature film to be directed by any British director, as all the past efforts and tries on the same lines have been on lower level. Tamanna has got a very experienced and a heavy cast which includes internationally acclaimed Pakistani actors like Salman Shahid, Faryal Goher and Omair Rana.

Omair Rana was not part of the film initially and the role which he will feature in was given to Hameed Sheikh–famous for the roles like, ‘Sher Shah’ in Shoaib Mansoor’s KKL and ‘Omar Boloch’ in Kandahar Break. But according to the  producer Sarah Tareen, he has now been replaced by Omair Rana.

“The story is essentially about class snobbery, adultery and ego. We have purposefully chosen realism and artistic integrity over sensationalism, because we want this film to be taken seriously internationally and have a long shelf life. Our general philosophy is to stay away from politics and religion and to concentrate on class and social issues. This film is not ‘masala’ but neither is it parallel cinema – it is midway, and is aimed at intelligent viewers from any background. The story is relevant to present Pakistani culture with its emerging middle class challenging the gentry”, told Sarah in an interview to Daily Times.

Making an international standard film is of-course not an easy job at all, every aspect either big or small, requires an extra ordinary care. Keeping the same fact in mind, the legend Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is chosen to give the music of the film.

Explaining his experience in Pakistan, director Steven Moore in an interview with Daily Times said, he believed culture is narrative while the film is the most powerful cultural narrative and Pakistan needs a boost in its recognition of its cultural heritage and stories. He said, “After spending five years in Pakistan, living like an ordinary citizen, not in some foreign enclave or working with a single organisation with an agenda, I feel very connected with what’s happening here. I needed time to both mature as an artist and understand the country and the people of Pakistan. The important thing is that the current slide in the film industry is reversed, and the stories of a generation are not lost forever.”

Sarah Tareen, via email told Galaxy Lollywood that “the film is actually a drama in genre and the work on the film is almost complete, however it will come out somewhere in the month of April this year, whereas the music of the film will be released before”. She further said, “It’s a Pakistani-British Co-Production and the veteran playwright, poet, writer and columnist Munnu Bhai,  is Tamanna’s script supervisor”.

Tamanna, after 2007’s KKL will surely touch a rather un-touched and an avoided genre of films. This film is not only important for the revival of Pakistan film industry, but will also hopefully, prove to be a gateway for Pakistani films to the long desired international arena, and this too with a very positive image showing filmmakers touching variety of topics and proving their artistic skills despite the resources being limited. This film will hopefully help Pakistan film industry in providing it an international recognition which we lost somewhere in late 80s and 90s.