Gol Chakkar, the sequel to Aisha Linnea Akhtar and Shahbaz Hamid Shigri’s short film, Sole Search promises to be entertaining if nothing else. “Though my main goal was to make a movie that everyone can watch and be entertained by, I wouldn’t say its a film for the sake of film,” says Shahbaz, “(the audience) want to see more than just suffering, poverty, and terrorism in movies. We get to see all that on the news every day. I want to give them their entertainment.”
Shahbaz and Aisha had worked together in Slackistan after which Aisha helped Shahbaz with his thesis for New York Film Academy where he studied Filmmaking. Since then they have done a couple of short films, a music video for The Kominas, a public service announcement and Gol Chakkar. The two are setting up their own company Incahoots Films, with which they “hope to continue working with all things film, and really establish ourselves in the Pakistani media.”
Sole Search, as Shahbaz explains, is “a short film about something that is driven into Islamabad’s sub-culture: the Jinnah Boy.” Candy Bhai, played by Ali Rehman is the Jinnah Boy in question and with Gol Chakkar, Shahbaz and Aisha hope to elaborate on his story. “Gol Chakkar is an exploration of the environment, and how they, the characters, interact with it. Islamabad meets Pindi head on,” Shahbaz explains.
Candy Bhai, is a prototype of the boys who hang around Islamabad’s Jinnah Super Market, and Shahbaz says that just 10 minutes spent in the area will reveal exactly what makes them tick. Apart from that, he says, “from (Candy Bhai’s) hairstyle to his shoes, that’s all Aisha’s magic. She’s a brilliant writer.”
Even people who don’t live in Islamabad might be able to appreciate some of the themes Gol Chakkar plays with. “Without giving away too much,” Shahbaz says, “the movie really shows the different kinds of relationships between a multitude of characters. What they think of each other, how they perceive each other because of where each of them come from.”
Shooting Gol Chakkar, as much fun as it looks in the trailer, was not easy in any way for Aisha and Shahbaz. The duo financed the film all by themselves and like any kind of indie production, the film came with its own set of problems. “When you’re working with such a low budget, limited resources, friends as cast and crew, you go into it knowing that there will be problems,” Shahbaz sums it up. Apart from the usual logistical issues one might face shooting a film in Pakistan, the cast and crew of Gol Chakkar had their share of special experiences while shooting. “We went to this one place in Rawalpindi and within 20 minutes of being there, we were literally driven out with kids throwing balls of sand at our cars,” Shahbaz recalls.
Of course with all that behind them, you might assume the directors can rest easy – but they still have a long way to go with Censor Board approvals and releasing and distributing the film. With Islamabad’s last big production Slackistan’s release still hanging in balance pending an approval from the Board, the question of Gol Chakkar passing the Censor Board begs to be asked.
“We did our best to tone down the explicit language this time around as it offended many viewers in Sole Search, I wouldn’t be surprised if I took this movie to the Censor Board and they refused to pass it without making the cuts they’d demand,” Shahbaz says, “but I’m sure when the time comes, if pushed enough, it’ll get there.”
The directors are looking at screening the film before distributing it, and while he doesn’t want to say much about their plans, Shahbaz assures us that “it won’t just be an online release like Sole Search. Gol Chakkar is bigger and better.”
With Gol Chakkar, Shahbaz is hoping to put out there something that will provide a refuge of entertainment for the viewer. “I appreciate and respect those out there making films to showcase a different side of Pakistan, or dwelling on the dated issue of terrorism, or some other form of extreme realism,” he says, “but the film goers of Pakistan also need more than just realism. Something they can watch, and even for a second, escape from of all that and just, laugh. Even a smile would suffice.”
some body tell me the realease date of this movie bcz i would love to watch this movie
It has been screened at Arena (Bahria Town Rawalpindi) earlier this month (3rd November to be exact). And now will most probably be released online. However, there are chances that some more screenings for the movie are held in other cities before it finally gets released online. (Administration Member)