Khamoosh Raho: The self-experience (Guest Article)

Usually when a Pakistani film is about to release, if not everyone, at least the movie fanatics know something or the other about the film. But to be honest the first time I heard of “Khamosh Raho” was about a week before its release, I was pretty surprised that how can it be possible that I never heard or read anything about the film prior to the release. Even after seeing that unprofessional first look poster, which actually was a print ad for newspapers, I still believed it to be a quality film as I saw Juggan part of it.

Then something hit me, sometime back I had read a newspaper article which stated  that a certain director praised Juggan Kazim and compared her to Babra Sharrif due to the dedication she had shown in a certain film which was her debut film. Then I sort of connected the pieces and said so this is the film where Juggan did some remarkable acting and earned the title of the next Babra Sharrif.

Something that was rather strange again was that even after making a facebook page and promoting the film a week before its release there was no video trailer or any such promo. Yes Pakistani film-makers don’t care much about the promotions but still this was too much. Anyways I had made plans of watching the movie when it would release although the cinema was not DHA or Cinestar but Metropole Cinema. I then thought about writing an article complaining that how DHA and other such cinemas did not support the Pakistani films but kept my idea on hold.  As for the Metropole cinema I did have an idea where the cinema would be as I have seen the area quite many times when I come visit my Uncle who owns a car shop over there.

So finally I had made a plan of going to watch the film all alone the Friday when it releases. To my surprise finally some videos had been uploaded about two to three days before the release, videos actually were really not that complimenting and were trying to tell people coming to watch the film to stay at home. Anyways I, being a movie fanatic decided to see it in any case. Though I could not see it on weekend due to some unforeseen circumstances but finally had planned to watch it on Monday and forced one of my friends to go with me. Although he was a bit hesitant to go to this Metropole cinema but I forced him to.

Finally Monday came and we were standing at the gate of the cinema. We entered and after parking our car to my surprise I saw Syed Noor standing over there “gup-shupping” with some people, probably on the movie. Let me add that the time was 6:35 pm and the movie was to start at 7:00 pm. I thought that  me and my friend would get Mr Noor’s company but were proved wrong when he soon left in his chauffeur driven small jeep kind of a car. I guess he was off to the cinema showing his own directed “Aik aur Ghazi” which also released on the same date as of Khamosh Raho (10th June). Anyways I purchased the tickets which cost us only Rs. 300, where in DHA same would have cost us Rs. 700.

Seeing the entire waiting area empty I had pretty much guessed the fate of the film but to confirm it I asked the ticket selling guy who said “Bas theek chal rahi hay”. This was obviously not encouraging for the first week of a new film. Anyways it was almost 7 and we went inside the cinema to be seated. To my amazement the seats were actually red sofas with cushions and this really made me smile. I did have vague memories of the cinema where I guess I had watched “Chooriyan” about a decade ago. But I didn’t remember the sofas. On inquiry I found out that the cinema had been renovated year ago.

Then the lights went off and I witnessed something that made me kind of hate DHA and all other cinemas. They played the national anthem and requested everyone to rise. Now this is truly a laudable act. Then some weird ads and finally the film began. The film started and to be honest the quality was not as bad as I had imagined it to be. Although it was not amazing but was bearable.

The film began and there was no trace of Juggan Kazim or to that let me add of Shaan too other than a 5 second scene showing Shaan as a thief. Then the story developed and in came the picture of new guy Shehraz Ghafoor and the girl Mariam Khan. The guy was completely unbearable where as the girl was kind off pretty. Almost half of the film had passed without a sign of Juggan Kazim or Shaan. Let me add that during this interval four songs all featuring the newbies with similar locations and dresses had  been there to force us to kill ourselves though the fourth one was different and I actually liked it. Then before the interval Juggan made her entry and made way for Shaan’s dramatic entry too. Then the film moved with a faster pace and a bit let me add that a little focus was thrown on Shaan and Juggan’s character while the main spotlight was still on that ugly non-actor newbie Shehraz Ghafoor. Anyway a song picturized on Shaan and Juggan was shown and then another song, the item song or the main song filmed on Juggan was shown which the climax was. Then afterwards came the huge typical Shaan style fighting scene and the film ended.

My friend who was literally lying down on the sofa almost asleep gave me a disappointed look and moved on. I then went after him, kind of lost in the fact that how pathetic the movie was and why the hell would Juggan agree on doing such a film. Anyways here’s my report.

Acting:     

Shaan hardly had any dialogues in the film except for those dramatic “Maa” dialogues and he did full justice to them. By the end it was obvious that Shaan was added just to sell the film to the low middle class people.

Juggan Kazim had nothing much to do in the film and was merely a puppet. I wonder why she did the film. Except for the cheap item song, she does not have much to her credit.

Shehraz Butt was what the film was all about. By the end of the film you realize that you had been tricked into watching the film of a mere newcomer with no acting talent whatsoever. The film was just a gift of a father to his son. The guy doesn’t have the looks, the acting skills the dancing skills or whatsoever. The only thing that works in his favor is his well built body which he got a chance to show in the end. He could be the John Abraham of Pakistan though his body is just good compared to our not so fit actors and nothing close to John Abraham. Let me say one last thing that the only dialogues he had were “ Oh mama” “Oh daddy” “I love you” “Oh Bhaiya” and even when he said them one felt like giving him a tight slap for torturing everyone with his pathetic acting.

Mariam Khan was there as much as there was Shehraz Butt. She did have the looks and also some dancing skills but acting is still an unknown language. She did not have many dialogues but did ok in the some she had.

The veteran actors Ghullam Muhiuddin, Tariq Shah, Asif Khan, producer Ghafoor Bhatt and Bahar did a commendable job and had the most dialogues and were the ones moving the story forward.

Arbaaz Khan and Sardar Kamal did a cameo.

Story:

The story was not something big or worth making a movie. Actually I believe the director only had the first scene on paper whereas the entire film seemed to have scripted it itself.

Camera Work, Direction:

The camera work was sloppy and the direction was not good, that’s why the end product was not up to the mark.

Music:

The music was Ok. The title track “Khamoosh Raho’ sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was amazing. Furthermore the songs “Teray Honton ko Salaam”  “Challa” and “Mujhay Mast kar diya” were also nice.

 Overall:

The movie was just Ok or rather bad and I would not like to support it in any way, as the audience I felt cheated as to being  shown the film of non acting new people by selling of the name of Juggan Kazim and Shaan.

The Writer Momin Ali is seventeen years of age and was previously the student of “International School Of Choueifat Lahore”, he is now going to join LUMS for his B.Sc degree. Apart from his interest in international cinema, he takes keen interest in the local cinema too and is also a great well wisher of its revival.

Note: The opinion(s) presented by the writer in the article do not necessarily depict the views and policies of Galaxy Lollywood as its written by a third person (not an official member of the site team) and thus we have named it as “Guest Writing”.