Na Maloom Afraad (Review): It is a clear winner and a complete entertainment package for you to savour.

Movie Name: Na Maloom Afraad

Release Date: 6 October 2014

Director: Nabeel Qureshi

Review by:Zeeshan Mahmood with additional inputs by Momin Ali Munshi

They came, they conquered.

Yes, we are talking about the Na Maloom Afraad who all are set to rock in a film we have been waiting for ages to come out. Why? Well obviously since it is the latest offering from the new-age cinema of Pakistan and also the first offering which can rightfully be called a proper film. Moreover now having seen the film we can claim that all the expectations we had are met and the film, despite being the  debut film of the director Nabeel Qureshi, is by far one of the strongest films we have seen in recent times. Kudos to Nabeel Qureshi for making a film which has drama, comedy, romance, thrill and gives Pakistan its much needed entertainment.

Na Maloom Afraad has been promoted by the makers as ‘A Pakistani Entertainer’, and they succeeded in keeping their promise. The best thing about NMA is that it is a real film and not an ill cooked dish garnished with fresh mint and presented as a film. This comparison may not make sense, well most of ours films don’t make sense either! However, NMA does not only make sense but keeps you tied to your seat for the entire duration of the film.

The film opens with a scene of two goons urinating  against the wall and sharing  details of a person (Mohsin Abbas) they are tasked to find when a dog snatches the only picture they have of him and runs away with one half of it. This chase takes the viewers on a roller coaster journey and honestly the mood of the film has been set from this very scene and you as a viewer are completely immersed in the film. This ride, lasts for the  next two and half hours and is full of scenes you will remember and has some very engaging sequences and dialogues which you as a Pakistani will relate to very easily.

The story  basically revolves around the lives, plans and backfiring of the plans made by three reckless fellows Shakeel (Javed Sheikh), Farhan (Fahad Mustafa) and Moon (Mohsin Abbas) who have had more than their fare share  of miseries. Shakeel has never done anything wrong in his entire life until he falls in a hopeless situation where he has no option but to be  a part of the plans of his tenants Farhan and Moon who are done with living impecunious lives. Naina ( Urwa) is the love interest of Farhan and has nothing more to offer. (She is looking ravishing in Darbadar song). Hina (Kubra Khan) is there as a potential love interest for Moon but serves more towards the interesting plot twist at the end. Gogi (Salman Shahid) as the villain is a strong part of the story but we shall not reveal much as it will give away the story. As for Mehwish Hayat (Billi) well in addition to the rocking item number she also gave a little cameo appearance which was kind of confusing and pointless but her beauty made up for it.

The strongest point of the film was having a coherent script which gave  the director enough space to play with his creativity. Other than a few instances where the plot felt a bit complicated and the story a bit stretched the overall structure of the story is well crafted and all the characters are fixed aptly there. Dialogues are catchy and represent exactly how people of suburban Karachi or Lahore speak in such precarious situations.

Nabeel Qureshi, director of the film, puts his soul in the film and gave his best. The direction of the film is the one of the strongest departments of the film. Qureshi’s imagination and creativity is well shown in each and every shot of the film. Cinematography of the film is amazing and unprecedented in Pakistan’s cinema. It gives NMA a complete look and feel of a modern film.

The acting by everyone is spot on. Javed Sheikh is cute in his role and one of the most lovable characters ever.  Mohsin is outspoken, real and could not have asked for a better debut. Fahad probably had the least to do but anyhow he does a decent job. Urwa as the girl next door is perfect and so is Kubra Khan as the generous girl from abroad. Salman Shahid as the villain was a bit confusing. Mehwish Hayat does the Billi Number to perfection and gives Pakistan a new item girl.

All in all this film is an interesting wholesome entertainer for the Pakistani crowd to enjoy this Eid. Ironically the film is a much needed break from the reality of  the Pakistan we live in but tells the exact story of our lives on screen but the comedy element just makes it amazing. In conclusion we will say that this film is probably one of the most genuine films to come out of Pakistan and deserves all your love and support.

We would give it 4 stars out of 5