It’s raining trailers in Lolly town these days. With the fourth wave of COVID receding, and the biggest film event for Pakistani cinema, Eid-ul-Fitr just a couple of weeks away, films slated for the coveted slot are releasing their promotional videos.
Joining the bandwagon is the much anticipated Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan starrer Dum Mastam. The film is also the production debut of acclaimed actor Adnan Siddiqui.
The Dum Mastam trailer is arguably the slickest and most articulately cut trailer. It teases the viewers with what it’s going to offer on Eid day: a drama about the journeys of young ambitious people in a colorful, eye-catching setting, peppered with melodious and ornate song and dance sequences.
The Plot
Set in the old Lahori neighborhoods, (the favorite backdrop of our filmmakers for colorful films), a feisty, ambitious, headstrong girl and a carefree, loveable, street-smart guy are seen, where the guy attempts to woo the female lead.
As stated earlier, the journey is peppered with colorful and foot-tapping dance numbers, a handful of soulful songs, and the rise (and possibly fall) of the main characters to stardom, complete with a taste of reel and real-life controversies. Judging from the trailer, the screenplay seems like a rollercoaster ride of emotions and conflict, written by the talented Amar Khan.
Directorial Eye
Directed by Mohammed Ehtishamudin (Superstar), one can easily see the similarities between the aesthetics of the two biggies. Incidentally, both the films revolve around struggling people trying to make it big in the entertainment industry.
The trailer, no doubt, takes the lead for being the one with the fastest pace and a rather smooth cut. It doesn’t shy away in portraying the film as a full masala entertainer with a heavy dose of drama. The impression of the film being larger than life, with bright and peppy songs carrying palpable splendor, is successfully etched in the mind of the viewer.
Musical Elements
It makes an avid film viewer watch the trailer many times to understand and guess the main events of the entire screenplay that the film has to offer. With music by well-established names like Shiraz Uppal, Azaan Sami Khan, Nabil Shaukat Ali, Shani Arshad, and Bilal Saeed, one is primed to be spellbound when the final music album is released.
The Downside
The only downside to me was the end of the trailer where Sohail Ahmad’s character makes the trans community the butt of his crass joke. It’s 2022 – this just isn’t funny or acceptable anymore.
Dum Mastam releases on Eid-ul-Fitr and will compete with numerous other titles. While the trailer packs a punch, we eagerly await the film, to truly see if it lives up to the hype.
