Pakistani cinema is no stranger to dark thrillers with a political backdrop depicting the theme of terrorism. The wave started by Waar a decade ago saw many films released continually with very few films replicating the success of their blockbuster predecessor. Such films could be expected to continue to grace our cinemas in the near future as well. Dhai Chaal is a part of this wave, with its trailer being released a few days ago.
The Plot And Cast
The film is based on the events that led to capturing of serving Indian Navy officer and RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav, and how he carried out his acts of sabotage and terrorism. The Indian spy was proven guilty, convicted, and sentenced to death in 2017 by a military court.
The titular role is played by Shamoon Abbasi. Ayesha Omar is also shown to play an important role of a journalist, and the narrative of the film proceeds from her character’s lens. There are also snippets in the trailer that seem to cover and capture the political turmoil in Baluchistan, with light being shed on how foreign elements are exploiting the events for their own vested interests.
Look And Feel
The overall look and feel of the film from the trailer seems dark and serious. The grading and lighting in various shots give the film an intense feel – an important and basic requirement of a film of such a genre. One can’t help but notice how the trailer for Dhai Chaal reminds one of Waar, albeit on a smaller scale.
Promising Dialogues
The dialogues seem rather plain and straightforward, instead of being subtle. There are, however, lines which one may find interesting and entertaining such as, ‘Yeh Bollywood nahi hai jahan tum Indians her jang jeet jatay ho [This is not Bollywood where you Indians win every battle].
One can expect far more intense dialogues and high-voltage drama when the film releases, because the presence of such elements would definitely give it a push.
Behind The Scenes Operation
While there are well-known faces of Pakistani showbiz featured in the film, namely, Humayoun Ashraf, Shamoon Abbasi, Ayesha Omar, Adnan Shah Tipu, and Saleem Meraj, a relatively new team of crew members is operating beind the scenes.
The film is penned by Farheen Chaudhry and directed by Taimoor Sherazi. Perhaps that is the reason behind there being a certain level of rawness that is seen in the trailer.
Conclusion
Set to release on 17th June, 2022, it’s safe to say that overall, the trailer for Dhai Chaal is decent enough. It may not be the best promotional video of a Pakistani film in recent times but it’s not the worst either. If properly promoted and aptly executed, the film working in theatres seems to be a palpable possiblity.
