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‘Cheekh’: From a fast paced drama to a drag fest

By
Amna Zubair
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Created under the Big Bang Entertainment production house, Cheekh began creating headlines with the release of its very first trailers.

The hype around teasers and trailers

If we delve deeper into why the trailers were such a hit, it could, first of all, be attributed to Saba Qamar’s impeccable acting skills Secondly, the story-line seemed rather dark and mysterious; something we don’t usually get to see in the Pakistani dramas.

Thirdly, Big Bang has always had a good track record with its dramas. It has undoubtedly given us some great hits; the most recent being Balaa, Meri Guriya, and the ongoing Bandish. Not only do all the dramas under this production house stand out because of their casting, they are almost always laced with fresh story-lines.

What happened after the drama finally aired

Once the drama finally aired on ARY, it became one of the most watched serials and an overnight sensation. It’s not every day that we get to see such unusual stories, that not only go against the cliches but also succeed in keeping the audience’s attention. Cheekh, at least that’s what it looked till a few episodes back, is one of them.

A roller coaster ride full of emotions and twists; the story comprises three friends – Mannat (Saba Qamar), Haya (Azekah Daniyal) and Nayab (Ushna Shah). Mannat  is married to Haya’s brother, and belongs to a rich family while Nayab belongs to a middle class one. The story took a sharp turn from happy to dark, with Nayab’s suicide that later proved to be a murder by Mannat’s own brother in law, Wajih (Bilal Abbas) who was supposed to get married to Nayab. This fact is only known by Mannat who is now torn between her family’s well-being and bringing justice to her friend.

The story-line – full of suspense – proved to be an audience pleaser, with Bilal’s applaudable acting in a negative role, and Saba’s down to earth character. While the first few episodes kept us on the edge of our seats, it has now started becoming a drag because the once fast moving mysterious story, is now turning into a slow paced sentimental plot.

What went wrong?

With the 11th episode is due to be aired soon, the serial is losing its appeal as the past three episodes have been nothing but a series of small arguments between Wajih, Mannat and Nayab’s father. All we see is Mannat’s confusion as to what she will do to avenge her friend’s murder and also save her marriage, simultaneously.

While the whole cast of the serial comprises exceptional actors, the story needs to pick up its pace to keep its spell over the audience or what started off with a bang, is bound to become a catastrophe.

‘Captain Marvel’ will not be releasing in Pakistan and here is the complete story

By
Zaryan Khawar
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Marvel Universe’s first set is coming to an end in a month’s time, with the Avengers: Endgame all set to release on the 26th of April, 2019. Captain Marvel is the final movie in the lead up to the big end but sadly, it looks like the Pakistani audience will remain deprived of watching the film in cinemas.

What exactly happened?

There has been a lot of foul cry and blame game that has been going on as to who is at fault here. Some proposed that India may be behind it? Well, here is the complete story:

Okay, so there has always been a fixed distributor of Disney films in Pakistan, at least that’s the case for a specified period of time, and Captain Marvel was also supposed to release under this banner.

Now as per sources this distributor had failed to clear past payments to Disney over last year’s releases and hence, Disney decided not to give the film to them. This distributor has also recently released two big movies in Pakistan which have done considerable business but apparently, the cinemas, owing to the recent situation, have not paid them their dues, resulting in a colossal loss for all.

Cinema chains make a lot of noise about being devoid of content but in this case, they, too, are to be blamed for if it wasn’t for them, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Captain Marvel, following this fiasco, was made available in the market by Disney for other distributors to buy, but the amount quoted by other distributors was apparently not good enough for them to revert back.

It’s still not clear who should be blamed for this loss but all the aforementioned parties had, at least, some role to play. One cinema chain went as far as to blame the Disney regional office, whose head resides in India (the aim was to take advantage of the prevailing tensions between the two countries), rather than trying to get rights of the film, through their own distribution office.

What should the cinemas do now?

Avengers: Endgame is about to release in one month’s time and it is very important that all these issues are sorted by that time. Cinemas need to be smart about how they are planning to survive this dead period as the 22nd March releases will not get them the required push, for our audiences are not in the habit of flocking to theaters anymore. They need to realize that a big release always brings consistent footfalls and helps smaller releases – considering the kind of business Captain Marvel has done worldwide.

Here’s hoping sense prevails soon for once the customer is frustrated, the cinemas may have to close themselves down; the most recent example being the closure of Plaza cinema.

Why is the audience suddenly losing interest in drama serial ‘Aangan’?

By
Kashaf Shahzad
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Aangan

The period drama – Aangan – based on the award-winning novel by Khadija Mastoor, managed to create hype even before their curtain raiser with its fully loaded cast, an experienced producer (Momina Duraid Productions), director (Mohammed Ehteshamuddin) and heavy promotions.

However, hardly few episodes managed to get high TRP. Don’t be sad, we, too, were expecting much more from the drama. Let’s delve deeper into what suddenly went wrong with the much hyped serial.

What went wrong?

Like most of the avid viewers, I have been expecting an interesting plot twist (hint hint: a probable love affair between Jameel and Alia) that looked imminent, given people, who have read the novel, have lately been hinting at it. The unnecessarily dragged story, however, might keep us waiting another Thursday to finally witness that.

On top of that, the first few episodes felt too slow paced. Nothing of significance really happened until episode 5. I eventually lost interest too. I, however, regained some of it when Chammi and Jameel got a few scenes together.

As for the editing, every episode is a mish-mash of politics, family feuds and love between characters, all badly edited together. Lack of continuity and extended scenes keep us waiting for the climax that unfortunately, never comes. We all know through the teasers, that Alia and Jameel will be seen together but the question is when?

I, for one, keep waiting for some of the characters to return, thinking they might have some role in the story. Don’t you think Israr’s character has been in the background for too long? Moreover, what about Najma (sister) who has been away for studies? The character development, on the whole, has been a little too poor, for a lot of characters, on many fronts.

No uploads on YouTube

In addition to the interminable plot causing disinterest in the audience, no uploads on YouTube have also left the fans disheartened. A number of people have even boycotted Hum TV altogether, based on that. Overseas Pakistanis felt they could never catch up on the episodes and rightfully so.

The highlight of the show

The only thing that’s keeping the show going is Sajal Aly’s character – Chammi. Her rebellious nature and love turned jealousy for Jameel have made her scenes the most interesting. Sajal has managed to pull off the possessive girl character, rather remarkably.

Even though the story and editing seem off, we will still try and catch how Alia falls for Jameel and how the political story-line merges with the love angles in the drama. Stay tuned!

Should ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ take inspiration from ‘Kalank’?

By
Hassan Hassan
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The Legend of Maula Jatt

When the teaser of The Legend of Maula Jatt was dropped, it created ripples across the film-buffs community of the subcontinent. Garnering rave reviews from both; the home ground and across the border, the teaser trailer, according to entertainment.pk, has become Pakistan’s most viewed trailer on social media platforms.

Just yesterday, one of Bollywood’s most anticipated films of 2019 – Kalank – also dropped its teaser trailer and left many in awe on account of its grandeur, dark, gritty nature and the staple Bollywood masalah; something our biggest film for 2019 aka Maula Jatt, obviously lacks.

Maula Jatt Vs. Kalank

As for the comparison between the two teasers, The Legend of Maula Jatt takes the lead for its obviously better cut and an aura that conveys the overall mood of the film, rather aptly. Kalank, on the other hand, takes the edge because of its grander palette (something expected of Bollywood considering how big and resourceful the industry is) and its seemingly smart strategy to keep things more mass oriented by adding the usual songs and dance sequences.

Personally, I believe that good content is more important than fillers such as songs or dance sequences. However, the importance of such fillers cannot, at the same time, be undermined for they add mass appeal to the otherwise bland films. Moreover, they have also been a distinct part of the subcontinent cinema, over the years.

Generations after generations have grown up, seeing superstars dance to the melodious tunes created by the legendary musicians of Indo-Pak cinema, making them a telltale feature of every desi film’s anatomy.

Some examples from the history

There are numerous examples of films that became major hits, on the basis of their music or merely a song. Keeping aside Bollywood for a second, our very own local cinema is rife with such cases where a film’s music would make it a box office success.From Reema & Shaan starer Bulandi to Syed Noor’s blockbusters Jeeva, Sangam, Ghunghat and Choorian to Sangeeta’s biggest hit Nikah, all had chart-buster music at their back to support them.

Syed Noor’s Sargam starring Adnan Sami Khan and Zeba Bakhtiar remained etched onto our memories, for a long time only because of its music. Sajjad Gul’s action flick Ghar Kab Aogey would have been a dud, had it not been for its songs that featured Noor and Meera Jee dancing to melodious tracks, created by Amjad Bobby.

Pakistani cinema’s revival film Khud Ke Liye had music that stayed in our playlists for the longest time. Amidst all this, the one film that remains an exception is Bilal Lashari’s Waar. The film didn’t have any songs and dance sequences, yet it did wonders at the Box Office. Mauj-e-Naina featuring Meesha Shafi and Shamoon Abbasi had some classy seductive performances that were beautifully incorporated with some intense action sequences, but the song lacked any ‘playlist value’ on the whole.

On why mass appeal is important

Now the reason I mention so many examples is to shed light on the fact that when cinema becomes mass-centric, the film makers have to cater to what their audience demands.

They can utilize whatever space (albeit a limited one) is available to them, to mould their cinematic product, in line with their own artistic sensibilities (like Bilal Lashari did with Mauj e Naina in Waar) but at the end of the day, they have to consider what the audiences demand.

Over the past few years, audiences have started to point out how Pakistani movies have started to look more and more like dramas. One of the reasons is an obvious lack of grandeur and the larger than life feels. The reason JPNA worked and  Moor didn’t wasn’t because the former is better or the latter is bad, it’s because Nadeem Baig made a film that masses wanted to see while Jami’s focus was to make a film that “he wanted to see (and make)”.

A cinema, at this stage, that caters to classes rather than masses is barely sustainable. Same is true for Punjab Nahi Jaungi and Motorcycle Girl. The former possesses a mass appeal while the latter caters to a niche audience.

A middle ground between the two extremes is what our filmmakers should strive for, at this point in time. Now, The Legend of Maula Jatt, from its trailer, appears to be devoid of colors or any mass appeal. It doesn’t have any songs or even colors to keep the audience on their feet. According to sources, the LOMJ doesn’t have any such song sequences and people close to Bilal Lashari have vehemently tried to persuade him to add one to the film.

Lashari hasn’t agreed to the suggestions yet but we hope that he takes some inspiration from its Indian counterpart Kalank and adds some mass appeal to what, otherwise, looks like a brilliant film. A musical cinematic mass appeal, is all the masses ask for, is it too much to ask for?

Exclusive: Zara Sheikh will be seen shaking a leg in ‘Heer Maan Ja’

By
Momin Ali Munshi
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Zara Sheikh

Is this news of the year or what? Okay, maybe I’m just a huge Zara Sheikh fan, but I cannot contain my excitement over this piece of information which a little birdie just revealed.

The dance number

As per our source, Zara Sheikh will be seen shaking a leg in Imran Raza Kazmi’s upcoming film Heer Maan Ja, which is all set to release later this year on Eid-ul-Azha. Zara will be a part of a special wedding number which was shot last month in Karachi. The song is a peppy dance number sung by Sahara, who last sang the smashing hit ‘Billo Hai’ which was featured in Kazmi’s last film Parchi.

Choreographed by Osman Khalid Butt, who also did the choreography for ‘Billo Hai’, we hear this song is on similar lines and has been shot with a large team of background dancers, with the main cast featuring alongside Zara.

Zara – the lost star

For those unaware, Zara made her debut back in 2000, when she starred in the blockbuster film Tere Pyar Mein, which skyrocketed her to stardom. After that, she did appear in a few other movies, but given the decline of Lollywood and Zara’s picky nature, the actress was shoved into oblivion with her just being limited to making a television appearance on and off.

She was last seen on the silver screen in 2018 where she had a blink and miss sort of a special appearance in film Jackpot which left the audiences hungry for more. However,  this time, Zara will be seen back on the silver screen in a somewhat substantial role. It is not confirmed, but she might even have a little acting role in the film too. Fingers crossed.

The film stars Ali Rehman Khan and Hareem Farooq in leading roles, has been directed by Azfar Jaffri and will be releasing this year on Eid-ul-Azha.

Exclusive: “I am the strongest supporter of Aurat March,” says Shaan Shahid

By
Momina Mindeel
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shaan shahid aurat march

Aurat March happened exactly 5 days ago. Thousands of women rallied across several Pakistani cities, and (rightfully) asked for gender equality, safety, better working conditions and more. The March was laced with enthusiasm, women spirit and resilience. However, following the March, the social media went haywire.

There were people who loved everything the March represented while there were others who disagreed; some in a rather civil way and still others in unreasonable ways. A lot of things were said, words were exchanged and let’s say, the idea of a peaceful discourse was thrown out of the window, for the most part.

Amidst all the chaos, Shaan Shahid – the acclaimed Lollywood actor – tweeted about how he didn’t think some of the slogans represented our culture and values.

The actor, following his tweet, was condemned on Twitter. A lot of arguments were presented. Here is an exhibit:

Following the social media word-war, Shaan attempted to clarify his position by tweeting the following:

We, at Galaxy Lollywood, got in touch with Shaan and had a detailed yet candid conversation with him on the issue. Here is how it went down:

In conversation with Shaan Shahid

‘I would like to begin by saying that I am not against Aurat March or the cause of feminism, in any sense. I have always fought for women rights, I have been raised by a woman and even now, I am the only man in the house. I have a wife and four daughters and that’s my legacy. As for my tweets, I have been quoted out of context.”

“There are people who are accusing me of being against Aurat March or feminism but that is not the case. I just had an issue with the language of some of the the posters and I voiced it because whenever I talk about something, I do it with all my heart,” said Shaan.

On why he disagrees with the language on the posters

While talking about why he disagreed with the language of some of the posters, Shaan mentioned, “I am not even on the opposite side so I don’t understand why they’re fighting with me on Twitter. I just want them to understand that in our country, there are people of all sorts. Majority of our population still supports people like Orya Maqbool Jan and the hate they spew. When you are confronted with issues like that, you start with step one. You don’t take the third step first.”

“You get people who disagree with you, on board. This country passed a progressive bill for transgender persons, why do you think it won’t do the same for women? It will but for that, you have to take everyone on board. I am willing to go the Parliament and help all of these demands turned into laws,” said Shaan.

“I will never stop fighting for the rights of women and I would happily want to sit down and talk it out with the people who are misquoting me, if they are willing to have a proper conversation. I am from an older generation, I guess so some of the posters just came to me as a cultural shock. Moreover, I am a very open person; I talk to my daughter about everything very openly but I still feel like there needs to be certain boundaries about these things,” continued Shaan.

On his pictures circulating on social media

Upon being asked what he thinks about his pictures going around on social media and if he thinks they’re hypocritical, Shaan said “As for my pictures that are being circulated around, I just want to say that I am an artist and the characters that I play do not represent my view point. If I am a villain in a movie that doesn’t imply that I believe in what the villain is doing.”

“I just want to say that I am on your side, I just have a different opinion about the language of the posters but the bashing isn’t going to stop me to keep working for women rights, I have to fight for my daughters’ rights, I have to fight for women rights. All I am saying is just don’t lose the cause, amidst all of this,” Shaan further said.

While it is understandable that Shaan’s words may have caused some hurt for the women who were at the Aurat March, it is also imperative to realize that now is probably not the time for blame games. Now is the time for peaceful dialogues so everyone can work towards a mutual goal; the provision of safe and better conditions for the women of this country and Shaan Shahid agrees.

 

Will these two Pakistani films fill up halls? Here’s what the experts say!

By
Zaryan Khawar
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pakistani films 22nd march

Cinema is an industry that thrives on content; good content to be specific. However, ever since the ban on Indian films, there has been zero new content for cinemas to screen. Old Pakistani hits are back in town while most of the screens have closed down in different cinemas. For instance, Cinepax – being the biggest chain – has shutdown 5 screens at their Packages Mall site. Moreover, the recent Disney biggie Captain Marvel did not release in Pakistan, as was planned earlier, thereby denying the cinemas further, of quality content.

22nd March releases

However, not all is bad. This Pakistan day (a day before actually), we have two new local releases coming out. The first one is Sherdil and the second is Laal Kabootar.

It is our speculation that the two movies will benefit not only because of the national holiday but also because there are no other quality films being played in the cinemas, these days. Therefore, the holiday benefit is likely to get much bigger, unlike under normal circumstances. However, it is also important that movies like Captain Marvel come out this week so that the audiences start flocking to the theaters again.

Sherdil seems to be at a bit of an advantage here, as it takes forward the current bilateral issues between India and Pakistan on the air force battlefield. Laal Kabootar, on the other hand, is based in Karachi and has indie film vibes which are likely to appeal to a niche audience rather than having a countrywide appeal. Either way, the films are a good news for our otherwise deserted cinemas.

What the experts have to say

We got one of our trade stalwarts, Mr. Nadeem Mandviwalla – the man behind Atrium cinemas – to talk on this issue. He pointed out that whenever a ban like this happens, it takes cinemas and distributors some time to do the required rescheduling of movies. To put in simpler words, we might see more releases in April, than March.

Furthermore, he hinted that, at this point, it cannot be predicted if the business will pick up after the new releases as the overall footfall has gone down but he hopes that the 22nd March releases will bring in some good content and some sanity will prevail between the two neighboring countries.

Another expert – Mr. Khorem Ghultasab – the man looking after Super Cinemas in Lahore -is of the view that Sherdil may have a better chance at the box office for it hits all the right chords, what with all the national interests with India, at the moment. He feels that Laal Kabootar is more of a niche film, although with a very nice teaser. He also mentioned that according to him, local releases need to come after regular intervals, rather than being consolidated around specific dates.

Cinepax chain’s marketing manager Natasha said, “after refreshing the memories of Pakistani moviegoers with reruns, on public demand, of super hit movies from the past 2 years, the last week of March welcomes two of the most promising Pakistani films – Sherdil and Laal Kabootar!”

We wish great success to both of the 22nd March releases. We are also keeping our fingers crossed, jbtw!

Here is why Mehwish Hayat truly deserves the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz!

By
Momina Mindeel
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mehwish hayat tamgha-e-imtiaz

The government of Pakistan, on Sunday, issued a list of 127 people who will be receiving civil awards, on Pakistan day. These awards will be presented by the current President Dr. Arif Alvi for their excellence, in various fields in a ceremony, on March 23. The list includes a number of prominent names from the industry such as Reema Khan, Nasir Adeeb, Babra Sharif, Shabbir Jan, Iftikhar Thakur, Sajjad Ali, Attaullah Esakhelvi and none other than, Mehwish Hayat.

We did a detailed article on the list, that can be accessed here.

As soon as the list came out, keyboard warriors on social media came out with their uncalled for daggers and began criticizing Mehwish Hayat’s nomination for the acclaimed Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. A lot of things were said, that were, let’s just say, not very nice and it doesn’t make sense to reproduce them here.

Amidst all of this, what Pakistanis have forgotten is that Mehwish Hayat has given some of the most successful box office films, in the past few years. She has worked hard to get where she is today.

However, before we delve deeper into Mehwish’s accomplishments, let’s see what exactly does Tamgha-e-Imtiaz entail.

What is Tamgha-e-Imtiaz?

Tamgha-e-Imtiaz or the  Medal of Excellence, is the fourth-highest decoration given to any civilian in Pakistan, based on their achievements. While it is primarily a civilian award, it can also be given to military personnel and foreigners. In the past, the award has been given to a number of prominent names from the industry such as Atif Aslam, Saba Qamar, Hadiqa Kiani etc.

On why Mehwish deserves the award

First and foremost, it is imperative to recognize that Mehwish is a versatile artist; she is an actress, a model and a singer. She has acted in some of the most successful films to have come out of Lollywood in the past few of years, including Punjab Nahi Jaungi and Actor in Law that generated 55+ and 30 crores, respectively.

Some of her other laudable films include  Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 1 and the more recent, Load Wedding. Although, Load Wedding didn’t do that well on the box office, the film, nonetheless, was a treat to watch; from its direction to its music and acting.

In addition to her contributions to the silver screen, Mehwish has also worked in a number of drama series such as Ru Baru, Unsungi, Dil Lagi and Mirat-ul-Uroos. 

Keeping everything in view, it is unfair not only to Mehwish but to the entire industry to not acknowledge her contributions. Here’s hoping that our fellow countrymen learn to be happy for our artists and their accomplishments. You go, Mehwish!

Here’s how the new drama serial ‘Hania’ holds up a mirror to our society

By
Amna Zubair
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While our drama industry has recently started stepping out of the cliché box, as far as the story-lines are concerned, it has, simultaneously, started raising awareness about some taboo issues of our society too. Ranging from sexual abuse, black magic, to child marriages, and many others – our industry has began to unveil a lot of masked issues plaguing our society, that are still deemed unfit to be discussed openly.

What is Hania about?

The most recent venture in this area is ARY digital’s Hania, that sheds light on some of the most heinous aspects of our society. Hania – the protagonist in the serial is played by Zoya Nasir. Hania belongs to a middle class family, and is married to Junaid (Junaid Khan), who belongs to the upper class. Initially, Junaid appears to be a very loving husband but soon after, he starts abusing Hania, both verbally and physically, as could be seen from the many trailers.

Another aspect discussed in the serial is the illegal business that goes on between Junaid and Vohra Sahib (Nayyer Ijaz). Vohra Sahab is highly respected by Junaid and his family, but his demeanor manifests ill intentions for Hania.

From the episodes that have been aired until now, it can be seen that Hania knows nothing about her husband’s business. All she knows is that Vohra Sahib is venerated by her in-laws. However, every confrontation with him makes her nervous and agitated.

Junaid, on the other hand, is portrayed as an adoring husband who instantly turns into a horrifying person if something doesn’t go his way, and abuses his wife as a result.

Zoya Nasir’s debut as an actress

With her innocent looks and soft-spoken personality, Zoya Nasir perfectly fits her character in the story. Not only that, her acting does justice to Hania’s character as well. It is hard to acknowledge that Hania is Zoya’s debut as an actress.

Playing alongside some of the strongest actors such as Junaid Khan, Nayyer Ijaz and Mariam Mirza, it is not an easy task to make a mark for oneself but Zoya has done it beautifully, and her efforts, truly, are laudable.

The way she plays her role, makes everybody’s heart go out to her and want to save her from the evil around her. The cast also includes Osama Tahir, Atiqa Odho and Waseem Abbas.

Junaid – a quintessential desi antagonist

On the other hand, Junaid’s avatar in the serial is not something he has played before. Given his astounding acting skills, however, he has once again lived up to the audience’s expectations. The way he transitions from a loving husband, to a girl’s worst nightmare, is commendable.

Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed, Hania not only highlights marital abuse and illegal ways people use to earn money, but also addresses a major issue of middle class families; marrying their daughters into wealthy ones, without inquiring about the family’s background.

If you are looking for a drama with a fresh story-line that also holds up a mirror to the society we live in, Hania is the one to watch. Filled with raw and fearful emotions, and the challenging morality of the characters, Hania will keep you glued to your TV screens. This serial with its dark and aggressive story-line, is on the road to becoming everyone’s favorite, very soon.

What do you think about Hania? Let us know in the comments.

Here’s how Juggun Kazim’s new digital film ‘Khirkhi’ tackles domestic violence

By
Amna Zubair
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juggun kazim khirkhi

A CreatorsOne production, directed by Fahad Nur, Khirki is a short digital film that revolves around the themes of domestic violence and its implications for the parties involved. With a brief cast comprising Juggun Kazim, Omair Rana and the child star Shahzain, it is a story that has the potential to shake you to your core.

Warning: Spoilers ahead 

Juggun, Omair and Shahzain are shown as a lower middle class family, living in a small house in an urban area. In the beginning, Shahzain can be seen studying near a window in his house, which his mother closes nervously, telling him how his father would be cross if he saw it open. The fear in Juggun’s voice is instantly validated with the entry of Omair Rana, who can be seen as a dominating father, always wanting his son to be at the top of his class.

Further into the story, Omair’s dominance is manifested through physical abuse on his wife and even his child, if anything does not go his way. Juggun, on the other hand, is seen as a loving mother; always protecting her son and being the only light in his life.

The child Shahzain is seen to be always under pressure because of his father’s expectations. If he fails to meet them, the father does not hesitate to punish him brutally.  Wanting to protect himself and his mother from his father’s abuse, Shahzain struggles to do everything right, but to no avail.

Breaking under the pressure in the end, Shahzain jumps from the same window, which is seen in the beginning of the film, dreading his father’s reaction after he fails a test.

Implications for the society

Reflecting one of the most dreadful aspects of our society; domestic violence, this short film is somehow relatable to almost every desi child and adult, male or female. With children breaking under pressure put on them by their parents, studies and society, the suicide incidents are now becoming everyday news.

At the same time, mental health issues are taken very lightly and emotional abuse is usually considered as a non-existing influence. However, for us to create a genuinely healthy environment for our kids, we need to create awareness regarding all the aforementioned issues. What we don’t realize is that these issues begin from the sacred haven aka our homes, but usually the society is blamed for the delinquency.

This short film, although greatly influenced by the two most amazing actors of our industry, with great editing and background music, makes one feel all the raw emotions being depicted.

The dramatic transitions from scene to another and the slow motion effects that inundate the film, are, however, a little too unnecessary and take away from the seriousness of the issue at hand. That being said, kudos to the director and the mind behind the film for successfully (for the most part) sending a very important message to its audience.

We hope our film and drama industry steps out of the stereotypical stories’ box, and creates content that brings awareness regarding the many horrendous issues plaguing our society.

Here’s the link to the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9GbPaOtC2I

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