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.
Mahira Khan has begun her journey as a producer alongside Nina Kashif, with the Danyal Zafar, Shahveer Jaffry, and Kinza Hashmi starring web series, Baarwan Khiladi.
Release And Plot
At a press junket held within the premises of Pearl Continental in Karachi, a sizeable chunk of the team – Danyal Zafar, Shahveer Jaffry, Kinza Hashmi, Zarrar Khan, Meer Yousuf, Khaqan Shahnawaz, Mahira Khan, Nina Kashif, Adnan Sarwar, and the minds behind TapMad – showed up to share their experiences, and what the audience can expect.
Slated to be released on Pakistan’s local OTT platform, TapMad on 5th March, Adnan Sarwar’s next directorial feat explores themes like nepotism, and an outsider’s struggle to make it big, through the larger lens of arguably the nation’s most beloved sport: cricket.
A No-Holds-Barred Approach
The entire crew, while sharing their varying experiences with regards to the process, all seemed to be in agreement over the fact that Baarwan Khiladi is an “unsanitized” take on the topics it tackles.
Indeed, Baarwan Khiladi has a surprising lack of sponsors, with Adnan and Mahira explaining that sponsors tend to water down content in many ways. With OTT being perhaps the last true free space, the dilution of a promising premise is a compromise that the team could not make.
“The content is strong,” stated Danyal Zafar. “It’s something new, different, and revolutionary.”
The men on the panel backed this opinion, with Khaqan Shahnawaz sharing that he would have forgone any fee for this to be his acting debut. Zarrar and Meer shared their gratitude for being able to be a part of the series, and Shahveer shared that the production process had a familial feel to it. This zone of comfort, perhaps, is the reason behind the iconic Fawad Khan and Shoaib Malik showing up for surprise cameos in the show.
Locker Room Talk
A character teaser aired during the press meet also showed Kinza Hashmi’s character confronting her on-screen brother about locker-room talk. As a woman in the audience, this came as a breath of fresh air, with it being an aggressively pertinent conversation.
Mahira’s Debut As A Producer
When asked about any apprehension when it came to stepping foot into the world of production, Mahira stated, “I’m putting my money where my mouth is.”
Her belief stems from the fact that often, people spend their time talking about the content Pakistan needs to see – produced locally and aired on a local platform – without doing much to create and execute those ideas to completion. Baarwan Khiladi is Mahira Khan taking herself upto that task, and from the looks of the teaser, she might just be geared up to prove naysayers wrong.
As March 5 approaches swiftly, our well wishes are with the team. Treading new water is a monumental task, and it will be intriguing to see if the names attached to the project are about to set a precedent for the kind of content that we can expect on local platforms, without feeling the need to consistently gaze elsewhere for similar thematic takes.
Ever since ‘Badzaat’ was announced, fans were super excited to see powerful on-screen pair Imran Ashraf and Urwa Hocane back on screens after Hum TV’s ‘Mushk’. Bringing the anticipation to an end, Geo TV finally released the first episode of the show last night.
Written by Misbah Nosheen of ‘Meherposh’, ‘Badzaat’ is the directorial venture of Siraj ul Haque who last gave us ‘Fitoor’ with the same production house. And keeping their tradition of grand locations and melodrama alive, the makers didn’t disappoint us with a signature 7th Sky Entertainment episode.
The Main Plot:
The episode started with Wali, played by Imran Ashraf, narrating his traumatic childhood, when his mother who was a dancer/actress couldn’t match the honorable standards of her husband’s family. Hence, she chose money and fame over her child and Wali got handed over to his father’s second wife who accepted him and raised him like her own child.
Imran Ashraf has proved his versatility yet again with a powerful performance which impresses you right from the first glimpse.
‘Badzaat’ deals with several tracks at a time and one of the strongest elements of the overall story would be that Wali still has terms with his real mother while having a settled life at his father’s place. This makes the narrative more believable than unnecessarily dramatized.
Ainy, played by Zoya Nasir, has to be the most interesting character in the show who plays a model and is quite passionate about her profession. A sister to Wali, Ainy doesn’t shy away from taking a stand for her career and putting her strong point of view across against her aggressive and (sometimes) violent brother.
Adding a romantic angle to the story, we have been introduced to Bia, played by Urwa Hocane, a young, innocent girl from a small city who comes to attend a wedding at Wali’s house. Bia is innocent, just like every other heroine we see on TV, and has a lively nature which is polar opposite to Wali’s. The sparks however can be seen between the two.
Now that Wali is gradually developing a soft corner for Bia, it will be interesting to see how their love story proceeds.
The Execution And Performances:
The introduction did set a ground quite well for the story and the viewers have been connected to characters and their respective journeys in the plot. Imran Ashraf and Saba Faisal have to be the highlights of the episode who did remarkable jobs as per the demands of their characters.
Urwa Hocane as Bia was a bit less effective than her previous performances but we hope that she will convince the viewers with her acting skills this time as well. Ali Abbas’s character is still a mystery who will probably play an antagonist in the show.
‘Badzaat’s first episode served a fast paced episode with making the viewers aware of all the necessary details about the characters and their back stories. The scenes when Imran Ashraf and Urwa Hocane are together, truly portray their captivating chemistry which is another gripping element of the drama.
Conclusion:
‘Badzaat’ certainly has all the potential to attract the masses on a prime time slot with romance, glamour, drama and 7th Sky Entertainment’s trademark grand settings. It might prove to be another blockbuster serial for the channel and production house and do wonders in the viewership charts with its tragic love triangle track in future.
For quite some time, we have been missing a good watch from our television screens. I’m absolutely not ruling out Parizaad but even ‘Parizaad’ wasn’t the one to offer thrill. Even though the drama was highly entertaining, it did not provide drama enthusiasts with that cliffhanger of an experience. However, after the first episode of ‘Badshah Begum‘ last night, it seems that we do finally have a drama that will keep holding the audience captive, gripping the edge of their seats, while they wait for what happens next.
The first episode of ‘Badshah Begum’ aired on Tuesday on Hum TV. The drama is written by Saji Gul and directed by Khizer Idrees. Featuring an ensemble cast of Zara Noor Abbas, Yasir Hussain, Farhan Saeed, Ali Rehman Khan, Saman Ansari amongst many others, the first episode of ‘Badshah Begum’ did definitely strike a chord with us.
The Story
‘Badshah Begum’ definitely opened on a brutal note. Saman Ansari as the Begum, ordering a pregnant woman’s legs to be broken, only because she thinks she has the audacity to pay regards to her while not knowing the gender of her unborn baby, was awe-striking for sure. Although, it makes one wonder about where such things happen today, this particular scene definitely shook onlookers.
We did get glimpses of Zara Noor Abbas and Komal Mir alongside Ali Rehman Khan in the opening scenes, but we’re yet to determine what their story will be. Roshan Ara and Jahan Ara are daughters of Pir Shah Alam (feudal lord of Piran Pur), who is bringing up his children in a city, keeping them away from his life back home. Roshan Ara is headstrong, arrogant and does what she pleases while Jahan Ara is the level-headed one.
Unfortunately, Bakhtiyar (Ali Rehman Khan), who seems to have taken the interest of Roshan Ara’s affection, is interested in Jahan Ara and this is already a growing problem between the two girls.
‘Badshah Begum’, revolves around the story of Piran Pur and offers a striking contrast between rural and urban lifestyle. It narrates the story of a settlement, where the Pirs preside with their own rules, law and order. The conflict is for the ‘gaddi’ and the power that comes with it, which often translates to the Pirs being ruthless and unaffected by problems of the comman man.
Pir Shahzaib (Farhan Saeed) is running things for Pir Shah Alam in the village. Shahzaib and Murad are Pir Shah Alam’s sons from a different wife, Saman Ansari, who is the Badshah Begum. Murad is the crazy one, because he has grown up being no stranger to abuse and intoxication of power. Kaiser (Yasir Hussain) and Shahzaib have a tussle, yet to be resolved.
Review
The first episode did offer remarkable performances from the cast members. Zara Noor Abbas is impressive as Jahan Ara, and Komal Mir is very convincing as Roshan Ara. We need more on Ali Rehman Khan’s Bakhtiyar to comment on how his performance is going to be. Saman Ansari nails being Badshah Begum. There couldn’t have been a more apt casting to portray the iron lady.
Farhan Saeed deserves to be mentioned for his striking character – a refreshing breather from his usual boy-next-door characters. Yasir Hussain as Kaiser is aptly cast. Ruthless, dominant and power hungry – he’ll do anything for the ‘gaddi’ and will not regret it.
The first episode offered crisp scenes and a fast moving storyline. We just wish this is how the story stays – crisp, clear, fast-paced, and offering thrill and excitement at every step. Khizer Idrees’s direction is remarkable, looking at the powerful performances given by the cast.
The Verdict
We certainly seem to have found our Tuesday favorite drama. The fact that ‘Badshah Begum’ isn’t your run-of-the-mill story and offers an insight on power and social and political norms of Piran Pur is something to watch out for. It’s been quite a long time for the Pakistani audience to have seen something different and exciting and for now, we seem to have ‘Badshah Begum’ to fill in our week long quota of an exciting watch.
ZEE5’s Zindagi original Mrs. & Mr. Shameem, set to premiere globally on 11th March seems to be different. Good different.
Cast And Plot
When I saw the trailer quite literally five minutes before penning this review, I felt a multitude of emotions. The Nauman Ejaz and Saba Qamar starring series, which has been directed by Kashif Nisar and written by Sajjad Gul, revolves around the complexities between love and friendship from a refreshingly queer lens.
An unconventional tale of affection, Mrs. and Mr. Shameem explores newer territories with a plot that unabashedly defies gender norms. Saba Qamar’s no-holds-barred Umaina, and Nauman Ejaz’s aforementioned gender-bending, albeit trope-subscribing Shameem pose as threats to the very fabric of the shows Pakistani television has been churning out as of late, with characters that have had their time in the limelight for far too long.
The “hero,” or lack of, comes to the rescue of the “heroine” who falls for an abusive man who embodies toxic masculinity, promising unconditional love of the purest kind in the form of unwavering support and friendship.
Addressing Gender Non-Conformity
Can it be argued that Nouman Ejaz’s effeminate portrayal of a non-gender conforming individual falls into a stereotypical gray area? Perhaps. However, is he convincing in that portrayal? If the trailer is to be believed, the answer might just be a resounding yes.
There is also room for critique with regards to hiring actors from the queer community to play the role. Without a shadow of a doubt, we’ve seen openly cis-gendered, heterosexual men play roles that tamper with the binary time and again and perhaps, in 2022, platforming queer voices internationally would have made for exceptional representation. In that aspect, therefore, audiences must settle for the status quo.
Does that mean Ejaz’s portrayal falls short? The brilliantly cut trailer would have one think otherwise.
A New Era Of Portrayal
As a newer era of locally made (but internationally platformed) web series ushers in, the curtains of censorship seem to be raised higher, with storytellers opting for narratives that are increasingly unique, and ardently needed. It is that very quality that Mrs. & Mr. Shameem possesses that has already made the show one to look out for, with a great deal of anticipation, and numerous expectations.
Joining the race for the coveted Eid festival slot, Director Wajahat Rauf – the man behind films with a high commercial quotient (such as the Karachi Se Lahore series and Chhalawa) has just dropped his latest offering, titled Parde Mein Rehne Do.
Touted as a social dramedy that tackles the rather serious issue of male infertility and how our society deals with it, the film might be a detour from what Wajahat Rauf has been doing to date. Unlike his earlier works, this trailer relies more on dramatic elements, and the issue at its core, rather than cheeky one-liners and heavily ornate choreographic sequences.
Cast And Plot
Parde Mein Rehne Do stars Hania Aamir – Pakistani TV and film’s well-known face – who is cast opposite the Parchi star, Ali Rehman Khan. They play a married couple that struggles to conceive and has to face multiple difficulties, including accepting medical issues faced by the male lead.
There are also tensions due to the ego of the male protagonist, as well as the traditional ideas of the patriarch – a role played by Javed Sheikh – who pressurizes his son and daughter-in-law, all the while insisting on having a male grand-child to continue their lineage.
Ali’s character then falls prey to various quacks who claim to solve his problem. Yet, instead of addressing the main issue, the couple starts encountering further seemingly grave problems that compromise the integrity of their marital life. The whole narrative seems to be peppered with situational jokes to make it look light-hearted.
There are, of course, the quintessential elements that make a Wajahat Rauf film truly his, such as song and dance sequences, an emotional groom that is shown to leave in the middle of a wedding ceremony, and of course, Yasir Hussain.
Challenging Social Stigmas
Although the makers seem to give away too much of the story from the trailer, the idea of infusing a genuine social issue like male infertility, in a light-hearted way, does make the film unique and relevant. The difficulties faced by a married couple, who fails to get pregnant, and the ensuing unnecessary social pressure by their acquaintances, regardless of their social and educational background, seems to be a promising premise that may just be well addressed in the film.
The couple not only faces pressure from their orthodox elders, but also the seemingly well-educated colleagues at work who have a tendency to unnecessarily stress the importance of having a child onto a distressed couple who want to move on from their dilemma.
It will be interesting to see how Wajahat Rauf treats the issue as a whole in the film since it requires a lot of nuances. From a social point of view, Parde Mein Rehne Do does appear to have substance and relevance. At the end of the day, it would be the content of the film that will decide its fate.
Written by Mohsin Ali and produced by Shazia Wajahat, Parde Mein Rehne Do, also stars Munazza Arif, Hasan Raza, Sadia Faisal, and Saifee Hasan, with music by Aashir Wajahat and Hassan Ali. It will be released across cinemas in Pakistan on Eid Ul Fitr.
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.
Source: Express Tribune
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.
Red carpets are always exhilarating. Inundated with the comings and goings of monumental names in the industry, such was the case on 24th February, 2022, where the trailer launch of the Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan starrer Dum Mastam took place. The ballroom at Karachi’s Pearl Continental was beginning to fill with members of the media at 6 PM, as they photographed people on the red carpet against the heavily ornamented media wall.
Amongst all this, the undeniably handsome Adnan Siddiqui was seen welcoming guests, giving interviews, and casually joking around. Dressed to the nines in all black, as the producer of the film, Siddiqui took charge of the event from the beginning till the end. This may be a biased opinion due to preexisting love for the man, but he did a phenomenal job.
Various stars were invited, and many showed up, sharing their thoughts about the film. Ushna Shah, Mohib Mirza, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Ashraf, and Behroze Sabzwari were just some of the names that were present. However, it was Humayun Saeed that stole the show, arriving right before the trailer aired, garnering an excited round of applause and hoots, as Sanam Jung, who was hosting the event, announced his arrival.
The trailer itself was met with a deafening round of applause, and was, in fact, played twice (albeit with sound tweaks – apparently, the base needed some fixing). Vibrant and vivacious, the trailer gives way to the belief that while the film tackles multiple aspects; love, fame, the path to success, and betrayal, it is, as Imran Ashraf (who looked dapper in a suit and spoke to everyone with great humility) himself also confirmed, an entertainer through and through.
“Entertainment has no class,” stated Imran Ashraf beautifully while tackling a query regarding the film.
Amar Khan, who has also written the film, spoke eloquently and with a lot of passion, while looking like the very picture of the same in a fiery red saari.
The fact that there are five impending mega releases all set to air on Eid did not go unaddressed. In fact, Adnan Siddiqui and Amar Khan even stated that equal love must be shown to all films, with the general population ensuring they support the arts after the pandemic thoroughly disrupted the industry and its inner workings for two years.
The collective viewing of the trailer – and those who asked questions with regards to the same – dispersed as Adnan announced that the adjacent hall had a variety of food laid out for all the guests.
As the crowd thinned, divided between press interviews of some of the cast, and those who went to eat, one thing was certain: the air was thick with anticipation and possibility, with everyone in awe of just how magnificent the trailer of Dum Mastam seemed.
As of now, we look towards its release to determine if the magnificence holds up, or whether the film exceeds all expectations, serving as a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Entering the premises of producer Rafay Rashdi’s house, one is greeted by the man himself. While a welcoming smile ornaments Rashdi’s visage at 7:15 PM – fifteen minutes past the allotted time for the curtain-raiser for his upcoming venture, Badshah Begum – the underlying apprehension of managing an ensemble cast seems to find its way to the surface every now and then. Truly, the cast of this upcoming drama – penned by Saji Gul, and directed by Khizer Idrees – seems to be as promising as it does stellar. However, one wonders if the mix of people works well off-screen as well.
Even by the end of the curtain-raiser, the jury may just remain out on that query.
As the Galaxy Lollywood team is seated in a room adjacent to one with inviting meals, a conversation about the age-old rivalry between the entertainment industry in Karachi and Lahore bleeds into frequent greetings by various members of the production itself.
Actresses Tania Hussain and Hibba Aziz are often spotted together at the event – dressed impeccably – with traces of polite grins on their faces.
Komal Meer, who plays Roshan Ara in Badshah Begum, strolls in at a certain point as well, donning a stunning saari (I told her then, and I’ll say it now – three hours in a saari, with heels – major props).
Filmmaker and media strategist, Shahzad Nawaz, is found conversing with Saji Gul, alongside other members of the media. Newcomers Hamza Sohail and Abul Hassan are periodically seen engaged in conversations, or preparing for their interviews as part of the press junket.
Amongst all this, Zara Noor Abbas, who plays Jehan Ara, walks into the room, meeting every individual, looking absolutely radiant in a black-and-white saari, complete with a gorgeous black blouse.
Though every social gathering may not necessarily need an ice breaker, the abrupt and sudden breaking of a lamp serves as one at this particular meet-up, and chirps of nervous laughter ring through the house. Despite this, the absence of actors Farhan Saeed, who plays Pir Shahzeb, and Yasir Hussain, who plays Pir Qaiser, remains a lingering question for an ample amount of time.
Regardless, ease seems to sew itself into the fabric of the night, and between all the banter, walks in Ali Rehman Khan, who plays Bakhtiar.
Badshah Begum has apparently been a work in progress for years. The perfect vision had to be realized, and despite a tussle behind the scenes with regards to its release and casting, the show is ready to air on March 1, 2022 on HUM TV, in the slot that belonged to the beloved Parizad.
Discussions with the cast shed more light on intimate details, with both Zara and Ali divulging information about the characters, including the character that they would have loved to play, had they not been roped in for their respective roles. Yasir Hussain’s Pir Qaiser, with its shades of gray, seems to be a common favorite.
Momin Ali Munshi begins the line of questioning with Ali Rehman Khan, digging deep for information about the role and the decision to align with the project itself. For Ali, the role of Bakhtiar seems to be an element that pulled him in for the project, where he states that he chose the role himself.
“I like Bakhtiar’s journey,” Ali explains. “He has a lot of shades, and the layers keep coming off and are applied back on. I think that is his strength.”
The generally tired line of questioning during such events takes a back seat as Momin provides Ali with a list of possible statements that actors utilize to justify working on a particular project. Instead, a preferential ranking method is used to better understand Ali’s decision. For the actor, the script drew him in first, followed by Khizer Idrees’ directorial craft. Rafay’s vision, the choice of role, and the HUM TV factor follow respectively.
Zara, who tries to ask Momin beforehand about potential questions that can be asked, seems to be indecisive about wanting to be asked intelligent queries, or fun ones. However, when it comes down to the discussion, she parks herself in front of a table laden with food, leans against it, and answers each question in a seamless flow.
When asked about how difficult it was to portray a character as unabashed, with nerves of steel, as Jehan Ara’s, Zara laughs and states that it wasn’t too far difficult, to begin with.
“It was not very difficult,” Zara begins to explain, “because I love the entire thing with the dagger and the guns.”
“Mujhe hamesha se bohot shauq tha action karne ka, par action toh nahi zyada kar sakti,” she states with a chuckle. “However, I thought, this is the closest to action that I will ever get – probably right now.”
Talking about the experience, Zara mentions that “work didn’t feel like work,” with her being particularly close-knit with Komal – whom she refers to as her child – and Hamza, in whom she sees a brother.
Momin asks her whether it was difficult playing a character as gray as Jehan Ara, where, in the past, the roles have been more in line with the aura built around the conventional, good woman that many would argue is a worn-out trope. Zara seems to agree, as she states that she was able to portray Jehan Ara due to the fact that she, herself, does not find those purely white characters convincing.
“She’s cuckoo in the head,” Zara states about Jehan Ara, as Momin laughs.
“Sometimes, she does the right thing. Sometimes she does the wrong thing. And sometimes, she doesn’t regret doing the wrong thing,” reveals Zara with a latent smirk.
Tackling the question about ranking the various aspects that led to her playing Jehan Ara, Zara is candid about her preferences. She ranks her role as the first thing that drew her in. Solid script, and Khizer Idrees’ direction are ranked second and third respectively, with Rafay Rashdi’s vision and the HUM TV factor following.
As Zara urges people to watch the drama when it airs, the conversation comes to a close. The air is fraught with equal parts excitement and anticipation, as members of the team wonder out loud about the eventual fate of the show and its reception.
Rafay seems braced for critique, joking about potential headlines with members of the press. However, despite all individuals in his home carrying the weight of varying, diverse opinions, there seems to be a collective agreement on the fact that, if nothing else, Badshah Begum is different.
Perhaps, it is that very element that eventually makes all the difference in the long run. If one is to hope for the best, perhaps Badshah Begum sends reverberations down the spine of the industry, shaking things up for the better. The only way to know with certainty is to experience the show, and as March 1 inches closer, the answer seems to linger on a horizon riddled with possibilities.
Mohib Mirza’s long directorial debut ‘Ishrat Made In China’ just dropped its trailer and we have to say it’s impressively done.
Based on the classic comedy series from 2006, “Ishrat Baji” , The film was announced in 2019. It had to face multiple delays due to certain inevitable reasons. Last year, the release of the first look of this much-anticipated film was followed by a long lull period where no news on the film was heard. But now, thankfully the makers have not only released a full length trailer but also announced a release date, that too a non-eid one! So much to rejoice for Mohib Mirza’s fans and Pakistani Cinema lovers.
‘Ishrat Made In China’ Trailer
Coming to the trailer, the film not only marks the directorial debut of actor Mohib Mirza, but also his return to play the main protagonist in a film. He was last seen in Shaan Shahid’s ‘Arth’ in a supporting role.
The two and half minute promotional video depicts the main protagonist Ishrat’s journey from the streets of Karachi to the dark underworld of China( although the film was extensively shot in Thailand, with technicians and action choreographer’s employed from there).
The trailer gives strong ‘Teefa In Trouble’ vibes where a struggling young man from the streets of a big city, trying to make it big, accidentally travels abroad, meets the bad guys and a hot chick, fights the bad guys and ultimately turns victorious.
From the trailer, ‘Ishrat Made In China’ looks like the Teefa of karachi. That’s not to say the film may not have its own identity for it’s just a trailer that we are seeing right now. The clip offers some gorgeous cinematography, fight sequences with a lot of punches flying around and some ornately done dance numbers.
We see Sanam Saeed in bright fun colored shalwar kameez as the love interest of Ishrat. There are fresh faces like HSY, with his intense look, Shamoon Abbasi playing the mentor to Ishrat apparently helping him rise again. Sara Loren adds to the glam factor and a host of supporting cast including Maani, Nayyar Ijaz, Ali Kazmi and Laila Wasti to name a few, contribute to the variety the film promises to offer.
Mohib is seen in a completely new avatar with a chiseled body and some kickass action sequences.
The Verdict
‘Ishrat Made In China’s ‘trailer is more of a visual affair rather than relying on dialogues and songs as we don’t see many included in the trailer. The trailer gives an impression of a fast paced screenplay as it moves from one to another starkly different settings. The film looks like a potpourri of humour, romance and confrontation between the good and evil, where the good prevails in the end.
As a whole this is a well cut trailer which impresses with its “wow moments”. The credit graphics could have been better though as they don’t seem to sync with the overall mood of the film.
The film is written by Ahsan Raza Firdousi while Mohib Mirza has done the screenplay.
With a release date just around the corner (3rd march) ‘Ishrat Made In China’, definitely appears to be the first biggie of 2022 and an entertaining film to look out for.
