KARACHI: The number may be small, but the fact that three Pakistani films will hit cinema screens on Eidul Azha goes to show that movies are now being made in the country with a reasonable degree of consistency. This Eidul Fitr, too, three new films were released. It is a good sign, make no mistake about it. If producers and directors keep coming up with such projects and in certain cases start taking risks both in terms of putting in money and out-of-thebox storylines on a regular basis, the quality of the art of filmmaking will improve appreciably.
The films that are set to entertain cinegoers on Eidul Azha are Zombeid directed by Nabeel Qureshi, Psycho helmed by Shaan Shahid, and Luv Di Saun with ImranMalil(in the director’s chair.
Zombeid, starring Fahad Mustafa and Mehwish Hayat, is as the title suggests being projected as Pakistan’s first zombie thriller. Given the director’s good track record of making interesting films savefor one or two occasions where he has faltered it is expected that the movie will prove to be a distinct cinematic experience for lovers of cinema.
Psycho’s trailer and teaser launch recently at a hotel in Karachi was appreci-ated by those who attended the event. With Shaan, Meera, Javed Sheikh, Shabbir Jan and Sonya Hussyn in the cast, it promises to have an engaging story because it focuses on the ‘mental conflicts’ of its protagonists.Farhan Saeed and Mamya Shajaffar will essay the lead roles in Luv Di Saun. The film has a heavy romance quotient and was, apparently, in the mal(ing for a few years. Saeed’s presence who is a singer as well means audiences are in for a musical treat.
As far as the Hollywood material that’s on view on Eidul Azha is concerned, one needs to mention Michael, the biopic of the king of pop Michael Jacl(son that premiered on April 24. It has thus far collected $789 million worldwide. Despite running for more than a month in cinema houses in Pal(istan, it will be there alongside the new local releases.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, its cast includes Jaafar Jackson (Michael Jackson’s nephew who plays his famous uncle in the film), Colman Domingo, Nia Long and Miles Teller. The project holds the record for the biggest opening for a biopic by ral(ing in $217.4m globally.
Pakistani audiences, lil(e cinema lovers all across the globe, have watched, and are still watching, the movie with a great deal of admiration.