Three Pakistani movies stood out in 2014

[Saifullah Sani]

Three Pakistani movies stood out in 2014:

Na Maloom Afraad

A comic caper, reminiscent of Hera Pheri, Na Maloom Afraad is arguably the best Pakistani film of the year. These are Karachi’s na maloom afraads as you’ve never seen them before.

Full of thrills, spills and glorious one-liners, the film treats Karachi’s volatility with a light hand. The film is full of excellent performances, particularly those from Javed Sheikh and Mohsin Abbas Haider.

From the madcap chases to Mehwish Hayat’s item number “Billi”, the film packs in plenty of entertainment.

Although the editing could have been a tad tighter, Na Maloom Afraad is well-made, witty and impresses on many levels.

O21

The film’s trailer made it look like Pakistan’s answer to Mission Impossible but O21 was never meant to be an out-and-out action thriller. Told from four different points of view, O21 is an intelligent exploration of allegiances and motivations within espionage.

O21 is remarkable for its first-rate cinematography and outstanding action scenes, but ultimately the film was over ambitious. Its grand theme is somewhat lost in the not-so-perfect editing and an ill-defined plot. This may be due to the change in directors midway through production.

O21 is not quite the film it could have been despite stunning visuals, good performances and an exceptional score.

Dukhtar

Dukhtar is the tale of a former child bride who flees her village to avoid a similar fate for her daughter.

The harrowing subject may have put off audiences looking for escapist cinema, but Dukhtar is a pacy, well-made thriller that tackles a difficult subject well.

Samiya Mumtaz’s performance as mother Allah Rakhi is extraordinary — nuanced and subtle.

The film benefits from an excellent soundtrack and the beautiful visuals once again show how far film production values have come in Pakistan.

Exemplary cinematography makes the most of the breathtaking scenery of northern Pakistan, which forms the backdrop for the majority of the film.

Dukhtar highlights the plight of women caught in the trap of child marriage without preachy dialogue. It is film engrossed with suspense and carries twists with a heartwarming bond between the mother and daughter at the centre of it all.


2014: A good year for Pakistani TV and cinema - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Once the steam and momentum are picked up, it will only get better Inshallah

I dream for Pakistan to become a hub for sensational movie hits. Something along the lines of Iranian movie industry. Movies with great storylines and good message behind them.

 

[Kompromat]

Pakistani movies leave Indian movies behind in ingenuity and script. We just need good infrastructure of cinemas and production houses. Ban all Indian media for good, give breathing space to your own media and let them take full benefits of a 200 million strong market.

 

[Kloitra]

Pakistani movies leave Indian movies behind in ingenuity and script. We just need good infrastructure of cinemas and production houses. Ban all Indian media for good, give breathing space to your own media and let them take full benefits of a 200 million strong market.

There are dozens of good Indian movies, unfortunately they don't get audience. Several low budget, without stars movies go unnoticed, despite good script, direction and acting. It is not the fault of film-makers that public love those cheesy, cliche films. They serve whats eaten.

 

[xyxmt]

Everytime I see Shaan, he is better than before...this guy is world class actor.

 

[jamahir]

to Mehwish Hayat’s item number

this is mehwish hayat... she is lovely... she has the proper rounded south-asian/desi features, as against the sharp-featured aryan look found in many modern pakistani actresses and models that i have seen on pdf and other places.

desi beauty... lovely...

 

[Ragnar]

Will definitely watch Na Maloom Afraad. I like light comedies- like PG Wodehouse books.

 

[Kabira]

this is mehwish hayat... she is lovely... she has the proper rounded south-asian/desi features, as against the sharp-featured aryan look found in many modern pakistani actresses and models that i have seen on pdf and other places.

V

desi beauty... lovely...

She obviously have non-Indian look.

Desi beuty as you described with round face look like this.

 

[Al-zakir]

I'm gonna watch O21.

dance and song should go away from movie. It's pure stupid.

 

[jamahir]

She obviously have non-Indian look.

if that really is mehwish hayat then she looks sharp-boned and different to you because she is thin in this photo and the photo is of bad quality... let her become chubby and she will look like in the earlier photo i posted.

what do you say of the below actress from india, shafaq naaz...

 

[Kabira]

if that really is mehwish hayat then she looks sharp-boned and different to you because she is thin in this photo and the photo is of bad quality... let her become chubby and she will look like in the earlier photo i posted.

what do you say of the below actress from india, shafaq naaz...

You can google more photos of Hayat, she does not have desi look at all. Her shape will not change with chubby face. The girl you posted indeed look like desi beauty.

 

[Winchester]

Ban all Indian media for good, give breathing space to your own media and let them take full benefits of a 200 million strong market.

not their movies for now
multiplexes are being built left right and center mostly due to the demand for that bollywood crap
this in turn is giving investors confidence to invest in making films knowing they can get the returns

 

[jamahir]

You can google more photos of Hayat, she does not have desi look at all. Her shape will not change with chubby face. The girl you posted indeed look like desi beauty.

well, i liked hayat in the photo i posted... whatever her type of beauty ( desi or otherwise ), she should become chubby, she will look even more lovely.

 

[Judge]

Pakistani movies leave Indian movies behind in ingenuity and script. We just need good infrastructure of cinemas and production houses. Ban all Indian media for good, give breathing space to your own media and let them take full benefits of a 200 million strong market.

Another one of Pakistani wishes that make them feel good about themselves but has no basis in reality.

India has dozens of great movies each year that don't get the high audience because the Masala movies take away the budgets, spending capacity, and eyeballs of the audience.

Everything has a role and a segment. The only reason Pakistan is producing these kinds of movies is simply because Pakistan cannot compete with Masala movie segment of India financially. The reason why European movies tend to focus on different issues and off-the-track subjects instead of mass movies because those kinds of movies are covered by Hollywood and European studios cannot match the spending power/marketing of Hollywood and therefore cannot compete in that segment.

So to make money they produce those 'better' movies.
The same way Indian 'better' movies dont get screened much but all you have to do to see them is go to Indian film festivals(note: not film awards where masala movies dominate) where they bag awards.

Its like I have to explain Marketing and Economics 101 to teenagers. Couple that with the Pakistani desire to showcase themselves as better despite knowing that they are worse in literally everything.

 

[Kompromat]

Another one of Pakistani wishes that make them feel good about themselves but has no basis in reality.

India has dozens of great movies each year that don't get the high audience because the Masala movies take away the budgets, spending capacity, and eyeballs of the audience.

Everything has a role and a segment. The only reason Pakistan is producing these kinds of movies is simply because Pakistan cannot compete with Masala movie segment of India financially. The reason why European movies tend to focus on different issues and off-the-track subjects instead of mass movies because those kinds of movies are covered by Hollywood and European studios cannot match the spending power/marketing of Hollywood and therefore cannot compete in that segment.

So to make money they produce those 'better' movies.
The same way Indian 'better' movies dont get screened much but all you have to do to see them is go to Indian film festivals(note: not film awards where masala movies dominate) where they bag awards.

Its like I have to explain Marketing and Economics 101 to teenagers. Couple that with the Pakistani desire to showcase themselves as better despite knowing that they are worse in literally everything.

Indian movies represent a mindset that is understood by Indians. Pakistani movies like Khuda Kay Liye, WAAR, Na Maloom Afraad and Dukhtar are ground breaking topics which resonate with Pakistani mentality. Indian media has to be totally banned in Pakistan in order to give space to our own media. Pakistan must build its own cinema and resurrect the quality we once had.