KARACHI: Movie buffs in Pakistan will have a variety of movie options this Eid Al-Adha as local cinemas gear up for the release of multiple Pakistani films during the festive season.
Here are five films releasing in cinemas across Pakistan over the Eid holidays:
A still from the trailer of upcoming Pakistani stereoscopic 3D animated feature film "Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God." (Photo courtesy: @3rdWorldStudios/YouTube)
Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God
Pakistan’s first stereoscopic 3D animated film, Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God, is a sequel to the critically acclaimed animated film, Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor (2018).
“The theme for this one is the environment, keeping in trend with the prequel that explored the theme of wildlife conservation,” writer, director, and producer Uzair Zaheer Khan told Arab News in an interview earlier this year.
According to Khan, the upcoming film focuses on climate change and clean renewable energy while stressing the importance of trees and forests for a better, greener future.
The movie follows the life of Allahyar, a young boy from Pakistan’s northern areas, who travels to a new world with his best friend to rescue his father from a race of ruthless wood-poaching robots.
The ensemble cast for the voiceover includes Humayun Saeed, Ali Zafar, Iqra Aziz and Bushra Ansari, among others.
Mehwish Hayat and Wahaj Ali in a still from Nadeem Baig's film Aik Sau Taeeswan in "Teri Meri Kahaniyaan" releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023. (Photo: See Prime)
Teri Meri Kahaniyaan
Teri Meri Kahaniyaan is a multi-director anthology feature film that features an ensemble cast including Wahaj Ali, Mehwish Hayat, and Sheheryar Munawar. The movie comprises three separate storylines exploring the theme of romance. The three films, Aik Sau Taeeswan, Jin Mahal, and Pasoori, are directed by Nadeem Baig, Nabeel Qureshi, and Marina Khan, respectively.
Combining three films together, Qureshi said, was an "experiment".
"It's a horror comedy. It's different. It's an experiment with an unusual treatment which I hope people find interesting ... It is intriguing to combine three films as one. If this works, other [filmmakers] would also like to follow suit,” Qureshi told Arab News.
“I am very hopeful as the three films are very different from each other. In two hours, people will like at least one of the films as opposed to being disappointed by two-hour-long films at the end."
He added that all three films had a different cast and it would be interesting to get their respective fans watch the film.
“Every time Nadeem [Baig] and I have a face-off. But this time, we are coming together for one film so that's an interesting element."
In a press statement, fellow director Baig said, “With Teri Meri Kahaniyaan, we have worked towards a first-of-its-kind anthology with such varying directors and performers. This film will undoubtedly be a creative masterpiece enjoyed by all."
Shahroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf in a still from their upcoming film "Babylicious". (Photo courtesy: YouTube/babyliciousmovie)
Babylicious
Featuring former real-life celebrity couple Shahroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf, Babylicious, in the words of its writer, director, and co-producer Essa Khan, is a “fun, date movie set in a super affluent Pakistani neverland where college students drive fancy new cars, have top brand wardrobes and lavish weddings.”
“If you really want to feel happy and sad at the same time, watch Babylicious,” Sabzwari, who plays the role of college student Omar told Arab News in an interview earlier this month:
“If you want to cry a little and then get excited and jump on your seat, then watch Babylicious. Otherwise, you can watch other films also.”
Yousuf, who plays the role of Omar’s college sweetheart Sabiha, said, “Babylicious portrays romance in an old school manner and is very different than what love means in today’s time.”
The movie had been in the works since 2017 but faced several delays and was shot in Karachi, Nawabshah, and Bahrain over the span of five years.
Actor Ibad Alam Sher as Haris in a still from Madaari releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023. (Photo courtesy: Kumail Syed)
Madaari
Madaari, according to co-writer, director, and co-producer Seraj Us Salikin, is a “crime drama” set in Karachi in 2008.
“It explores the dichotomy of the justice system in the gritty city of Karachi in a way we have never seen in Pakistani cinema,” he told Arab News.
The film, said Salikin, follows the life of Haris who hasn't had an easy life since his father was murdered in a political rift. “The only luck he gets is at his father's killer's office. What would he choose? Revenge or a better life?" Salikin said.
Shooting for Madaari started in 2019 but came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The second spell began in 2021. The reason it is releasing now, said Salikin, was because it was an independent film, and “self-financing” took longer to execute.
The film features talented theatre actors, including Ibad Alam Sher, Paras Masroor, Hammad Siddiq, Ahmer Hussain, and Tanveer Gill. It has been co-written by Ali Rizvi who also co-produced it, in addition to Salikin and Ammar Alee Danish.
Zach, who plays the lead role in the film, in a still from VIP releasing on Eid ul Adha 2023 (Photo: Xpose Films)
VIP
“VIP addresses social issues in a very light and comedic way that is relatable for every common man who faces them on a daily basis. There is romance as well as a special surprise for children,” director Rana Kamran told Arab News.
Kamran, who is making his feature film debut as a director with VIP, said the film is a “pure family package with a beautiful story":
“It will mesmerize the audience [on Eid] with its cinematography, magical acting by experienced actors, and soulful music.”
The ensemble cast includes fresh onscreen couple Zach and Namra Shahid, Mohammed Ehteshamuddin, Saleem Mairaj, Saife Hassan, Gul e Rana, and Danish Nawaz, among others.
