'Zinda Bhaag' receives an exceptional response in Toronto

TORONTO: Pakistani film Zinda Bhaag held it's world premiere at Canada's largest South Asian Festival, Mosaic 2013 which is visited by around 70,000 people from all over Canada each year.

“We are so proud to have hosted the World Premiere of Zinda Bhaag, I have seen nothing as good as this film from all of South Asia in a very long time.”

said Arshad Khan, festival director.

“Such films come around only once in a lifetime.”

Zinda Bhaag was the first choice from amongst hundreds of entries to be the Opening Night film of the prestigious festival.

The show was sold out in a record time and played to a jam packed house at the grand Empire Cinema in Mississauga, Toronto.

“The reaction from the audience has been incredible”, said Mazhar Zaidi, the producer of the film.

“The entire hall was responding to each and every dialogue of the film. It’s an experience every filmmaker dreams of.”

Addressing the audience after the screening, Shireen Pasha, Pakistan’s renowned filmmaker said,

“I just want to tell everyone that we have taken part in the making of history, because the film we have just witnessed shall be given credit for changing the course of Pakistani cinema.”

The audience reactions seemed to echo this.

“I laughed, I cried, what can I say, the film completely blew me away”, said Maria, a student.

“Naseerudin Shah is great as a Punjabi speaking thug”, said Amir, an audience member, “The performances are so natural that after a while I forgot I was watching a film.”

“The music is out of this world, I loved Rahat Fateh’s Qawwali the most”, gushed Arun, who had come to watch the film with his entire family, “I’m going to get the whole album from iTunes.”

Speaking on a phone from Karachi, Zinda Bhaag’s director duo Meenu & Farjad said, “The overwhelming response of Canadian audiences has given us immense confidence. The World Premiere is dedicated to Team Zinda Bhaag who worked day and night for the success of this film.”