Friday 25 March 2016

‘Hijrat’ to release on April 22

KARACHI: Farouq Mengal’s Hijrat has had a bit of a topsy-turvy life cycle. From lengthy pre and post-production phases to rumours of rifts within the crew, the film has seen it all. However, it is now finally ready to be released on to the silver screen.
Initially expected to open in January earlier this year, Hijrat will now be releasing on April 22, confirmed Hum Films President Badar Ikram. Although unwilling to pinpoint a particular reason for the film’s delay, Ikram explained that the postponement was a result of a multitude of factors, ranging from post-production to finding a suitable window. “Right now, there is the small issue of the World T20 taking place. Following its completion, Maalik releases on April 8, which will be succeeded by Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan on April 15,” he said. “After that,Hijrat will hit cinemas,” Ikram told The Express Tribune.
Ikram added that, unlike its contemporaries, Hijrat has been shot on film rather than digital, which lengthened the post-production process further. “Unfortunately, there aren’t any digital conversion labs in Pakistan. We had to take the negatives to Bangkok, Thailand, to have them converted,” he explained.
The romantic drama — which has been shot on multiple locations such as Quetta and Turkey — will feature an ensemble cast with a mix of seasoned and new actors. Asad Zaman, Rabia Butt, Nadeem Baig, Salma Agha and Ayub Khosa are all part of the project. Hijrat will also mark the feature film directorial debut for Mengal. In an earlier conversation, the film-maker spoke about his decision to cast new actors, Butt and Zaman, in the lead role. “I have always worked with new people, even in my television serials. The best part about working with newcomers is that I can mould them into my own style,” he explained. “So, if they are praised, we share the credit but if they are criticised, I take the blame up front.”
The soundtrack for the film has been composed by Sahir Ali Bagga.

Iman Ali and Fahad Mustafa sizzle on screen

After a long wait, Anjum Shehzad’s Mah-e-Mir‘s release date has finally been revealed, along with its trailer.
The movie, which is based on the life and works of Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, stars film and television actors Fahad Mustafa, Sanam Saeed, Iman Ali, Alyy Khan and Mazhar Sehbai.
Mah-e-Mir, meaning the promiscuous moon, is a story that follows the struggle of a contemporary poet and draws parallels with events in Mir’s life.
His conflict with the royal court, his romance with a courtesan, his ideals of bringing Urdu poetry to the people in the streets and his eventual madness under a full moon — all reflected in his poetry.
Anjum Shehzad, the director of the film, told Roznama Express that he had decided to cast Iman for the role of Mehtab in the upcoming movie after seeing her essay the role of a courtesan effortlessly in the 2011 movie Bol.
In an earlier interview, director Anjum Shehzad had praised the performance of the entire cast terming Iman Ali’s performance in the film as one to watch out for. “She has delivered a memorable performance. This will be a landmark film in her career, a movie which shall be appreciated by cinemagoers,” he said.
 The film features Manzar Sehbai as Dr Kareem, Fahad Mustafa as the lead character Jamal, Iman Ali as Mahtab, Sanam Saeed as Naina Kanwal, and Alyy Khan as Nawab Sahab.

The movie also has five songs knitted in the script, which are penned by veteran writer and director Sarmad Sehbai. This will be Sarmad Sehbai’s cinematic premiere.
The first trailer for the movie was released in mid-2014. Produced by Badar Ikram and Khurram Shahzad, the trailer in itself is a visual masterpiece.