The Pakistani film industry had came in to birth in 1896, and since then it has played a vital role in revolutionizing the overall entertainment factor in Pakistan. Cinema of Pakistan was termed as “Lollywood”, and this term was first coined by Saleem Nasir, who used to write for the now defunct magazine called “Glamour”. After the partition era, the Pakistani film industry began to dip down as most of the skillful and talented actors/directors migrated to India.
However, with such legendary personalities like Noor Jehan, Ahmed Rushdi, Waheed Murad, Zeba, and Nadeem, the Pakistani film industry recovered in to the Golden Age era, where the nation’s film industry started to dominate once again. Such was the promising background of the Pakistani film industry, but now a days the entire film industry is progressing nothing because of the low-budget movies and the heavy fan-base of Indian cinema.
2010 was the worst year ever in the history of the Cinema of Pakistan because only seven movies managed to release, and six of them failed big time, discouraging the fans of the Pakistani film industry. 2011 seems to be a nice year though, as some of the anxiously awaited movies are scheduled to be released. 14 movies are in queue to get released in 2011, and each one of them looks interesting to say the least.
Lets take a look on movies that are ready/scheduled to release:
1. Slackistan – Big Upstairs Films
Genre: Comedy/DramaTrailer: Check out the trailer below
Slackistan is an independent-comedy/drama film directed by Hammad Khan, a London-based film maker. It stars Shahbaz Shigri, Aisha Akhtar, Ali Rehman, Shahana Khalil, Osman Butt, Khalid Saeed, and Rafey Alam. This movie revolves around the character of Hasan, who doesn’t take his life seriously, and flirts with his filmmaking dreams, as well as secret crush Aisha, and it also shows how Hasan gets trapped in the political environment of Pakistan.
Slackistan shows the entire vision of Pakistan and its corrupted environment [created by the politics], which could be the main reason that the censor board has banned this movie to be released in Pakistan.
2. Bhai Log
Genre: Action/Romance
Trailer: Check out the trailer below
The cast of this action/romance movie features Moammar Rana – son of Shafqat Rana, a former Pakistani cricketer. Saima Noor, Nadeem Baig, Javed Shaikh, Noor, Babar Ali, Meera, and Shamoon Abbasi are the other cast involved in the movie. The movie is being directed by Syed Faisal Bukhari, and the plot revolves around the underworld life and terrorism in Karachi, which might not look refreshing because the topic of “underworld” and “terrorism” has been frequently in every nation’s film industry. Bhai Log is scheduled to release on Eid-ul-Fitr 2011, and the film’s success would be interesting to look at because of the competition in the Pakistani film industry in 2011.
3. Love Mein Ghum
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Romance
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Love Mein Ghum is directed and produced by Reema Khan – one of Pakistan’s most famous actresses and now a director. The movie cast includes the famous actress itself, Moammar Rana, Nabeel Khan, Araida, Ali Saleem (Beghum Nawazish), Nadeem, Javed Shaikh, and Bollywood’s great comedian Johnny Lever. According to Reema Khan, Love Mein Ghum is going to be the most expensive movie ever released or made in Pakistani film industry. The storyline hasn’t been disclosed as the director Reema wants to keep it as a secret, and the trailer would be released just before the release of the film. The music of the film is composed by Arshad Mehmood, and the singers include Pakistan’s sensation Ali Zafar, who has sung the title song of the movie, and Abrar-ul-Haq.
4. Son of Pakistan – New Vision Productions
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Romance
Trailer: Check out the trailer below
Son of Pakistan is written and directed by Jarar Rizvi, and the movie itself was scheduled for a release on 23rd of March, 2011. But due to world cup it has been delayed further. “Son of Pakistan” – the title sounds unique, but will the movie hold on to its hype is the main question. Sana, Babar Ali, Meera, Shamil Khan, Laila, Bubrik Shah, Ghulam Mohiuddin, and newcomer Alam star in the lead roles. According to the director Jarar Rizvi, Son of Pakistan will represent Pakistan’s image towards the entire world that the people of Pakistan are peace loving.
5. Bol – ShowMan’s Productions
Genre: Drama/Romance
Trailer: Check out the trailer below
Bol is written, directed, and produced by Shoaib Mansoor. ShoMan, as he likes to call himself, was the great man behind the concept of Fifty Fifty – a great comedy show during the early 1980s that used to air on PTV, and the highly appreciated 2007 movie Khuda Kay Liye. Cast of Bol includes nation’s heartthrob Atif Aslam, Humaima Abbasi, Mahira Khan, and Iman Ali in lead roles. Bol is about the problems suffered between Sunnis and Shias, but however, Atif Aslam, in an interview, has said that “it’s a film that is being made for a good cause”. Bol is expected to be released on 20th of May 2011, and it’s by far the most anticipated movie of the year.
6. Tamanna
Genre: Drama/Mystery
Trailer: released, watch below:
Tamanna is an upcoming Lollywood film directed by British-director Steven John Moore and produced by Sarah Tareen, who has also worked with Shoaib Mansoor for his blockbuster hit “Khuda Kay Liye”. The cast includes nation’s internationally acclaimed actors such as Salman Shahid, Faryal Goher, and Omair Rana. The music of the film has been composed by the legendary maestro of Pakistan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. According to the producer Sarah Tareen, their intention is to take this film in to the international standards, and probably revive Pakistani film industry from the slump. The movie tells us the story about class snobbery, adultery, and ego, and it is releasing in April 2011.
7. Saltanat
Genre: Action/Romance
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Syed Faisal Bukhari is the director behind this movie, and it will be his second venture this year, after the much-anticipated Bhai Log. Ahsan Khan, Javeria Abbasi, Javed Sheikh, Akashdeep Saighal, Shweta Tiwari, Mustafa Qureshi, and Monna Laizza, who made her Bollywood debut in the movie Kajraare alongside Himmesh Reshammiya, are the main leads in this film. Just like Bhai Log, Saltanat’s plot [underworld] and genre [action/romance] is same, and one would think that the director Syed Faisal Bukhari probably loves the idea of showing the lives of gangsters involved in the underworld. The movie is scheduled for a release in the midst of March and July 2011.
8. Victim
Genre: Drama/Romance
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Victim is an upcoming Lollywood film directed by Aamir Zafar, and it would be based upon the post 9/11 dramatic-political situation of the entire world. The topic of 9/11 has been used so many times across the globe but it would be interesting to see how the director Aamir Zafar tackles with this subject. Cast of the movie includes the much-liked Humayun Saeed and the controversial Meera in the lead roles. Wajahat Abbas Kazmi, Umar Wahidi and Ehtisham Siddiqui are the co-producers of Victim.
9. Chup – Lux Productions
Genre: Drama
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Chup is a movie which has been directed by the nation’s most-loved artist/actor, Shaan. The film features Juggan Kazim, Vaneeza Ahmad, and Resham, who will be doing an “item number”. Zeb and Haniya, who were seen performing at Coke Studio, will be composing the music for the film with some newcomers. Chup is written by Mashal Peerzada, and it will be distributed by Lux Productions.
10. Kolachi
Genre: Action/Drama/Science-fiction
Trailer: Click here
Kolachi is an upcoming science-fiction movie that is being directed by Mansoor Mujahid. It will be Pakistan’s first ever movie with CGI effects and it is being produced by Bodhicitta Works in association with Inverse Studios. The trailer of this movie looks intriguing, and this movie could well give an opportunity to revive the Cinema of Pakistan, to say the least. Cast of the movie includes Shahroz Subzwari, Moiz Badshah, Mehar Jaffri, Hisham Aziz, Saqib Khan, Behroz Subzwari, and Fawad Khan.
You can know here : Everything you want to know about KOLACHI
10. Daag
Genre: Drama/Social
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Daag is an upcoming Lollywood biographical drama film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, which stars Humayun Saeed in the main lead. The Express Tribune earlier reported that Daag’s story was fictional, but according to the actor and producer Humayun Saeed, Daag is based on the real-life story of a rape victim. The innocent-looking Juggan Kazim was supposed to play the lead role, opposite Saeed, but the news is that the creative director Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafique are now looking out for a newcomer. Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Nouman Javaid will sing for this movie, and it makes the film even more interesting.
11. GIDHGenre: Action/Romance
Trailer: *hasn’t been released as of yet*
Shamoon Abbasi is the director of GIDH, while J.A.R Productions & Shaam Films are the producer, and this movie is likely to be released in September this year. Cast of the movie includes Aisha Khan, Humayun Saeed, Mona Laizza, Syed Jibran, and Shoaib Khalid. Music of GIDH is composed by Saaji, and the music direction has been given by Kamran Akhtam, who was also the music director for Bollywood movie Jannat.
12. Price of HonourGenre: Action/Romance
Trailer: Check out the trailer below
Price of Honour is a much-awaited film by the director Syed Noor. The film takes a reflective look at honour killings in Pakistan, and the cast includes newcomers Atif Naveed, Rakshi, and Danyal. These newcomers were chosen from a talent hunt show that ran on a private television channel, where the judge was the director Noor himself. The movie was supposed to be releasing in July 2010, but it got delayed due to some unforeseen circumstances. It is being termed as the first film in parallel cinema in Pakistan, and it will be releasing worldwide.
13. Freedom Sound
Genre: Fiction/Drama
Trailer: Check out the trailer below
Freedom Sound is an upcoming Lollywood film which is being produced by Sehban Zaidi and directed by Nadir Hussain Shah and Sehban Zaidi. Lucid Studios has done the effort of providing the visual effects for the film, and the cast includes Adeel Hussain, Mehreen Raheel, and Raza Hyder. The film is set 30 years in the future, and it tells the story of a man who sees Pakistan is now under the command of a powerful leader.
14. Waar – Warner Bros Productions
Genre: Action/Drama/Thriller
Trailer: http://mindworksmedia.org/
Waar is a movie that is being directed by Bilal Lashari, who has worked with Atif Aslam, Jal, Mekaal Hassan Band, Jal, Entity Paradigm. Actor Shaan Shahid, Shamoon Abbasi, and newcomer Sadia Khan are a part of this full-length feature film which is said to be releasing by Warner Bros. According to IMDB, the film is expected to have a whooping budget of $2,000,000 (PKR: 17 crores/170 million). Waar revolves around the concept of the on-going “war on terrorism” and this movie is scheduled for a summer 2011 release.
Final Words
With films like Bol, Kolachi, Daag, Freedom Sound, Tamanna and Slackistan – the future of the Pakistan Cinema looks on the safer side, but will they be able to decide their fate or success at the Box Office is a question that’ll remain to be answered. After a bizarre last year, Pakistani film industry will be banking on some huge upcoming movies, which are all set to revive the future of the Cinema of Pakistan.
Concept, Idea & Edited by Danish Mughal
Implemented & authored by Hataf Siyal
Graphiics & Content Managing Support by Ata Shaikh
