As somebody has penned it down perfectly, what can one expect when you have an emerging director, two television actors (known for their non-commercial work) and a budget kept at a low key. And that too when a masala film is being made. With all due respect – nothing at all! One highly anticipated film, Bachaana, however, had all of what I had listed above. But still came out as a true winner. And here I speak about what makes it one of the best films in Pakistan, that has came out in a long time!
The plot is nothing groundbreaking but keeps you glued to the seats!
The film’s plot basically revolves around an Indian couple, Alia (Sanam Saeed) and Jahangir (Adeel Hashmi) who come to Mauritius and meet a Pakistani originated taxi driver called Waqas aka Vicky (Mohib Mirza). And how this fun romantic comedy turns into a thriller is all what Bachaana is about. Despite having a very simple yet unsubstantial plot outline, the film has been kept at a very fast pace. You never feel off-track or loose interest. Some scenes might be uncalled for, but still makes a fun watch.
The best part about the shaping up of the story was that the girl wasn’t your ultimate bechari. She might be the usual damsel in distress, but (spoilers) she actually ends up saving the hero when he’s captured by the bad guys in the woods! It also highlights the India-Pakistan topic in a very light and optimistic manner. Even when we speak of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, it painted Pakistanis in a very noncooperative way. Whereas Bachaana is a journey of humanity and standing up for what’s right and wrong.
The script is crisp and has brilliant one liners!
The script has been very well written by Saad Azhar. The comic timing of the actors is a bit off, but that surely doesn’t take away the fact that it was purely an entertainer. It didn’t pretend to be anything else, more like Aamir Khan and Salman Khan starrer Andaaz Apna Apna (though there are no similarities in the plots). Some dialogues got me laughing like anything, and I totally ignored the fact that people in the row above were constantly staring. Some scenes where you are sure what will happen next, something completely opposite takes place. Pakistan is undoubtably short of quality writers, and I think we just found somebody beyond our expectations.
The direction and cinematography is spell-binding!
Nasir Khan (the director) is one very talented filmmaker. And all his dedication and passion was presented in the form of a film – Bachaana. The attention to detail in means of casting, scripting, locations, pre and post production – everything was beyond amazing. Completely shot in Mauritius, the cinematography is breathtaking. Majestic locations such as waterfalls, beaches and resorts have been shot. Being a one-day story, Bachaana gives you that filmy feel.
The acting is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
As I had mentioned above, there’s not much one can expect from television actors debuting into cinema. And the world famous debate of screen presence is what I more than agree with. To be on the big screen, there surely is a certain cinematic requirement. And not only did the main leads stand out that way, but Nasir Khan had presented them in a picture perfect manner. Secondly, their acting skills have truly been polished from where they had began their careers a couple of years ago. Sanam Saeed plays the character of an Indian girl who’s a little hesitant, but she’s a headstrong woman who has been stuck in a situation that she has no idea about. Mohib on the other hand plays a happy-go-lucky, easy going Pakistani originated middle class cab driver. And it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the both of them performed brilliantly well. And the story doesn’t end here either my friend, the main leads shared a sizzling chemistry as well! Whenever they are on screen, you know that you’re watching a romantic film.
Lastly, the music happened to be the weakest link!
Though the story of the film isn’t very elaborate, the weakest link of the film was its music. The background score composed by Ali Sher was not done over the top, and had a balance between where it’s needed, where it’s not. The tracks, however, were misplaced. And due to having a soundtrack of only three songs, the title track was being repeated over and over. What covered that was the fast pace of the song, it complimented the film overall. Shafqat Amanat Ali’s Yaari on the other hand was a beautiful and soulful track, only if it was placed somewhere in between, it would have made a better impact. Finally, the last track “Koi Labda” by SYMT band was good and helped moving story towards the climax.
Overall the film is definitely worth a watch. It’s an incredible effort made by everyone associated to the project. Nasir Khan has mounted the film exceptionally well. Even though it isn’t a very effective film, as I said earlier it doesn’t profess to be anything that it’s not. It’s a non-stop entertainer with the perfect blend of action, romance, comedy and thriller, that is surely worth our time and money!
By Ahmed Sarym
