Author: Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani Horror feature length film, Pari (2018). The Production Houses are MIG World Media USA and Screen Shots Productions while its Distributor is Filmica Pictures.

+ Crew

• Written, Directed & Produced by Syed Atif Ali
• Co-Written by Muhammad Ahsan
• Cinematography by Akthar Nadeem
• Edited by Ashar Baig
• Co-Produced by Mobeen Mehmood

+ Note

Pari is shot at the most mesmerizing location of Ayyubia; Pakistan. This film is inspired by some of well-known English Horror films, such as The Shining (1980), Paranormal Activity (2007) and The Omen (1976). The evil reflection in this film had a solid resemblance of the evil nun character in the Hollywood Horror feature length film, The Conjuring (2016); although the director has strongly denied this to be his inspiration for the character. Coincidentally, just almost after a month a Bollywood Horror film is to be released on 2^nd Mar 2018 by the same name with similar plot.

There is a scene in the film where legendary late actors Gregory Peck and Omar Sharif pictures are listed as Board of Directors of the hospital. I could understand to why he (director) may have done this for as it was intentional. In the fame English horror film, The Omen, Gregory Peck played the lead role in it. So his inclusion as in this film was an Easter egg actually and understandable. However as for Omar Sharif, he was simply included due to director’s admiration for the late actor which was irrelevant for this horror film.

Its music is composed by Masood Alam while the visual effects been conducted and supervised by SM Yahya, Muhammad Owais Mubbashir, Danish Raza and Azam. Its makeup is done by Saima Shah. There are some cameos in the film, which are performed by two of the NAPA actors.

There are some SPOILERS mentioned below!

+ Main Cast

1. Junaid Akhtar as Shehram
2. Azekha Daniyal as Mehwish
3. Khushi Maheen as Pari
4. Saleem Mairaj as Abdullah

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+ Supportive Cast

1. Qavi Khan as Professor Sahab
2. Rasheed Naz as Imam
3. Faiq Asim as Abdullah’s Son
4. Owais Mubashir as Drug Addict (Cameo)
5. Hammad Siddiqui as Hospital Receptionist (Cameo)

+ Plot

A young married couple with their only daughter shift to new home, isolated from the city have started to face some strange evil happenings and disturbances.

+ High Points

i – Saleem Mairaj as Abdullah has performed very well. He is a great actor and has always made his roles memorable in any project; mild performances by everyone else.

ii – Some songs in the film were okay, average at best.

iii – Good job on Makeup & hair styling. The special effects used in makeup looked really cool.

iv – The location to shoot a horror film was good, more suitable for the film’s content.

v – Stephen King’s novel Dead Rising was a direct hint given earlier in the film regarding the reason why evil happenings occurring around the protagonist’s family.

+ Low Points

i – It is exceptional to see no horror in a horror film. What we witness here was several attempted jump scares… attempted.

ii – Really terrible use of visual effects. It’s really a shame to amount of money was invested to make it look real. Such as, the snake climbing on a tree, self-evil reflections and the girl on wires… the list goes on.

iii – What was the link between the tree and Pari? Why Pari didn’t acted evil before entering the new house? What were Pari’s real intentions behind her evil acts? Was the house haunted by evil spirit or it was controlled by Pari from day one? (We know that the other spirit was not evil). Too many questions left unanswered.

iv – I am not sure if Qavi Khan’s performance to be labeled as good or bad. He is so scared from something following him late at night that even after banging loud on the door to open, he is more interested to tell 5 minutes long story of how he got this far at the door step than to enter the home first.

v – Really? Is it that easy to use a black magic book to raise the dead without any prior experience, knowledge? Cool! I am going to book one myself.

vi – The final conflict with the devil was child’s play to get rid of.

vii – Except for Saleem Mairaj’s role, all other supporting characters were weakly written.

viii – If I had that big scar on my arm or loved one’s then I would have visited the doctor right away.

ix – It is not necessary to live at such a house if all the strange things have started to happen ever since the very day shifted there. Safety always comes first.

+ Overall

Having Pakistani horror films released so rarely, Pari turns out to be another disappointment even for their die-hard fans.

Rate: 1.0 out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani comedy feature length film, Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (2015) aka [Youth Would Not Come Again]. The Production House is Six Sigma Plus while its Distributor is ARY Films.

+ Crew

• Directed by Nadeem Beyg
• Cinematography by Mujahid Raza
• Written by Vasay Chaudhry
• Edited by Rizwan AQ
• Produced by Salman Iqbal, Humayun Saeed, Shahzad Nasib & Jarjees Seja

+ Note

Jawani Phir Nahi Aani is directorial debut of Nadeem Beyg. The music is composed by Shani Arshad, Sahir Ali Bagga and Ahmad Ali Butt. It received mixed reviews from critics but ended up being a runaway success at the box office by grossing over PKR 49 Crores (490 million), making it the highest grossing Pakistani film in the world. Previously, this title had been held by the 1998 hit, Choorian.

This film was shot in various places of Thailand including Bangkok, Pattaya and Coral Island while few scenes were shot in Karachi.

At 2^nd ARY Film Awards, Jawani Phir Nahi Aani received the highest nominations with 29 whereas winning 18. At 15th Lux Style Awards, the film won 3 awards out of 10 nominations.

+ Main Cast

1. Humayun Saeed as Sherry
2. Hamza Ali Abbasi as Saif
3. Ahmad Ali Butt as Parvez (Pepe)
4. Vasay Chaudhry as Sheikh
5. Ayesha Khan as Kubra
6. Mehwish Hayat as Marina

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+ Supportive Cast

1. Sohai Ali Abro as Zoya
2. Sarwat Gillani as Gul
3. Uzma Khan as Lubna
4. Jawed Sheikh as Mehboob Khan
5. Bushra Ansari as Zoya’s mother
6. Ismail Tara as Don / Sheikh

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+ Special Appearances Cast

1. Gohar Rasheed as Fashion Designer
2. Farhan Ally Agha as Sherry’s father
3. Yasra Rizvi as Sherry’s mother
4. Naveed Raza as Lawyer
5. Zainab Qayum as Lawyer
6. Ali Kazmi as Dr. Aamir Liaquat Khan
7. Fahad Mustafa as Himself
8. Zainab Jamil as Charity
9. Wajid Khan as Stylist
10. Shakeel Hussain Khan as Caller
11. Bilal Lashari as Sniper

+ Plot

A single divorce lawyer takes his three married friends on a vacation to escape their wives.

+ High Points

i – Humayun Saeed acted very well in this film. His character is the most interestingly written and played out in its lead role.

ii – The multi-talented star, Vasay Chaudhry’s performance is surprisingly very good in this full comedy film. It is the first time that I watched Vasay to play a comic role. He would definitely make many fans after this film. Other Honorable Mentions: Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmad Ali Butt, Ayesha Khan, Sohai Ali Abro and Jawed Sheikh.

iii – The film’s parody of the action thriller film Waar’s opening sequence is shown in this comedy film Jawani Phir Nahi Aani plus the relationship of the main characters that is between Saif (Hamza Ali Abbasi) & Kubra (Ayesha Khan) are now played out as spouses instead of siblings, is a joke itself.

iv – The cinematography is fantastic and shot very smoothly.

v – The first half of the film reminded me as if I am watching Emran Hashmi’s film but in good light.

vi – The comedy of this film is very funny and hilarious including many of its hidden jokes are based on sex where only the wise people may able to understand them.

vii – Some of the songs are good to listen to, especially the end credits song and its video shoot ‘Jawani Phir Nahi Aani’.

viii – Praises to the makeup & hair styling dept, made the stars looked gorgeous on-screen.

ix – The costumes designing is commendable specifically the costume Humayun Saeed wears to play the gay character.

+ Low Points

i – The second half of the film could be easily shorten by 20 – 30 minutes as I felt the film is getting dragged unnecessarily.

ii – The first half of the film is much more enjoyable and funnier. The viewers would see the difference of the comic level after the intermission.

+ Overall

Jawani Phir Nahi Aani is a well-aimed, sex comedy film with full of satisfyingly hard laughs.

Rate: 4.50 out of 5 stars

A review on British-Pakistani Drama-Action feature-length film, My Pure Land (2017). The Production House and Distributor is Bill Kenwright Films.

+ Crew

• Written & Directed by Sarmad Masud
• Cinematography by Haider Zafar
• Edited by Olly Stothert
• Music by Tristan Cassel-Delavois
• Produced by Bill Kenwright

+ Note

My Pure Land is an Urdu-language British drama film, directed by British Pakistani filmmaker, Sarmad Masud. It is based on a true story which focuses on Nazo Dharejo, a villager woman who fought bandits in the village of Qazi Ahmed Taluka, Sindh, Pakistan. It is told in a non-linear style where the three women faced with armed men led by her uncle who try to take her property forcibly from her.

The lead character of Nazo is played by a Pakistani dancer and TV award-winning actress, Suhaee Abro. She is the daughter of a famous Sindhi poet and activist, Attiya Dawood. Besides acting, Suhaee is a trained classical dancer. She has worked in many television plays, theater, documentaries and music videos.

My Pure Land casts a withering look at the patriarchal system of that nation and the corruption of the local authorities.

+ Main Cast

1. Suhaee Abro as Nazo
2. Eman Malik as Saeda
3. Razia Malik as Waderi
4. Syed Tanveer Hussain as Baba
5. Ahsen Murad as Mehrban

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+ Supporting Cast

1. Tayyab Ifzal as Zulfiqar
2. Atif Akhtar Bhatti as Sikander
3. Malik Aslam as Police Chief
4. Muhammed Safdar as Safdar
5. Muhammed Aslam as Aslam

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+ Minor Cast

1. Salman Ahmed Khan as Amir
2. Abdul Qadir as Driver

+ Plot

Three women defend their home against a group of armed men who want to take it forcibly from them.

+ High Points

i – The lead star, Suhaee Abro as Nazo has given a solid performance as a strong-headed woman who stands her ground with her family over a land dispute. Suhaee may perhaps be an unknown actress to the foreign market, but she has proven in a number of successful TV serials such as Sang-e-Mar Mar (2016) and Yakeen Ka Safar (2017) where she has not only acted brilliantly but also took up some daring roles too. Other Honorable Mentions: Syed Tanveer Hussain.

ii – The non-linear editing, helps the story to unfold gradually as the film progresses.

iii – There is some mild humor in the flashbacks to enjoy.

+ Low Points

i – Hardly any effort been made to make the story interesting. It’s pretty much, straight forward film with no sub plots.

ii – In a simple story, one tries to find great direction; which in this case is hard to come by.

iii – There is barely one or no song to listen to.

+ Overall

Even if, it is based on a true story, by skipping the addition of sub plots or the absence of having a strong romantic chemistry, My Pure Land happens to be a very dry film.

Rate: 1.75 out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani Rom-Com feature length film, Balu Mahi (2017). The Production House is HKC Entertainment and Distributed by Cinestar.

 
+ Crew
I. Directed by Haissam Hussain
II. Cinematography by Saleem Daad
III. Written by Saad Azhar
IV. Music by Sahir Ali Bagga
V. Produced by Sadia Jabbar, M. Ashraf Chaudry & M. Arshad Chaudry

+ Note
Balu Mahi is similar to the fame Bollywood film, Veer Zaara (2004) that is the names of the two lead characters of this film.

The dances are choreographed by Pappu Samrat while art direction by Waqas Saleem. The makeup & hair styling is done by Sumayya Majeed and production design by Iqbal Mughal. The film is edited by Rizwan A.Q.

International Distributor is Grand Showbiz Media. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sang a Qawwali titled ‘Rang De Chunar’ as well as the film stars such as Javed Shaikh & Adeel Hashmi have cameo appearances.

 
+ Main Cast
1. Osman Khalid Butt as Bilaal “Balu”
2. Ainy Jaffri as Mahi Jahangir
3. Sadaf Kanwal as Sharmeen
4. Shafqat Cheema as Baba / Daada
5. Durdana Butt as Daadi

+ Plot
When a young man crashes the wrong wedding, the bride seizes the opportunity to make a run for it and together they attempt to evade her overbearing grandfather.

+ High Points
i – Osman Khalid Butt performance as Balu was very appealing on-screen. He unquestionably raised eye brows of many people due to his naturalistic performance. As far as Ainy Jaffri is concerned, she attracted the majority of the audience to herself. Ainy Jafri as Mahi would blow you away with her charming performance. Other Honorable Mentions: Sadaf Kanwal, Durdana Butt, Shafqat Cheema and Javed Shaikh.

ii – The chemistry between the two lead stars was simply magical on big screen. The blazing chemistry between them would make the audience to ask for more. This is one of the key points for success of the film.

iii – The audience is in for a ride due to great ‘Visuals Treat’ with terrific lighting and foggy background that made us believe perhaps we live in a fantastical world. Lahore looked stunning to feast your eyes on.

iv – The art direction is mind blowing! We are able to see such etiquette art work, luxurious furniture with colorful backgrounds and scenery.

v – As for makeup & hair styling, they did an incredible job for adorable looks with their stars, especially Sadaf Kanwal and Ainy Jafri.

vi – Although, the songs are good to listen to but their dances were well choreographed comparable to Bollywood style.

vii – Sex based humor with representative meaning which are not vulgar for the family audience and can be enjoyed easily.

viii – The comic relief by respected Durdana Butt and Shafqat Cheema was well put.

ix – The costume design department did a superb job in representing desirable wardrobe for Sadaf Kanwal and Ainy Jaffri according to the theme of the film.

x – The locations shown in the film, especially northern areas is a good promo to attract tourists and audience alike by watching the real beauty of Pakistan.

+ Low Points
i – The 1st half is basically Jab We Met (2007) Bollywood film while the 2nd half is Dil Bole Hadippa (2009) another Bollywood film. The film entire concept and story is heavily influenced by these two Bollywood films as mentioned above.

It is really sad to see that the writer has failed to come up with their original concept and story for this film. Even the characters written of Osman and Ainy are almost the same that of Shahid & Kareena from the film, Jab We Met.

ii – Balu Mahi shows that in a realistic world, we have several unrealistic and highly unlikely situations that the two lead actors face such as offered to do music dance video unexpectedly while trying to hide away from some people who are after them.

The lead characters already knew their dance steps to perform with group in the music video that very moment.

iii – Why do you need to do toilet humor in a film like this? Though, the gross-out humor does not take leverage to make the film an enjoyable one.

iv – Throughout the film, it is filled with clichés including the end.

v – It was a huge turn off to see such a beautiful actress in manly facial hair in second half of the film.

vi – People who were in extras, seemed to be concerned with their lives only as the viewers do not see any reactions from them when a young couple running away in panic / doing awkward activity / shouting in such a crowded area.

+ Overall
Balu Mahi has enough charm to mark a successful entry in Pakistani film industry for the times to come.

Rate: 3.50 out of 5 stars