Considering the fact that Na Maloom Afraad 2 has gotten some tough competition from its competitor, Punjab Nahi Jaungi at the box office, the film has been doing extremely well.
Nabeel Qureshi’s recently released film has taken the box office by storm.
Considering the fact that Na Maloom Afraad 2 has gotten some tough competition from its competitor, Punjab Nahi Jaungi at the box office, the film has been doing extremely well. A recent tweet shared by director Nabeel Qureshi claims that the film has made nearly 65 million rupees in the opening weekend.
One can understand why. Na Maloom Afraad 2 is the kind of film that our industry needed at this point. Nabeel Qureshi and producer Fizza Ali Meerza have produced a film that is technically superior to anything to have come out of Pakistan so far, even more superior to PNJ. In fact, the cinematic element of the film is so strong, it can easily compete with any Bollywood or Hollywood film as well.
Shot by DOP Rana Kamran, NMA2 is visually stunning. Not a single frame has gone to waste; each and every shot is crisp, clear and beautiful. The sound design is immaculate as the moods are controlled by well-timed musical cues. The editing is fast paced and smooth – one doesn’t even feel the time fly by.
But the credit for that goes to the director. To be able to craft a narrative that moves flawlessly from one conflict to the other, without wasting a single second - that is the work of a skilled director and many Pakistani films have been unable to achieve this. Say what you want about whether the jokes were funny or not, Qureshi has definitely shown that he is one of the most seasoned film directors in Pakistan right now.
Fahad Mustafa and Mohsin Abbas Haider are brilliant in Na Maloom Afraad 2 but it’s the veteran actor Jawed Sheikh who truly steals the limelight with his performance.
However, the thing is that the jokes are actually hilarious. While many were worried that NMA2 might jump into crude and distasteful humour, the film stays in a safe zone while still pushing some buttons. It’s a film about three sarak chaap Karachi men who have now become rich; of course their language is going to be crude and offensive. The film reiterates the belief that one can take a Karachiite out of Karachi but one can never take out Karachi from a Karachiite.
The film also shines because of the tremendous performances put forth by the very talented star cast. Fahad Mustafa and Mohsin Abbas Haider are brilliant in the film but it’s the veteran actor Jawed Sheikh who truly steals the limelight with his performance. Also worth applauding are Nayyar Ejaz, who plays the villainous Sheikh Baqlava with perfection, and Saleem Mairaj, one of the goons looking for the Sheikh’s stolen gold commode. We’re thrilled to see Mairaj in a meatier role and hope to see more of him on the big screen.
It must be said that the women could have had a bigger role to play in the film. Urwa Hocane and Hania Amir have limited screen time and limited importance in terms of the script, but they still do justice to their roles. While Sadaf Kanwal looks beautiful in the song ‘Kaif-o-Suroor’, it also feels as though the item song was rather unnecessary and could have been done without.
Also, Marina Khan is a complete pleasure to watch on the big screen. We can’t believe that this is her first film since the revival of Pakistan’s film industry.
However, the best thing about this easy, breezy comedy is that while it does social commentary on the growing gap between the rich and the poor all over the world, it never stops to preach the viewers anything.
The film isn’t trying to make you a better person, it simply wants to make you laugh and a have a good time and our film industry really needs to produce films that provide a good dose of escapism every once in a while.
All in all, Na Maloom Afraad 2 is a thrill to watch with your friends. We highly recommend everyone to watch it at least once!
