Instep lists down four artists who will be donning the director’s hat for the first time this year.
Last year saw Ahsan Rahim making his cinematic debut with Ali Zafar and Maya Ali starrer Teefa In Trouble, which became one of the highest grossing Pakistani films of 2018. Apart from that, Asim Abbasi’s directorial debut (in Pakistan) Cake, that features Aamina Sheikh, Sanam Saeed and Adnan Malik in key roles, also received critical as well as commercial acclaim in Pakistan and beyond, post its release last year.
While a number of television actors, models and singers are making their acting debuts on the silver screen this year, there are also several music video directors and actors who will be donning the director’s hat for the first time this year.
Instep lists down four of them.
Saqib Malik
Well-known music video and ad director Saqib Malik is gearing up for his big screen directorial debut, titled Baaji. The upcoming film features Meera ji in the titular role of Baaji while it stars Osman Khalid Butt, model turned actor Amna Ilyas, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Ali Kazmi, Ali Saleem and veterans Nayyar Ejaz and Nisho.
Dubbed as a social drama-thriller set against the backdrop of a ‘fading Lollywood and the emerging new order of the Pakistan film industry’, Baaji is co-written by Irfan Ahmed Urfi and Saqib Malik. Though Baaji hopes to pay homage to classics of Pakistani cinema of the seventies, it will be contemporary in its tone and treatment with a social message. “I think there is always a message in everything; sometimes it is blurted out, other times it’s embedded in the narrative of the film,” Saqib Malik shared in an earlier interview with Instep.
Set to release later this year, Saqib Malik’s first feature film promises to be high on glamour and drama.
Kamal Khan
The award-winning music video director’s debut film Laal Kabootar features Ahmed Ali Akbar, Mansha Pasha and Ali Kazmi in lead roles. With the teaser of the film already out, it seems like an intense action thriller, with hints of romance and music. The lead actors, Ahmed Ali Akbar and Mansha Pasha, get into never seen before avatars. Ahmed Ali essays the character of a taxi-driver looking for a way out of Karachi, while Mansha Pasha plays the role of Aliya Malik, a strong-headed girl. Produced by Nehr Ghar Films, according to director Kamal Khan, he spent almost two years on the screenplay of Laal Kabootar, which is a Karachi-based crime drama.
By the looks of it, Laal Kabootar certainly strays away from the norm of what is considered popular cinema today. The film is scheduled to release in 2019.
Sohail Javed
With a number of music videos and TV commercials under his belt that span from celebrated musicians like Junoon, Kaavish and Sajjad Ali to the recent music video ‘Tillay Wali Jooti’ from Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2, director Sohail Javed is directing his first feature film, Sorry – A Love Story. The upcoming romantic drama stars Faysal Qureshi, Aamina Sheikh, Zahid Ahmed and Sonya Hussyn in key roles. The film revolves around the theme of love and the ever-changing dynamics of love in the lives of four individuals. It is about the ups and downs of love, finding love, losing it, and finding it again.
Speaking about his directorial venture, Sohail Javed earlier told Instep, “It’s a tragic love story. The story is very personal; it’s original and is very complicated. It will make you cry.”
Sorry – A Love Story is a collaboration between Sohail Javed and actor-producer Faysal Qureshi and is scheduled to hit cinemas later this year.
Mohib Mirza
The actor, who after a hiatus of more than four years made a comeback to the small screen with drama serial Deedan alongside Sanam Saeed, has turned director for his debut film called Ishrat, Made In China.
In a recent interview with Instep Mohib shared, “Ishrat will be my directorial debut and I am filming at present. The film has action, comedy and romance; it is a complete commercial project that I am trying to execute.”
Though the actor turned director informed that he will soon reveal the entire cast and crew officially via a photo shoot, for now we know that Shamoon Abbasi and Ali Kazmi will be starring in the project. Reports, in the meanwhile suggest that Ishrat will feature Mohib and Sara Loren while Sanam Saeed and Nayyar Ejaz are also starring in it.
Mohib, who last appeared on the big screen in Shaan Shahid’s directorial project, Arth – The Destination, will be next be seen in the upcoming play Dushman that will go on air in the coming months.
