The upcoming cross-border web series will star Ahad Raza Mir, Sajal Aly and Manzar Sehbai in key roles.
In a recent interview with Instep, director Haseeb Hasan – known for directing plays such as Diyar-e-Dil and Mann Mayal – and who is currently helming Alif, starring Hamza Ali Abbasi, Kubra Khan and Manzar Sehbai in lead roles dished on his upcoming projects.
The director’s upcoming projects include a web series called Dhoop Ki Deewar which will have approximately 24-26 episodes. To be made by Hasan’s own production company, Hamdan Films.
Speaking to Instep earlier, he described the project and noted: “The plot revolves around two families that are united by their father’s death – one is an Indian soldier and the other, a Pakistani. How the martyrdom affects the families and how they realize that peace is much better than war is what the web series will teach us.”
But will Pakistani audiences digest a project – even by someone of Haseeb Hasan’s caliber – on an international platform and not television screens?
Noted Haseeb: “I don’t know how ready we are to talk about peace but since both India and Pakistan are atomic powers, one thing that I do know is that we are not ready for war. Dhoop Ki Deewar couldn’t have been a TV serial as it talks about both sides from a neutral point of view. Featuring Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly in lead roles, it will be path-breaking in making the audience switch to web, slowly and gradually. If you remember, we used to pay for incoming calls back in the day but now we can talk to anyone for any duration for free. This is exactly how international platforms will grow in Pakistan and the sooner we realize that, the better.”
He further stated, “The web series has a Pakistani writer (Umera Ahmed), a Pakistani producer and director (me) in collaboration with Motion Content Group of Pakistan and an ensemble cast featuring Samiya Mumtaz, Alyy Khan, Adnan Jaffer, Samina Ahmed, Zeb Rehman, Paras Masroor, Nazrul Hasan, to name a few besides Sajal and Ahad.”
Haseeb is also making a third armed forces film after Laal (telefilm) and Parwaaz Hai Junoon. Responding to the question as to why he keeps making such films, he notes, “I was offered Parwaaz Hai Junoon followed by Laal. The film that I am planning is also with the Pakistan Navy, which will be their first-ever. It is penned by Umera Ahmed, but trust me, it will be a lot different than Alif. The cast will be revealed earlier next year and we plan to release it on a big occasion, though not necessarily during Eid holidays. All I can say is, it will be a complete entertainer, with power-packed dialogues, songs and since it will be based on two real-life incidents, it will have all the drama and action we expect from a patriotic film.”
