The director-producer claims that the upcoming film slated to release later this year and featuring Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed and Zara Noor Abbas will be a complete package for movie fans.
The last year may not have been very fruitful in terms of cinema business in Pakistan but 2020 looks promising with multiple big banner high profile films coming out – digging into a variety of genres. Though not a single film has released so far this year as most producers are aiming to showcase their films during the holiday season, it looks like the second half of the year will be very happening for the cinema industry.
Starting with Eid ul Fitr, when at least two of the most anticipated films – The Legend of Maula Jatt and Tich Button – are coming out, the following months are likely to see the release of Money Back Guarantee, London Nahi Jaunga, Quaid e Azam Zindabad, Chakkar, Parde Mein Rehne Do and Ghabrana Nahi Hai, among others.
The most recent addition to the list of potential blockbusters is Haseeb Hasan’s recently announced film, Aan that will feature Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed and Zara Noor Abbas in lead roles. It is penned by renowned scriptwriter Umera Ahmed, who has written multiple projects for Hasan in the past including ongoing drama serial, Alif that is garnering a lot of acclaim in Pakistan and beyond.
“We had been planning for it since last year but the casting was very quick; we locked the entire cast within two months after finalizing the script,” Haseeb Hasan told Instep in an exclusive interview. “We reached out to the actors we wanted on board and we are fortunate to have such big names with us. Who could be a better choice than Fawad [Khan] or Zara Noor or Sanam Saeed?”
This will be the director-producer’s second film; he made the air force film, Parwaaz Hai Junoon in 2018 that raked in around PKR 43 crores at the box office. While the former tackled a narrative around air force officers, Aan will “capture a few historical events” associated with the Navy, according to the director.
“Aan is the epitome of naval warriors that packs romance and drama between the main actors. It also has a combat and touch of humor that makes it a complete package for the best cinematic experience,” states the presser.
When asked if there is a specific reason behind a patriotic backdrop in his films, Haseeb Hasan responded that he likes to work on scripts that offer more than just comedy.
“There is very little scope for films in Pakistan; we mostly have comedies and that doesn’t satisfy a director,” he explained, adding, “It is just jokes or skits. The director doesn’t have much scope to define his work whereas plots with a patriotic aspect or action offer margin to a filmmaker. Hence, I enjoy exploring such concepts in my films.”
Going on floors this April, under the banner of Hamdan Films, Aan will mostly be shot on the outskirts of Karachi around the sea and the coastal line while some of it will also be shot in the northern areas. Set for a 2020 release, the film will feature Fawad Khan in a never seen before avatar, according to the director, while it has some interesting characters that will add to the film’s humour. One of them is Nayyar Ejaz alongside Jawed Sheikh, Navid Shehzad, Naeem Tahir and Ally Khan.
“Aan is a complete package with themes surrounding love, patriotism, history and humour,” said Hasan, asserting that the film’s genre is very broad. “Viewers will find more than they look for in a film; it is not a love triangle.”
There isn’t one but plenty of reasons to look forward to Aan – the director, writer and cast, to name a few. Fawad and Sanam, who starred in the acclaimed project Zindagi Gulzar Hai, will share the screen after a long time while Zara is a rising star.
