Jin Mahal

Director: Nabeel Qureshi

Starring: Hira Mani, Mani, Gul-e-Rana

Jin Mahal by Nabeel is Hira Mani’s film debut and a horror-comedy, which is preachy with a social message at best, but enjoyable nonetheless. With noteworthy performances by Hira and Gul-E-Rana; the real star of the show is the set, location and art direction. In the heart of the hustle bustle of Karachi, this film is shot entirely on location in an abandoned, dusty, rundown and absolutely eerie bungalow which plays a character of its own. Watch this just for the fabulous production design which is so well done it outshines the narrative and the actors’ performances. From the dusty rubble, strewn debris to the well etched cobwebs and dust labyrinths, the attention to detail on location takes the cake. We hope Jin Mahal can serve as inspiration to Pakistani television, which needs to diversify set design rather than just shooting 500 dramas at the same four available bungalows in town.

Pasoori

Director: Marina Khan

Starring: Ramsha Khan,
Shaheryar Munawer,
Babar Ali, Laila Wasti

This is a short enjoyable fairytale, think Cinderella meets Secret Superstar (Bollywood) and a nice fable for kids and young adults. Love wins and some of the jokes even manage to land. Ramsha Khan has screen presence and the two songs are hummable.

Ek Sau Taeeswan

Director: Nadeem Baig

Starring: Amna Ilyas, Mehwish Hayat, Zahid Ahmed, Wahaj Ali

This poetic train ride of a film is well-shot and thoroughly problematic, as most of Khaleel ur Rahman Qamar’s scripts are. The real star of the film is Arjumand Rahim who shares the screen with Mehwish Hayat for a few scenes but has impeccable timing and is completely believable as a ‘rail gaari ki musaafir‘. Married to a man much older than her, she is the much needed pickle that spices up unnecessarily lengthy and repetitive dialogue exchange. While Hayat’s character Sadaf is busy looking perfect in a flawlessly draped saree and snoozes like sleeping beauty on the train’s berth, Rahim has the messiness, raw humour and caustic dialogue delivery which is much needed for this redundant, double tracked film. Ek Sau Taeeswan is basically a story that lauds, celebrates and romanticizes the infidelity of a man (Zahid Ahmed) who’s chea-ting on his wife with his girlfriend (Amna Ilyas), whilst simultaneously abusing/cursing her and being over possessive. Qamar then goes on to preach about how wonderful, wise and loyal the wife is who puts up with her own husband cheating under her nose.

“Tum meri zindagi main anay walay ek sau taeeswein aadmi ho,” Sadaf claims as she flirts left right and centre with her co-passenger Asad (Wahaj Ali), basically implying that he is the hundred and twenty third man she has chosen not to be with over her cheating husband. This is the moral of the story when the film ends. After enduring this sexist and puke-worthy messaging, it’s the right time to leave because the runtime of all the films is over three hours and will consume you.

– The writer is an Assistant Professor at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture and can be reached at writing.likhaai@gmail.com