mro Ayyar - A New Beginning, in a sense, is the first superhero film to emerge out of revival cinema. The title may cause one to believe it is about Umro. In reality, however, it is a homage to Umro Ayyar as well as stories about the supernatural that are of Persian origin.

Amid popularity of shows like Ertugrul, it can be seen as similarly trying to find identity in Persian heritage. It is a story about a lost Pakistani who becomes a superhero. This happens after he gets in touch with his dormant and uninvestigated roots. It is in these roots that he finds his hidden powers and his destiny.

The film starts with an introduction to the presence of evil powers running amok in Islamabad, where the protagonist lives. The hero is taken from his ordinary and pointless life to a place where he is made aware of his identity and destiny. What he has been unable to untangle as a scientist in his ordinary life, he is told to look for in the supernatural. As the film progresses, more hints about the lost glory follow. The main struggle for the lead character is to overcome his inadequacy. This inadequacy is in comparison to his ancestors, the Ayyars. Ayyars are understood to have been a special tribe who possess great wisdom and special powers. The hero has descended from a line of Ayyars but seems to not believe this initially. Slowly, however, as stakes mount, he is forced to reckon with his destiny.

Symbolically, it is a story about the inadequacy of the Pakistani. In that sense, it has Iqbalian philosophy at the helm, a reminder of lost glory taken as a sign of inherent greatness and destiny. This appears to be an attempt to introduce us to our new superhero. The film’s timing is interesting.

Symbolically, it is a story about the inadequacy of the Pakistani. In that sense, it has Iqbalian philosophy at the helm, a reminder of lost glory taken as a sign of inherent greatness and destiny.

Usman Mukhtar underwhelms with what feels like a halfhearted performance. He is in bad shape for a superhero and plays the character too much like an underdog. The transition to hero never arrives. Sanam Saeed, on the other hand, is remarkable and fits in the role like a glove. Maybe she should’ve been the lead protagonist. A hero like her is one we actually deserve. It would have certainly made for a better film. Ali Kazmi, Manzar Sehbai, Seemi Raheel are on point as usual. Farhan Tahir plays the villain with nuance. He not only understands the character but also understands the context of the world the film invokes. The villain has a Pakistani feel. Sana, who was a pleasant surprise to see in the film, plays her role earnestly and with dedication. It is obvious that she is well trained for the big screen, regardless of genre or stylistic choices. This may be something to keep in mind before discarding actors from the largely-defunct Pakistani cinema.

Barring one scene, the special effects are impressive and exceed expectation. Strangely, the screenplay seems to have been written in English and then translated into Urdu. This makes it seem a little off to the native speaker as the dialogue constantly falls short.

All in all, the film makes one feel hope for what’s to come for Pakistani cinema as filmmakers explore new genres and the audiences respond. Hopefully, the numbers should rubbish claims about audiences not being ready for genres other than romantic comedies. Hopefully, more experimental scripts will be essayed.

The author can be reached at uneeb.nas@gmail.com