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Efforts are being made by celebrities around the world to create awareness about coronavirus, an infectious virus that has spread worldwide with thousands dead and millions infected. And yet, numbers are simply rising in the country. Unlike China, the country of origin, and where people are in fact observing guidelines such as wearing masks in public, the same cannot be said for Pakistan where congregating in groups has yet to stop.
During this difficult time, as Pakistan continues to see days where the highest numbers of active cases occur, Zeeshan Parwez’s Rokhan Studio is back with its second video on the subject.
The Urdu version has been directed and animated by Zeeshan Parwez with concept by Fasi Zaka, script by Fasi Zaka and Shawana Zeeshan Parwez, voiceover production by Saad Hayat and Sarmad Ghafoor with the latter also being the music producer. The new video, released in Urdu, has the power to shatter both preconceived notions about the coronavirus and shines because of its narrative.
The 2-minute video paints a story opening with a news anchor explaining the coronavirus and we quickly move to a scenario where a potential marriage meeting between two families is happening. As our hero says, “This marriage cannot happen”, what follows next is hilarious before reality sets in as the potential groom explains how a wedding ceremony, full of people, is not a good idea at this time due to coronavirus. In between, as he talks, we see a clip of the news anchor who says thank God you came. The 2 minute-video is a must-watch to see what happens next.
It captures a typical Pakistani household with accuracy and makes you laugh and also creates somber moments; it has the power to resonate with people. Brilliantly done.
– Maheen Sabeeh
One of industry’s leading directors, Nadeem Baig has recently been engaged in directing a special drama, titled Dastak Na Dau, surrounding the subject of coronavirus that has taken the world by storm. While we have been exposed to extensive information regarding the pandemic, both authentic and fake, during the past couple of months, the director feels the drama will be a light and entertaining way to impart knowledge to viewers.
“It is basically part of an awareness campaign about COVID-19, for an NGO; it is small, light-hearted and family-oriented with dramatic elements,” Nadeem Baig told Instep in an exclusive telephonic conversation. “Drama is an interesting way of putting the message across indirectly, as opposed to advertisements that viewers often get annoyed with.”
Featuring Adnan Siddiqui, Arjumand Rahim, Saba Hameed and two child artists, Dastak Na Dau comprises multiple five-minute-long episodes that will run on different TV channels in addition to releasing online. The director informed that the drama, which is expected to launch soon, is produced by Faisal Qureshi and was shot keeping in mind all the precautionary measures.
“All the SOPs were followed; we used sanitizers and masks while the entire crew was covered in protective gears,” Nadeem Baig informed, adding that it was challenging to shoot, given the present situation.
– Buraq Shabbir
