It is always easy to pray for a revival of
Pakistani films than actually do something for the revival. A lot of directors,
actors, film producers and distributors have come in and gone by claiming that
the revival is round the corner, but nothing of the sort happened because
usually their movies tackled issues that were too hot for their frail minds,
too big for them to grasp and too difficult for the viewers to understand. Some
films like Chambaili did manage to do well because it was well made and was believably
good, but the rest failed to impress. Thankfully, Humayun Saeed's Main Hoon
Shahid Afridi manages to give you back your money's worth because it deals with
a subject that is in every Pakistani's heart - cricket!
Instead of giving blazing guns (and sometimes
firing axes even in the madcap tradition of Lollywood!), Main Hoon Shahid
Afridi has blazing bats blasting runs; instead of unlimited ammunition, there
is emotion that takes you along as the movie progresses; and instead of a
careless script and mediocre acting that we expect from Pakistani movies, there
is a well-crafted story, thought-out dialogues and loads of cricket action. The
movie is easily the most expensive Pakistani film ever made and that shows on
the celluloid where the craftsmanship of every individual - from the recently
departed editor Azam Khan to the director Syed Ali Raza - is visible in every
frame. I have continuously said that had this movie been released on Eid, it
would have derailed Chennai Express on the very first day, because in front of
the real Khan (Shahid Afridi), others always pale in comparison!
Why Main Hoon Shahid Afridi succeeds where
others fail…
It doesn't look like a Pakistani film because it
hasn't been made by people associated with Lollywood. It is time we should move
away from Lahore where the gujjars have dominated the scene and polluted the
minds of the audience. The film looks fresh because most of the actors are TV
artists, newcomers or veterans who are no more part of the film scene. This is
the first feature film by director Syed Ali Raza as well, and it seems that
first-timers like him (Ismail Jilani of Chambaili, Bilal Lashari of Waar, Meena
Gaur and Farjad Nabi of Zinda Bhaag) are more likely to herald the new era than
those buddhay baabay (old fogeys) who
criticize the showing of Turkish plays on TV and screening of Bollywood flicks
in cinema but don't seem to watch their own movies that are more pathetic than
Tom and Jerry cartoons.
Let's play ball … Afridi style!
In the land of sports good - Sialkot - a
talented cricketer Shahid Bhatti (Noman Habib) dreams to emulate his idol
Shahid Afridi on the field. One thing leads to another and in no time, he and
his friend are preparing for an Under-19 cricket tournament, they have to save
their club from becoming a tabela, he has to help his family and above all,
prove his mettle to the community that once a Shahid, always a Shahid! A
tainted former cricketer Akbar Deen (Humayun Saeed) coaches the bunch of
misfits for the clash of the titans and this is their story.
Writer Vasay Chaudhary is the off-the-field
star!
He may not be in the movie but Vasay Chaudhary
is the real star of MHSA. The comedian-turned-script writer must be commended
for bringing in freshness in the script. 'Udhar Deewar-e-Cheen mashoor hai, aur
yahan Deewar-e-Teen!' 'Baray Mizaaj Hain', 'Puncture Hogaya' and 'Piyo Mera Hai
Aur Ghairat Tujhe Aarahi Hai' are some of the one-liners one would have
expected in a Bollywood flick, not in a film from this side of the Wagah.
Furthermore, he must be credited for coming up with the names of the characters
- Deewar-e-Teen, Michael Magnet, Kaleem Gum Sum and Kaali Aandhi.
Humayun Saeed leads, the rest follows!
He had been part of the hopeless Inteha 14 years
ago, and the hapless No Paisa No Problem (as Shah Rukh Khan's lookalike, a few
years later) but Humayun Saeed the film actor has come a long way by learning
from his mistakes. Yes, some might say he donned a track suit like King Khan
did in Chak De India but you can't coach a side in kurta shalwar, can you? One
of the many celebrities at the premiere suggested that Humayun's beard reminded
her of SRK and I wanted to inform that lady that most of the scenes from King
Khan's flick were blatantly plagiarized from Kurt Russell's Miracle which was
based on a true story!
When Humayun Saeed delivered the speech, it was
not in the dressing room or the dugout but at the mazaar of Quaid-e-Azam (a
first for any Pakistani film), when he fought to save a member of his team, the
punches and the kicks were not synced out (another first) and above all, when
he was in the dugout, he looked every inch a coach, unlike Pakistan cricket
team's head coach Dav Whatmore who 'high-fives' his team mates like a kid on
beating teams like the West Indies!
Veteran actor Javed Shaikh as the antagonist is
amazing as always because he makes you hate him every time he comes on screen.
Nadeem sahib is his usual great self as Akbar Din's father, whereas the rest of
the cast - especially Noman Habib (who plays the title role), Gohar Rasheed
(Kashif), Asim Mehmood (Sheikh), Ainy Jaffri (Aleena) and Mikaal (Shehzad
Sheikh) - do well on their respective film debuts. Ismail Tara keeps the
audience laughing as always while Shafqat Cheema's Bhatti sahib has shades of
both good and bad, and he makes his presence felt whenever he gets the chance.
There are friendly appearances by Aijazz Aslam,
Ayesha Omer (as a wannabe Marilyn Monroe), Faisal Qureshi (he is everywhere,
isn't he?), Saleem Mairaj (as Azhar Majeed) as well as many TV journalists but
the most memorable character award goes to Hamza Ali Abbasi, who plays Moulvi
Majeed. His portrayal of a fanatic Pathan was outstanding and the audience
loved him for being natural. You may forget everything about the movie, but on
exiting the theatre, you will not forget him and his lines!
There were a few standout 'Zara Hatt Kay'
scenes!
'Cricket khelna hai, milaad thori parhna hai'.
That's one of the lines by Sheikh to Moulvi who refuses to shake hands with the
team's Christian wicket-keeper, terming him a kaafir. When the foreign coach of
the opposition asks Humayun's character 'Where is your Allah?' a drop of water
(followed by rain) answers it all. One must commend the director Syed Ali Raza
for not copying Chak De India or Lagaan and the countless films one expected
the movie to be 'inspired' from. The central idea resembled the one from
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story but that's not a bad choice. What's 'bad' is
the wrap up after the final which seemed haphazard and the director's failure
to overlook the fact that the 'deed' presented in 1998, was incidentally dated
2013 (Ooops!).
Forgettable songs, unforgettable dance!
When you can't dance, you shouldn't dance … that
should have been the policy. In order to promote our very own Mahnoor Baloch as
Pakistan's answer to Katrina Kaif (ours is far better actress!), she was made
to dance on ‘Teri Hi Kami’. The problem is: While Katrina is beautiful and can
dance, she can't act. Ms. Baloch is ravishing beauty and can act, but sorry to
say, the dance of the cheerleaders in the movie seemed better than her
rehearsed item song (shots plagiarized from the Race song 'Touch Me Touch Me'
didn't help either!). Host and model Mathira seemed more in tune than Mahnoor
Baloch but then again, she also can't act like Katrina. As for the rest of the
songs, you will forget them when you exit the theatre. A better music director
than Kami-Shani would surely have helped!
You can't lose it with cricket!
A decade back, Aamir Khan's Lagaan told the
world that cricket is not just a game but also a dependable subject for a
feature film, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi does exactly that in Pakistan and with
success because to play with emotions, to keep people guessing, to play to win
is something only the national cricket team of Pakistan is able to do. Now it's
Humayun Saeed and his team's turn to play ball and win it for the Shaheens! And
yes, a friendly appearance by Shahid Afridi himself will surely go a long way
in promoting the movie, and in reviving the ailing Pakistan film industry. It's
Boom Boom, all the way from here!
Article Written By : Omair Alavi works
for Geo News.
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