Lollywood’s major production for 2012 Shareeka
released this Eid, accumulating over Rs3 million alone on the first three days
of screening.
The Punjabi film was screened in cities across
Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi
and Sheikhupura. Despite several constraints, the film has done relatively
well, insiders revealed. “It is seen as risky because of the themes it tries to
tackle regarding families,” said Achi Khan, an actor in the film. “This is a
different attempt by Syed Noor.”
Acclaimed film director Syed Noor is no amateur when
it comes to film-making. While critics have taken their toll on the director,
he remains indifferent, consistently creating debatable films (primarily based
on the Punjabi-village culture) — with both hits and misses. Staying true to
his trademark themes of social and cultural issues, Noor’s Shareeka is no
exception; touted as a “family film”, this drama-oriented production contains
clichéd action-filled scenes as well.
The
family drama
Shareeka depicts the issues of a typical joint
family system. The dominant theme is that such problems are insignificant and
should be overlooked and forgotten if families wish to happily co-exist under
one roof.
Starring famous actors such as Shaan, Saima, Afzal
Ahmed, Mustafa Qureshi and a few others, the movie revolves around the lives of
seven conservative families living together in one haveli in a Punjabi village.
These families face daily disputes, disagreements and even watta satta. Qureshi
and Ahmed are the eldest brothers of the household, with Qureshi playing the
role of a pious fatherly figure and Ahmed playing a victim of paralysis.
Shaan and Saima on the other hand, play the role of
Qureshi and Afzal’s children respectively. Shaan is kicked out of the house at
a young age and is raised by villagers while Saima is married off through watta
satta to her aunt’s son Nawab Khan. As the story develops, Shaan’s character
seeks to destroy the family that disowned him.
“It’s been a while since I witnessed families and
women from different backgrounds take out time for a film — and that too a
three-hour long one!” says Safdar Malik, the producer of the film, clearly
pleased with the response.
Hindrances
Rana Naveed, the manager of Paragon Entertainment
who is responsible for the film’s distribution, admitted that although the film
benefited from the ban of Bollywood’s Ek Tha Tiger, people were reluctant to
watch the film due to heightened security in the country on Eid. “With mobile
networks down the first night, attendance was low,” he said, adding that the
crowds started coming the following night.
Naveed then touched upon a problem that is a concern
to cinemagoers all over the country. “From a national perspective, it is
regrettable that this Punjabi film isn’t being screened in cities like Karachi
or Peshawar,” he said. “It’s hypocritical.”
Despite the reluctance to watch Indian movies and
lack of funds and government support, producer Safdar Malik does not understand
why Punjabi films still aren’t being screened in theatres across the country.
“Why don’t cinemas across Pakistan prefer to show Punjabi films? They are also
Pakistani films,” he said, frustrated at the thought that only Punjab is
promoting these productions.
Since Lollywood actor Reema’s Love Mein Ghum failed
at the box office a few years ago, there has been reluctance within the film
industry to make Urdu films which can be watched and understood countrywide and
Malik explained that such films require heavier budgets. The lack of success
and high cost discourage financiers and producers from taking on Urdu films. On
a brighter note, however, Malik added that Syed Noor should be appreciated and
encouraged for bringing some much needed energy back to Pakistani cinema.
While Shareeka’s actors are all exceptionally
talented, what failed to impress about the film was the poor quality of the
print and dull action sequences.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2012.
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