Films in November 2016

November the second last month of the year looks a promising month as five Urdu films are expected to release in this month.

Four out of these Urdu films have confirmed their release dates while release date for one film is not announced yet. The total number of these films is more than any other month of the year 2016. On the whole on all the four fridays of this month a new Urdu film is releasing.

So lets go through the releases of this month

Jeevan Hathi (جیون ہاتھی)
Jeevan Hathi (جیون ہاتھی)(The Elephant in the Room) is directed by Menu Gaur and Farjad Nabi the same team which directed a Pakistani Urdu/Punjabi film Zinda Bhaag in 2013.

Jeewan Hathi (The Elephant in the Room) is written by Faseeh Bari Khan a famous writer of Pakistani drama industry. His most famous drama is Qudusi Sahib Ki Bewah. Jeewan Hathi also stars seasoned artists Hina Dilpazeer with acclaimed Indian artist Naseerudin Shah.

The film is produced by the Indian television channel Zee Zindagi under the initiative of Zeal for Unity. In 2015 Zee Zindagi announced an initiative of Zeal for Unity, producing around 12 films for its short films festival where 6 to be directed/produced in Pakistan by Pakistani directors and team and six to be produced in India with Indian director and team. Jeevan Hathi is one of these short films.

Film: Jeevan Hathi (جیون ہاتھی)
Release Date: 4 November 2016
Genre: Dark Comdey
Language: Urdu
Starring: Naseerudin Shah, Hina Dilpazeer, Samiya Mumtaz, Adnan Jafar, Saifee Hassan, Nazarul Hassan, Fawad Khan, Kiran Tabeer
Directed by: Meenu Gaur & Farjad Nabi
Co-Produced by: Vikas Sharma
Produced by: Shailja Kejriwala, Mazhar Zaidi
Matteela Produced by: Mazhar Zaidi
DOP: Rana Kamran
Music by: Sahir Ali Bagga
Edited by: Armaghan Hasan
Written by: Faseeh Bari Khan
Zeal For Unity Presents A Matteela Films Production
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeewanhathi/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEV935_Z86Q

Lahore Se Aagey (لاہور سے آگے)
Lahore Se Aagey (LSA) is the sequel of the film Karachi Se Lahore (کراچی سے لاہور) (KSL) released on 31st July 2015. KSL proved hit by earning nearly 10 crore.

KSL was a road trip romantic comedy story from Karachi to Lahore. LSA will take the journey further from Lahore to the scenic valley of Swat in the north west of our country. It is the story of the character of Moti (Yasir Hussain) from KSL. Apart from Yasir Hussain, no other artist from KSL is in LSA.

Paired with Yasir Hussain, Saba Qamar known for her powerful performances in many television plays is appearing in a lead role for the very first time. She earlier appeared in a supporting role in the film Manto (2015).

Veteran artist Rubina Ashraf is also making a big screen debut from this film in a supporting role.

Like Karachi Se Lahore, Lahore Se Aagay is also penned down by Yasir Hussain، directed by Wajahat Rauf. The other similarity among both films is presence of two dance numbers. Karachi Se Lahore has Rabbi Rali and Tuti Frooti, Lahore Se Aagay has Qalabaaz and Marcharapa.

Film: Lahore Se Aagay (لاہور سے آگے)
Release Date: 11 November 2016
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Language: Urdu
Starring:Yasir Hussain,Saba Qamar,Mubashir Malik,Rubina Ashraf,Behroze Sabzwari,Abdullah Farhatullah,Noor ul Hassan,Atiqa Odho
Directed by:Wajahat Rauf
Produced by:Wajahat Rauf,Salman Iqbal,Asfand Farouk
Written by:Yasir Hussain
Music by:Shiraz Uppal
Cinematography:Asrad Khan
Edited by:Hasan Ali Khan
Production company:Showcase Productions
Distributed by:ARY Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LahoreSeAagey/

Rahm (رحم)
Rahm (رحم) is based on the drama ‘Measure for Measure’ written by Shakespere. Seasoned artists like Sanam Saeed and Sajid Hassan are playing the leading roles in this film. The film is shot entirely in Lahore and its crew comprises of Pakistani and British technicians.

The website of the film describes it as

A Sufi Adaptation of Shakespeare – a plea for tolerance from the heart of the Muslim world.

Lahore at an imagined time ….

A kindly Governor goes into hiding after appointing a younger, puritanical Deputy in his place who is convinced that Lahore needs harsh punishments and strict implementation of laws.

Fear grips the city as a young man is condemned to death for getting his fiancee pregnant on the accusations of her parents. When his sister Sameena goes to meet the Deputy Governor to beg for mercy, he finds her physically irresistible and asks to sleep with her in exchange for commuting the death sentence on her brother. Sameena has to outwit him, and helped by the ex- Governor she tries to turn the tables in a gripping climax.

Starring: Sanam Saeed as Sameena,Sajid Hasan as Governor/Fakir,Sunil Shanker as Qazi Ahad,Nayyar Ejaz as Councillor Kamal,Seerat Jafri as Marium, Khalid Butt as Nawab Sahib, Rohail Pirzada as Qasim Mian
Release Date: 18 November 2016
Director: Ahmed A. Jamal
Written by: Mahmood Jamal
Produced by: Mahmood Jamal
Co-Producers: David Shanks and Ahmed A. Jamal
Director of Photography: Jono Smith.
Edited by : Kant Pan.
Executive Producers: Yasin Alireza and Mahmood Jamal
Co- Executive Producer: Saqib Qureshi
Associate Producer : Omar Shah Ahmed
Line Producer : Matteela Films / Mazhar Zaidi
Art Director: Shehzad Shuja
Sound by : Faiz Zaidi
Unit Production Manager: Furqan Ahmad
Music Composed by : David C. Heath
Music features : The English Chamber Orchestra / John Anderson (Oboe), Gary Kettel (Percussion).Songs by Sami Brothers,Noor Jehan and Reshma
Rahm Website: http://www.rahmthemovie.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDo6l3ijlss

Dobara Phir Se (دوبارہ پھر سے)
Dobara Phir Se (DPS) is directed by Mehreen Jabbar the famous director of dramas known for her signature distinct style. It is her second film after Ramchand Pakistani (2008). While Ramchand Pakistani was more of a parallel cinema film, DPS is a mainstream commercial film.

DPS is shot in Karachi, Pakistan and Newyork state, USA. The trailer of the film was released in July 2016 where the film was expected to release around August 2016. Now it is releasing on 25th November 2016.

Atiqa Odho is appearing on big screen after a long gap where her last film was Mujhe Chaand Chahiye (2000). DPS is also the first mainstream film for Hareem Farooq, Ali Kazmi and Tooba Siddiqi. Hareem Farooq has earlier appeared in horror film Siyah (2013) and Tooba Siddiqi also appeared in a song in the film Wrong No (2015)

Film: Dobara Phir Se (دوبارہ پھر سے)
Release Date: 25 November 2016
Genre: Family Drama
Language: Urdu
Starring: Adeel Husain, Hareem Farooq, Tooba Siddiqui, Atiqa Odho, Sanam Saeed,Shaz Khan,Ali Kazmi and Musa Khan
Director: Mehreen Jabbar
Story by Bilal Sami & Mehreen Jabbar
Music: Haniya Aslam
Screenplay: Bilal Sami
Producer: Salman Iqbal, Mohammad Jerjees Seja, Mehreen Jabbar.
Co produced by: Ilana Rossein, Asif Jamal
Associate Producer: Bilal Sami.
Distributed by ARY Films
Studio:ARY Films in association with Namak Films
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/dobaraphirse/

Raasta (راستہ)
The exact date of this film is not yet announced however Sahir Lodhi the leading name associated with this film announced it is releasing in November in his morning show on Tv One.

Raasta (راستہ) is produced in Karachi. The film was due to release in May 2016 but then delayed. Saahir Lodhi is playing the lead role apart from writing and co-directing the film.

Aijaz Aslam, is also playing an important role of a Police Officer in the film. The lead pair of the film is Saahir Lodhi and models Abeer Rizvi and Saima Azhar.

Cast: Sahir Lodhi, Abeer Rizvi, Ejaz Aslam, Sana Fakhir, Shamoon Abbasi, Mathira, Naved Raza, Saima Azhar, Saleem Miraj, Irfan motiwala, Esha Noor, Kisa zehra and child star Saniya Mansoor
Written by: Shahid Naqvi and Sahir Lodhi
Story Screenplay and Dailogue by: Sahir Loadhi
Directed by Saqib Siddiqui and Sahir Lodhi
Produced by: Moidul Hassan, Sahir Lodhi, Dr. Faisal Zia
A SAMS Company and HOM Production film with Sahir Lodhi Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaastaTheMovie

So it sums up films of November.

Thanks for your time

Rashid Nazir Ali

Rashid Nazir Ali