Films in February 2018

February the second month of the year 2018 is starting in few days time.  This month has one official holiday of Kashmir Day on 5th February. This year Kashmir day is falling on Monday thus making it a long weekend.

Apart from the Kashmir Day, the other notable event in this month is Valentines Day which falls on 14th February. Though not an official holiday, but a number of Bollywood films are lined up every year on the Valentines weekend.

The major sporting event of our country Pakistan Super League (PSL) also starts in the mid of February (15th February) and usually film makers avoid a direct clash with any popular sporting event like this.

Since 2013 with the resurgence of the Urdu cinema, the number of released films in this month are on lower side might be due to the factors like PSL, high number (2-3) of Bollywood films on the Valentine’s weekend. Last year in February 2017 only two Urdu films Balu Mahi and Whistle were released. Though Balu Mahi started decently at the box office but it failed to carry the momentum beyond first week, while Whistle was a washout. The most successful film released in this month since 2013 was Bachaana released on 27th February 2016. Bachaana earned 8 – 9 crore back then despite the direct clash with the first season PSL.

However things look promising this year with a total of four films releasing in February 2018. But perhaps to avoid the clash with the Bollywood releases on the Valentines weekend and PSL and to utilize the long weekend of Kashmir Day all the four films are releasing on the first two weekends of the month. Three out of these four films are releasing on the Kashmir Day weekend, which is a long weekend.

All the four films of this month are of different genres of horror, romcom, independent and animated drama which will provide ample choices to the cine goers to choose one as per their priority.

Maan Jao Na (مان جاؤ نا)
Maan Jao Na (MJN) is the only mainstream commercial film releasing in the month of February. It is light Romantic Comedy film consisting of fresh and seasoned faces.

Seasoned artist Asif Raza Mir is making a comeback to the big screen after a gap of almost three decades through this film. Asma Abbas is also working in her first film in a supporting role, who also provided vocals for a song.

The lead pair of the film is Adeel Chaudhry and Elnaaz Norouzi where both are working in their first Urdu film. Adeel Chaudhry has earlier worked in a Bollywood film, but MJN is his first Pakistani film. Elnaaz Nourouzi is a German artist of Iranian origin who has also worked in Bollywood.

MJN is also the first film of Aabis Raza as director who earlier directed many famous dramas. The trailer of the film was released in November 2017 and received mixed response. After a very long time MJN is the film shot at the scenic locations of Sindh’s urban and rural area. The film also features a colorful Shaadi song shot Ishq Bekaar on the entire cast. The reloaded version of famous song Bijli Bhari Hai is also part of this film.

Film: Maan Jao Na (مان جاؤ نا)
Release Date: 2 February 2018
Genre: Romcom
Cast: Elnaaz Norouzi, Adeel chaudhry, Ghana Ali, Ayaz Samoo, Hajra Yamin, Naeem Haque, Asif Raza Mir, Asma Abbas, SAbahat Bukhari, Muhammad Ejaz, Nayyer Ejaz, Ali Gul Pir
Written by: Muhammad Khalid Ali
Directed by: Aabis Raza
Produced by: Asma Nabeel & Ahsan Raza Firdousi
Music: Shuja Haider, asim Raza, Vicky Haider
Production House: The Crew Films
Distributor: Hum Films & Eveready
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maan-Jao-Naa-376378429396879/
Website: http://www.maanjaonaa.com/

Pari (پری)
Pari is the second film releasing in the month of February and on 2nd February 2018. Earlier announced to release on Halloween 2017, it was eventually delayed. Pari is a horror film a genre which has not proven much popular among the audience of the local cinema. Since 2013, horror films Siyaah (2014), Maya (2015) and Aksbandh (2016) have been released without much success.

The cast of the film is new with Azekah Danial and Junaid Akhter, while childstar Khushi Maheen also playing a vital role in the film.

It is the first film of Syed Atif Ali as a director. Seasoned names of our artist world Saleem Miraj, Rasheed Naz and Qavi Khan are also working in this film.

Pari is mostly shot at the hill station of Ayubia.

Film: Pari (پری)
Release Date: 2 February 2018
Genre: Horror
Cast: Khushi Maheen, Junaid Akhtar, Azekah Daniel, Faiq Asim, Saleem Miraj, Rasheed Naz, Qavi Khan
Written by: Syed Atif Ali & Muhammad Ahsan
Directed by: Syed Atif Ali
Produced by:MIG Media Company & Screenshots Productions
Music:Masood Alam
Production House: MIG Media Company & Screenshots Productions
Distributor:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parihorrorfilm

Allahyar and The Legend of Markhor (الہیار اینڈ دی لیجنڈ آف مارخور)

Allahyar and The Legend of Markhor (ATLOM) is an animated film. Since 2013 very few animated films have been released, which surprisingly have proved quite successful. Gradually it is becoming a popular genre.

The previous two animated films were 3 Bahadur (2015) and its sequel 3 Bahadur: The Revenge of Baba Balaam (2016), both of which proved block buster.

ATLOM, also received lots of appreciation when its teaser and trailer were released. It is the story of a young lad Allahyar who lives in the remote northern mountainous part of Pakistan. Allahyar befriends a Markhor (Ibex) and a Chakor (a kind of Partridge), which are the national animal and bird of our country. A snow leopard also joins this gang.

Together they fight with the negative elements of the society who are part of the timber mafia and wildlife poachers.

Film: Allahyar and The Legend of Markhor (الہیار اینڈ دی لیجنڈ آف مارخور)
Release Date: 2 February 2018
Genre: Animated
Cast (voice overs): Anum Zaidi as Allahyar, Natasha Humera Ejaz as Mehru, Ali Noor as Mani, Azfar Jafri as Hero, Abdul Nabi Jamali as Chak’ku, Arieb Azhar as Bablu, Hareem Farooq, Ali Rehman Khan, Nadia Jamil
Written by: Uzair Zaheer Khan
Directed by: Uzair Zaheer Khan
Produced by: Usman Iqbal
Music: Ahmed Ali
Production House: 3rd World Studios
Distributor: ARY Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AYATLOM/

Azad (آزاد)
Azad is the fourth film of this month releasing on 9th February 2018. Though its genre is Romantic Drama, but it is not a mainstream commercial film.

The introduction of the film on IMDB states “An off beat comedy drama set in modern day Pakistan about a free spirited RJ who hosts a morning show until a chance encounter leads him to confront his own ideas of freedom.”

So the film tells the story of a free spirited man played by Rehan Sheikh himself.

The film is the direction debut of Rehan Sheikh on the big screen. Rehan Sheikh is also the co-producer and writer as well as playing the main protagonist in the film. Other notable names in the film are Sanam Saeed and Sabreen Hisbani.

Rehan Sheikh is an established artist, who performed a variety of roles in various dramas in the past 25 years. He earlier worked in three films Manto (2015), Actor In Law (2016) and Chuppan Chupai (2017) in supporting roles. Azad is his first film in a lead role.

Azad is also the debut film for Zahid Ahmed, Angleine Malik and Sabreen Hisbani who are considered established names in acting.

Azad has already been screened at some international film festivals outside Pakistan.

Film: Azad (آزاد)
Release Date: 9 February 2018
Genre: Romantic Drama
Cast: Rehan Sheikh,Sanam Saeed,Imran Abbas,Nimra Bucha,Angeline Malik,Zahid Ahmed,Salman Shahid,Sabreen Hisbani
Written by: Rehan Sheikh
Directed by: Rehan Sheikh
Produced by: Hasan Naeem,Rehan Sheikh
Music: Abbas Ali Khan,Taimoor Mirza
Production House: Bling Studios & Roomi Films
Distributor: Hum Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themovieAZAD

So it concludes the introduction of the films coming in February 2018. All the four films are different

Thanks for your time.

Rashid Nazir Ali