July the seventh month of the year 2017 has started. It is the month in which rainy season Barsaat or Savan starts in Pakistan after a soaring summer season. No public holiday falls in this month, but due to summer vacations in educational institutions traditionally the number of film releases is on the high side if compared to the other non public holidays months of the year.
This July, release of three Urdu films is announced which is a healthy figure with respect to local cinema. All three Urdu films of July 2017 are of different genre and thus provides ample variety to the cine goers to choose one as per their taste.
So here are the Urdu films of July 2017
Project Ghazi (پراجیکٹ غازی)
Project Ghazi is advertised as the first super hero film of Pakistan and is under production for past one year. The producers of the films have been successful in generating a lot of hype about their project. Produced in Karachi, it will be interesting to see whether the film lives up to the expectations it has raised.
The teaser of the film was released in May 2017, which received mixed response. The trailer of the film is launched on 19th June 2017 which again received mixed response. The fight sequences, sound mixing and CGI effects in the trailer were criticized for not being up to the mark. Still the film is applauded for being the first of its kind in Pakistani cinema.
Project Ghazi stars Humayun Saeed, Sheharyar Munawar Siddiqi, Syra Shehroz, Talat Hussain and Adnan Jaffar in pivotal roles. Sheharyar Munawar Siddiqi last worked in Ho Mann Jahan, released in January 2016 and Project Ghazi is his second film after a gap of one and a half years. The director and the production team of Project Ghazi are relatively new names.
Film: Project Ghazi (پراجیکٹ غازی)
Release Date: 14th July 2017
Genre: Action
Cast: Sheheryar Munawar,Humayun Saeed,Syra Yousuf,Adnan Jaffar,Talat Hussain,Aamir Qureshi,Raza Hyder,Nusrat Hidayutullah
Written by:
Directed by: Nadir H. Shah
Produced by: Syed Muhammad Ali Raza
Production House: GYR Films
Distributor: Distribution Club (DC)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectghazi/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQgQn-vRHao
Shor Sharaba (شورشرابا)
Shor Sharaba (شورشرابا) is the second film releasing this month. It was due to release on Eidul Fitr but then postponed to avoid clash with the other Eid releases. Shor Sharaba is produced in Lahore, by Sohail Khan a film producer from Lahore. Sohail Khan has also co-prouced few films in Bollywood like Jannat in 2008 in collaboration with Mahesh Bhatt. Perhaps the collaboration with the Indian film industry prompted Sohail Khan to produce a film in Pakistan with the assistance of Indian film workers.
Shor Sharaba was announced some two years ago, but the shooting of the film is delayed due the visa issues with its Indian director Hasnain Hyderabadwala and choreographer Shaheena Khan.
After formally getting the visa and work permits, Hasnain Hyderabadwala shot this film in Lahore in 2016. Though the cast of the film is Pakistani, but perhaps it is the first Pakistani film directed by an Indian director.
Also dubbed as a romantic comedy it is a complete commercial masala flick featuring an item song too.
Shor Sharaba is the first Urdu film of Adnan Khan, who made his debut from Punjabi film Mohabbatan Sachiyan way back in 2007. Rabi Peerzada is making film debut as heroine from Shor Sharaba. Rabi Peerzada is also active in showbiz for more than a decade in acting, hosting as well as singing.
The scandal queen of our film industry Meera is also appearing in an item song and extended cameo. However the footage of item song of Meera went missing during the editing phase of the film. So it is not clear yet whether the song will be reshot or not.
The trailer of Shor Sharaba is released in May 2017 and it was quite disappointing. Film makers from Lahore’s defunct film industry are known for producing pulp films, but there was better expectation from Shor Sharaba due to the presence of an Indian film director. Lets hope the film is better than the trailer.
Film: Shor Sharaba (شورشرابا)
Release Date: 21st July 2017
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cast: Adnan Khan, Rabi Pirzada, Meera, Aqeel Malik, Ahmed Butt, Mustafa Qurashi, Imran Khan, Nisho, Bahar Begum
Music:
Story: Sohail Khan and Tariq Sahli
Script & Dialogues: Sohail Khan
Directed by: Hasnain Hyderabadwala
Associate Producer: Ghouse Qadri
Produced by: Sohail Khan
Production House: SK (Sohail Khan) Productions
Distributor: IMGC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShorSharabaOfficial/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL1PvUHOTf4
Chain Aaye Naa (چین آۓ نا)
Chain Aaye Naa (CAN) is a musical romantic film releasing on 21st July 2017. The major highlight of Chain Aaye Naa is its director and producer Syed Noor, one of the last renown names of now defunct film industry of Lahore. Syed Noor has a lots of successful films to his credit in the 1990s like Jeeva, Sargam, Ghoonghat, Sangam, Choorian, Daku Rani, Deewane Tere Pyar Ke. His last Urdu film Jhoomar was released in 2007 so Syed Noor is returning to Urdu cinema after a gap of one decade. Though he was active in Punjabi films during the last decade where Shareeka in 2012 was his last Punjabi film.
CAN marks the comeback of Syed Noor to the Urdu cinema. It is the debut film of Sehrish Khan an artist of Pakistani origin from USA. Sehrish Khan is the grand daughter of Sabiha Khanum and Santosh Kumar two legendary names of our cinema. CAN is shot in Karachi and Lahore.
Shehroz Sabzwari is appearing as the male lead opposite Sehrish Khan. CAN is also the debut film of Shehroz Sabzwari, though he has worked as a childstar in Khulay Aasman Ke Neeche in 2007. Shehroz is the son of famous artist Behroz Sabzwari and nephew of Javed Sheikh a seasoned name of Pakistani cinema.
Adil Murad the son of Waheed Murad is also making a comeback to the big screen after two decades from this film. His last and only film to date Raja Saab was released in 1995.
Atiqa Odho and Nadeem Baig are working as a pair after a gap of almost two decades their last film Mummy was released in 1997.
Saima Noor an essential ingredient in the films of Syed Noor is surprisingly missing in this film. The trailer of the film was released on 22nd June 2017 which looks dull and tasteless in every aspect. On the whole the trailer of CAN has greatly disappointed anyone waiting for a strong comeback from Syed Noor.
As evident from the trailer the film follows the pattern of an 1980s film with over emotional sequences, bad acting, lack of direction, sub par camerawork and unimpressive editing. The only strong aspect could have been its music as the main protagonist of the film is a musician, but alas its music also looks outdated as many songs released in 1990s are reused in this film.
The first trailer was four and a half minutes long and received heavy criticism on the social media. Later a shorter two and a half minutes trailer is released both the trailers are posted here. The shorter trailer is much better, but it cannot mend the damage the first trailer has done.
Film: Chain Aaye Naa (چین آۓ نا)
Release Date: 21st July 2017
Genre: Romantic Musical
Cast: Shahroz Sabzwari, Sarish Khan, Adil Murad, Nadeem, Behroze Sabzwari, Mustafa Qureshi, Atiqa Odho, Danish Nawaz, Waqar Godhra, Sobia Khan, Maryam
Music: M. Arshad, Javed Siddiqui, Naim Sakhia and Syed Noor
DOP: Irfan Mirza
Writer: Syed Noor
Directed by: Syed Noor
Produced by: Javed Siddiqui, Naim Sakhia and Syed Noor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChainAyeNa/
Website: http://www.chainayena.net/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNkGCpjg5Qw
So these are the three Urdu films releasing in the month of July 201.
Thanks for your time.
Rashid Nazir Ali