Pakistani cinema is going through its revival stage currently. And as much as we love the mainstream movies, sometimes, non-mainstream movies come out too. Ashir Azeem’s Maalik was just that.
Maalik talked about the political issues and corruption in Pakistan and was therefore, banned by the government.
Hassan Niazi played the role of the Chief minister of Sindh and now, he has been nominated for Best Actor in a negative role at the Nigar Awards.
While speaking to The Express Tribune, Hassan Niazi expressed:
“It feels amazing! You know as they say, sau sonar ki, aik lohar ki. This is my first big nomination, so it’s great”
When told that this nomination would encourage other filmmakers to step out of their comfort zone, Niazi said:
“I don’t really think so. Most film-makers are not happy with the way Nigar Awards are coming back,I just watched someone on television speak about how the way they returned was unprofessional and all. I don’t know but it doesn’t seem like anybody sees it as an encouraging move. And then, most film-makers don’t know how to make a film here.”
“It’s the same people from the drama industry who bring in the same sensibilities to film. We need film actors, directors who the audience is willing to pay for. You know, musicians say that you need to listen to different kinds of music to expand your vision. It rings true for actors and film-makers too. We need to watch different kinds of cinema and then we can explore different characters and narratives.”
“It will take some time. Of course, I don’t know enough to offer any solutions yet. My seniors have taught me everything I know and I have a long way to go before I can critique any other actor,” he said.
While talking about his future projects, he said:
“I cannot reveal much but both of them are masala entertainment films. After Maalik, I am stepping away from controversial cinema.”
“I don’t think controversy should be my selling point. I was praised a lot for my character in Maalik but we shouldn’t rely on controversy.”
We can’t wait to see how well does Niazi perform on the big screen again.