Roundup 2015 – Pakistani films
The year 2015 is concluding in few days and here is a roundup of Pakistani films released in 2015. On the whole business wise 2015 proved a favorable year for Pakistani films, as many films earned huge revenue from the box office. However quantity wise it was another disappointment year as very few Pakistani films were released. The year 2015 proved remarkable for the business of Urdu films, as the highest earning Urdu film of Pakistan is released this year. The films released in 2015 were in Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto languages. Urdu films were produced in Karachi and Lahore, whereas Punjabi and Pashto films are produced in Lahore. In 2015, Urdu films were also consistently released abroad in countries with large Pakistani diaspora like USA, UK, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
Pakistan comprises of four provinces Sindh, Punjab, KPK and Balochistan and three federal territories FATA, Islamabad and Gilgit Baltistan. Another region of Azad Jammu & Kashmir is also administered by Pakistan.
There are no cinemas in the federal terroritries of FATA, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. So cinemas in Pakistan only exist in the four provinces and the federal capital Islamabad. In the Balochistan there are less then 10 cinemas and all are located in the capital city of Quetta. In the KPK province, there are less than 20 cinemas are located in the cities of Mardan, Peshawar, Swat and Nowshehra. The majority of cinemas of Pakistan exist in the province of Punjab, Sindh and federal capital Islamabad.
On the whole 43 local films in Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto were released these year and this article summarizes some the big films.
Urdu films
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan spoken and understood in the whole country. However the business of Urdu films is limited to the provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Federal Capital Islamabad. In Sindh, the cities of Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukker are the main business locations. In Punjab main cities like Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Multan as well as smaller cities like Sargodha, Gujrat, Lalamusa, Bahawalpur contribute to the Urdu cinema business. Federal capital Islamabad with many multiplexes is also a big market for Urdu films.
The Urdu films released in 2015 were produced in Karachi (Karawood), Lahore (Lollywood) and Islamabad. None of the Urdu film produced in Lahore is released in Karachi or outside Punjab, but the films released in Karachi were released throughout Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad.
Good Morning Karachi (گڈ مارننگ گراچی)
Film: Good Morning Karachi (گڈ مارننگ گراچی)
Cast: Aamna Ilyas, Saba Hameed, Beo Rana Zafar, Atta Yaqub, Aamina Sheikh, Savera Nadeem, Yasir Aqueel, Khalid Malik, Shaheen Khan, Farhan Ali Agha
Writer: Shandana Minhas
Screenplay: Malia Scotch Marmo, Sabiha sumar and Samhita Arni
Directed By: Sabiha Sumar
Produced By: Sachithanandam Sathananthan for Vidhi films
Distributor: APlus Films
Release Date: 1st January 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music:
Shot In: Karachi
Budget: Not Available
Business (Pakistan): Less than 50 lakhs.
Business (Overseas): Not released outside Pakistan
Verdict: Flop
Released on 1st January 2015, Good Morning Karachi was the first Pakistani film of the year 2015. Produced and shot in Karachi, GMK was the first film released by APlus films. Though an Urdu film, its name was in English.
Based on the novel Rufina by Shandana Minhaas, the film failed miserably at the box office. Good Morning Karachi was the story of a girl Rufina who dreams to be a model while living in an impoverished area of Karachi. It was not a commercial film and such films in Pakistan seldom attract cine goers and only recieve praise from the film critics. However in the case of Good Morning Karachi, famous film critics like Omair Alavi criticized it for a negative portrayal of the city of Karachi.
Jalaibee (جلیبی)
Film: Jalaibee (جلیبی)
Cast:Danish Taimoor, Ali Safina, Wiqaar Ali Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Sajid Hasan, Sabeeka Imam, Adnan Jaffer, Uzair Jaswal
Writer: Yasir Jaswal
Directed By: Yasir Jaswal
Produced By: Business (Pakistan):
Business (Overseas): Eman Syed for Redrum Films
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 20th March 2015
Produced In: Islamabad
Music: Umair Jaswal
Shot In: Islamabad
Budget: 9 crore
Business (Pakistan): 7 crore
Business (Overseas): 3 crore (UAE, US, UK)
Verdict: Average Hit
Jalaibee is one of the few commercial films produced in Islamabad. Unlike Karachi and Lahore, Islamabad is a new entrant in the production of Urdu films. Earlier Waar a film produced in Islamabad proved quite successful in 2013. Jalaibee was the first major Urdu film of the year 2015 released in March 2015. It was the debut Urdu film of many famous artists like Wiqar Ali Khan, Sabika Imam, Danish Taimoor, Ali Safina, Uzair Jaswal. Zhalay Sarhadi who earlier worked in the Urdu film Ramchand Pakistani in 2008 was also in a leading role.
The story of Jalaibee was as twisted as a real Jalaibee but the sweetness was entirely missing. The advertised budget of Jalaibee was about 9 crore, and it earned 6.5 crore – 7 crore on the box office. Though it failed to recover its costs, but still it is declared average hit as anything above 5 crore is considered a decent earning on Pakistani box office. Jalaibee was also released overseas in UAE, UK and USA as well receiving mixed response.
3 Bahadur (تین بہادر)
Film: 3 Bahadur (تین بہادر)
Cast (Voices by): Muneeba Yaseen,Hanzala Shahid,Zuhab Khan
Writer: Kamran Khan
Directed By: Sharmeen-Obaid Chinoy
Produced By: Waadi Animations
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 22 May 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: John Angier, Sheraz Uppal
Shot In: Karachi
Budget: – 1.50 crore
Business (Pakistan): 6.64 crore
Business (Overseas):
Verdict: All Time Blockbuster
Teen Bahadur is the first commercial animated film of Pakistan produced by Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. Teen Bahadur earned 6.64 crore which is a huge collection for any animated film in Pakistan and is declared All Time Blockbuster animated film of Pakistan. Its music composed by Sheraz Uppal was also hit. The film has a dance number (animated one) Aaja Re as well. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of Teen Bahadur, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy also announced its Part 2 which will release in 2017.
Maya (مایا)
Film: Maya (مایا)
Cast: Ahmed Abdul Rehman , Hina Jawad , Zain Afzal , Sheikh Mohammad Ahmed , Anam Malik , & Rasheed Ali Guest Appearance Jawad Bashir & Ali Aftab
Writer:
Directed By: Jawwad Bashir
Produced By: Hinna Jawwad, Sana Sulman, Zara Hamid, Twister Films
Distributor:
Release Date: 12 June 2015
Produced In: Lahore
Music:
Shot In: Lahore
Budget: Not Available
Verdict: Flop
Budget: Not Available
Business (Pakistan): Not Available
Business (Overseas): Not released outside Pakistan
Verdict: Flop
Maya is a horror film. Jawwad Bashir, who is famous name for sitcoms and Ufone commercials experimented with a different genre. Maya was produced by Jawwad’s then wife and model Hinna Javaid. Maya fell flat at the box office and perhaps also resulted in the rift between Jawwad Bashir and Hinna Javaid. Both Hinna and Jawwad parted their ways within weeks after the failure of Maya. Hinna Javaid married a British-Pakistani businessman in October, while Jawwad Bashir announced a new film of social romantic genre. As compared to Maya, the separation of Jawwad and Hinna received more attention in the press.
With Maya the first half of the 2015 ended with a relative dismal results for Urdu cinema. In the first half of 2015 only one mainstream commercial film Jalaibee was released which proved average at box office. On the contrary the second half of 2015 proved quite promising for the Urdu cinema where majority of the films posted positive results.
Wrong No.
Film: Wrong No.
Cast: Javed Sheikh, Danish Taimoor, Sohai Ali Abro, Janita Asma . Danish Nawaz, Shafqat Cheema & Nadeem Jafri
Writer:
Directed By: Yasir Nawaz
Produced By: YNH Films
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 19 July 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Waqar Ali
Shot In: Karachi
Budget: – 4 crore
Business (Pakistan): 15.5 crore
Business (Overseas): 10 -12 crore
Verdict: Blockbuster Hit
Released on 16th July 2015 on the festive occassion of Eidul Fitr, Wrong No. proved the second most successful Urdu film of the year 2015. A guy flick, it was the directoral debut for Yasir Nawaz, along with many other artists like Sohai Ali Aabroo, Janita Asma, Nadeem Jaffri, Danish Nawaz. Wrong No. earned around 15.5 crore and is declared a Blockbuster. Seeing its overwhelming success it was also released in UK and UAE where it failed to create the magic it did in Pakistan. The film also has a dance number Selfiyan shot on Sohai Ali Aabroo.
Bin Roye (بن روۓ)
Film:Bin Roye (بن روۓ)
Cast: Humayun Saeed , Mahira Khan , Armeena Rana Khan ,Javed Sheikh,Zeba Bakhtiyar, Azra Mansoor, Junaid Khan
Writer: Farhat Ishtiaq
Directed By: Momina Duraid & Hameed Kashmiri
Produced By: Momina Duraid
Distributor: Hum Films & Everready Pictures
Release Date: 19 July 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Shiraz Uppal
Shot In: Karachi, USA, Dubai
Budget: – 3 -4 crore
Business (Pakistan): 11 crore
Business (Overseas): 20 – 25 crore
Verdict: Super Hit
Released on 18th July 2015 on Eidul Fitr, Bin Roye was a long awaited project from Hum Tv distributed by Eveready Productions. A film of social/romantic family drama genre Bin Roye also proved successful and earned about 10.85 crore. After a very long time an Urdu film of social/romantic family drama genre proved successful at the box office. Otherwise the recent history fo successful Pakistani films was limited to action and comedy films. After Bol in 2011, Mahira Khan made a successful comeback to Urdu cinema.
Apart from Pakistan Bin Roye was released worldwide by Indian film distributor B4U films. It was released in many countries including those where not much Pakistani reside, but having a sizeable Hindi speaking population like Fiji (a remote island in the pacific ocean having a large Indian Hindi speaking diaspora). Bin Roye was released in UAE, UK, USA, Canada, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Australia, Newzealand, Malaysia, Fiji, South Africa and many other countries.
It was also due to release in India but after threats from a Hindu extremist organization Maharashtra Navniriman Sena (MNS) its release was cancelled in the state of Maharashtra. Apart from Maharashtra it was released on 82 screens in India, which is a record for any Pakistani film in India. However it failed to register any success in India.
Apart from India, it earned well in the western countries UK, USA and Canada. Especially in UK it did exceptional business and became the highest earning Pakistani film in the UK. As per estimates it earned around 11 crore Pakistani rupee in UK alone which is more than its collection on Pakistani box office. Bin Roye also opened the doors for more upcoming social romantic family drama films.
Bin Roye is the only film of 2015 which proved successful both in Pakistan as well as abroad. The other films which proved more successful in Pakistan, proved far less successful in other countries like UK, UAE and USA.
Karachi Se Lahore (کراچی سے لاہور)
Film: Karachi Se Lahore (کراچی سے لاہور)
Cast: Javed Sheikh, Shehzad sheikh, Aysha Omer, Yasir Hussain, Aashir Wajahat, Eshita Syed, Ahmed Ali, Rashid Naz, Mantaha
Writer: Yasir Hussain
Directed By: Wajahat Rauf
Produced By: Wajahat Rauffor Showcase Films
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 31 July 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Shiraz Uppal
Shot In: Karachi, Lahore, Baluchistan
Budget: Not Available
Business (Pakistan):
Business (Overseas): Not Available
Verdict: Super Hit
A road trip comedy film Karachi Se Lahore was released on 31st July 2015. Like many other films of 2015, many artists made their debut like Ayesha Omar, Shahzad Sheikh, Yasir Hussain, as well as the director and producer Wajahat Rauf. KSL also proved superhit and grossed about 10 crore rupees at the box office. As compared to other films it has two dance numbers Tooti Frooti shot on Ayesha Omar and Rabbi Rali on Mantaha Tareen Maqsood. KSL was produced in Karachi and shot in Karachi, Lahore and Balochistan
Seeing its success in Pakistan it was also released overseas in UAE, without much success. KSL was also screened at Hollywood in some Asian film festival.
The success of three consecutive Urdu films provided encouraging signs to the film makers and distributors and it raised the hopes about three upcoming Urdu film which were due to release on 14th August 2015.
Shah (شاہ)
Film: Shah (شاہ)
Cast: Sardar Baloch,Gulab Chandio,Kiran Chaudhry,Faiz Chohan,Adnan Sarwar,Miraal Sara,Adeel Raees
Writer:
Directed By: Adnan Sarwar
Produced By: Adnan Sarwar for Logos Films & Media
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 14 August 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music:
Shot In: Karachi
Budget: – 1.70 crore
Business (Pakistan): 1.10 crore
Business (Overseas): Not released
Verdict: Average
A low budget biopic film financed entirely by Bank Alfalah, released on 13th August 2015. Shah was a tribute to long forgotten boxing hero of Pakistan Syed Hussain Shah. The stated budget of the film was 1.70 crore rupee and it earned approximately 1.10 crore rupee on the box office. Due to lack of finance the director Adnan Sarwar himself played the lead role of Hussain Shah. Shah was produced and shot in Karachi.
Films of such genre seldom succeed in Pakistan and are only screened at multiplexes in posh areas. Shah proved a timely acknowledgement to Olympic medalist Syed Hussain Shah who otherwise faced many bitter experiences from the beaurucracy and have to settle in Japan to earn his living.
Moor (مور)
Film: Moor (مور)
Cast: Hameed Sheikh, Samiya Mumtaz, Shaz Khan, Abdul Qadir, Sonya Hussyn, Ayaz Samoo, Ali Sheikh, Shabbir Rana, Habib Panazayi, Azlan Shah
Writer: Jami and Nazira Ali
Directed By: Jami
Produced By: Jami and Nadeem Mandwiwala
Distributor: IMGC (Geo Films)
Release Date: 14 August 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music:
Shot In: Balochistan, Karachi
Budget: – 5 crore
Business (Pakistan): 2 crore
Business (Overseas): Not released
Verdict: Flop
Moor means mother in the Pashto language. Directed by Jami, it was under production for past four years. Like any film of Jami it has a layered script with interwooven themes. Such films seldom attract the masses and thus Moor was screened at selective multiplexes. The film earned praise from most of the critics and ultimately earned the Pakistan’s entry to Oscars from the Pakistani Oscar Committee headed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy.
Dekh Magar Pyar Se (دیکھ مگر پیار سے)
Film: Dekh Magar Pyar Se (دیکھ مگر پیار سے)
Cast: Humaima Malik, Sikandar Rizvi, Irfan Khoosat, Farooq Aqdas
Writer:Saba Imtiaz
Directed By: Asadul Haq
Produced By: Asadul Haq – Shiny Toy Guns
Distributor: IMGC (Geo Films)
Release Date: 14 August 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Soch Band
Shot In: Lahore and London
Budget: – Not Available
Business (Pakistan): 2.20 crore
Business (Overseas): Not Available
Verdict: Average Hit
Dekh Magar Pyar Se was the only commercial comedy film released on 14th August 2015. Like many other Urdu films it was the debut film for the director Asadul Haq, actor Sikandar Rizvi, Farooq Aqdas. The film was produced in Karachi but shot in Lahore and London. Humaima Malik returned to Urdu cinema after a gap of four years, where Bol in 2011 was her last film.
DMPS, earned nearly 2 crore on the box office, where its budget was never revealed. On the whole DMPS was heavily criticized by viewers and critics alike for its weak story and execution. The music of the film by Soch Band was praised.
Manto (منٹو)
Film: Manto (منٹو)
Cast: Sarmad Sultan, Sania Saeed, Saba Qamar, Mahira Khan, Nimra Bucha, Arjumand Raheem, Faisal Qureshi, Humayun Saeed, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Shamoon Abbasi, Nadia Afgan, Sawera Nadeem
Writer: Shahid Mehmood Nadeem
Directed By: Sarmad Sultan Khoosat
Produced By: Asif Raza Mir
Distributor: IMGC (Geo Films)
Release Date: 11 Septebmer 2015.
Produced In: Karachi
Music:
Shot In: Karachi
Budget: – Not revealed
Business (Pakistan): 5 crore
Business (Overseas): Not released outside Pakistan
Verdict: Super Hit
A biopic film based on the life of famous short story writer Saadat Hassan Manto. The film covers the last seven years of the life of Saadat Hassan Manto which he spent in Pakistan after 1947. Manto is originally shot as a 20 episode television drama, and the film version consists of two hours of scenes edited out from the television drama. Manto was produced and shot in Karachi.
The name of Saadat Hassan Manto is considered a controversial name in the Urdu literature, and the film benefitted from the same reputation. Though films of independent nature seldom succeed in Pakistan, Manto performed very well by earning 5 crore on the box office, which was far more than its budget considering the film was edited version from a 20 hour long drama.
Swaarangi (سوارنگی)
Film: Swaarangi (سوارنگی)
Cast: Resham, Ayub Khosa, Naveed Akbar, Waseem Manzoor, Hamza Mushtaq, Shahzaib Johar
Writer: Phida Hussain
Directed By: Phida Hussain
Produced By:Mazhar Abbass
Distributor: Phida Hussain Films
Release Date: 11 September 2015
Produced In: Lahore
Music:
Shot In: Mianwali
Budget: – Not Available
Business (Pakistan): Not Available
Business (Overseas): Not Released
Verdict: Flop
An independent film , Swaarangi was the comeback of Resham in a film after a long gap of nine years. The film faced a ban from the Federal Censor Board, but cleared without any cuts by Punjab and Sindh Censor Boards. The film was released in very few multiplexes in Lahore only. Swaarangi proved dead flop at the box office.
Jawani Phir Nahin Aani (جوانی پھر نہیں آنی)
Film: Jawani Phir Nahin Aani (جوانی پھر نہیں آنی)
Cast: Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmed Ali Butt, Vasay Ch, Aisha Khan, Sarwat Gillani, Mehwish Hayat,Sohai Ali Abro, Javed Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, ZQ, Ismail Tara
Writer: Vasay Chaudhar
Directed By: Nadeem Baig
Produced By: Salman Iqbal, Humayun Saeed, Mohammad Jerjees Seja & Shahzad Nasib, Six Sigma Productions
Distributor: ARY Films
Release Date: 25 September 1015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Sahir Ali Bagga
Shot In: Karachi, Bangkok
Budget: – 9 crore
Business (Pakistan): 40 – 45 crore
Business (Overseas): Not Available
Verdict: All Time Blockbuster Hit
A comedy film Jawani Phir Nahin Aani (JPNA) has been the highlight of the year when it made the history by becoming the most successful film of Pakistan cinema. JPNA was also released in UAE, UK, USA. JPNA first by passed the Bollywood’s Dhoom3 which in 2013 earned 25 crore rupees on Pakistani box office and became the highest earning film in Pakistani rupees.
After the grand success of JPNA many new Pakistani films were announced and it encouraged investors towards the local film industry.
Halla Gulla (ہلہ گلہ)
Film: Halla Gulla (ہلہ گلہ)
Cast: Javed Sheikh, Ismail Tara, Ghazala Javed, Asim Mehmood, Muneeb, Sidra Batool, Ashraf Khan ,Zara Gul Jasmeen Adil Wadia, Maryam Ansari, Hina Rizvi, Hunain Maniar, Bilal Yousufzai
Writer:Raheela Mushtaq
Directed By: Kamran Ali Khan
Produced By: Hamid Mohammad
Distributor: Geo Films
Release Date: 25 September 2015
Produced In: Karachi
Music: Sahir Ali Bagga
Shot In: Karachi, Bangkok
Budget: – 3 -4 crore
Business (Pakistan): 1.5 crore
Business (Overseas): Not Released
Verdict: Flop
A comedy film Halla Gulla was also screened on Eidul Azha with JPNA. However unlike JPNA, Halla Gulla failed at the box office.
Ishq Ne Hum Ko Loota (عشق نے ہم کو لوٹا)
Film: Ishq Ne Hum Ko Loota (عشق نے ہم کو لوٹا)
Cast: Nadeem Shah, Zara Sheikh, Meera
Writer: Parvez Kaleem
Directed By: Iqbal Kashmiri
Produced By: Nadeem Shah
Distributor: Nadeem Shah
Release Date:
Produced In: Lahore
Music:
Shot In: Lahore
Budget: – Not Available
Business (Pakistan):
Business (Overseas): Not released
Verdict: Flop
The last Urdu film of 2015 was Ishq Ne Hum Ko Loota released only in Lahore in November. The film was shot five years ago but was stuck in the film processing laboratory of Evernew Studio over non payment of the dues. This year the film finally made it to cinemas without leaving any impact. It was based on the sob fest story of Devdas.
Punjabi films
Punjabi films were once considered as the backbone of Pakistani film industry. Till mid 2000 Punjabi films were running successfully in Punjab, however with the departure of 35 mm old camera and arrival of digital camera and multiplexes the Punjabi cinema failed miserably. This year nearly five low budget Punjabi films produced in Lahore were released in few cinemas of Lahore, Gujranwala and other small centres of Punjab. None of the Punjabi film was able to revive the dying Punjabi cinema.
The name of the Punjabi film were Razia Phas Gayi Gundon Main, Lahoria tay Pishoria, Gujjar Pooray Dinna Da, Sohna Gujjar and Sami Rawal.
Pashto films
Pashto films are produced in Lahore, Punjab but their market is outside of Punjab in the provinces of Balochistan and KPK. Pashto films are also released in few cinemas of Karachi, Sindh due to high population of Pashto speakers in the city. This year nearly 17 Pashto films were released 12 of which were hit while the rest also recovered their cost. Apart from Pakistan, Pashto films were also released in Kabul, Afghanistan and Dubai, UAE. Though the budgets of Pashto films are limited but their market is spread across multiple provinces and countries, which enables the makers of Pashto films to easily convert their investment into profit.
Rashid Nazir Ali
