After Shaan Shamoon is also following his foot steps.......
No to Priyanka, yes to Waar for Shamoon Abbasi
By
Sher Khan /
Creative: Umar Waqas
Published: October 6, 2013
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Villain in upcoming film says he is committed to Bilal Lashari’s vision.
LAHORE:
While most mid-career actors’ ultimate goal is to bag the main lead in a film, Shamoon Abbasi grew up with a different ambition — of being a hated villain. With the release of upcoming big budget film Waar right around the corner, Abbasi’s dream of becoming Pakistani cinema’s favourite bad guy may well come true.
“People have asked me why I always pursue negative roles,” says Abbasi, who plays a deadly assassin in Bilal Lashari’s
Waar. “There are a lot of heroes — I want to be the anti-hero,” he says.
Born and raised in Italy, the ruggedly attractive actor says he has in the past declined offers, as he feels the idea of a villain needs a revamp in the Pakistani film industry. “I would receive countless offers to act alongside Shaan and Momi [Moammar Rana], but there was always this feeling that the work being done is not up to standard,” he adds. Perhaps this selective approach is the reason Faisal Bukhari’s
Bhai Log is his only major venture to date. However, he believes
Waar will be a game-changer for both him and the industry.
“When I met Bilal and was told about the [assassin] character, he had a clear view of how it should be. It was very well-researched and somewhat inspired from real life events. It became easier to bring the character to life.”
Releasing on Eidul Azha,
Waar will pair Shaan and Abbasi against each other for the first time. However, the two will also be seen in similar roles in the upcoming Zeba Bakhtiar project Operation 021. “Shaan is already popular and has done a lot of films over the last decade. I don’t know how the combination will work out but I think my main goal is to be part of something that changes the industry,” says Abbasi.
Pitched as a stylish, visual effects-laden action thriller,
Waar has created quite a buzz. Abbasi is quick to highlight its pre-release popularity. “This is the first time I have seen such a wave of patriotism surrounding our film industry — it is filling people with hope,” he says.
He appreciates the out-of-the-box approach of talented young director Lashari, who is making his debut in feature films with Waar. He claims to have turned down Bollywood director Vishal Bhardwaj’s offer to act alongside Priyanka Chopra, to stick to Lashari’s vision.
“This is now on the record. He [Vishal Bhardwaj] got a little upset [by my decision] but I explained that it was important for my country. This is the first time a project of this scale is being done and I can’t just ignore it,” says Abbasi.
Directing Dad
Lashari has said that
Waar is a movie made for the audience. He says the biggest challenge was to maintain continuity over a period of three years and ensure the film eventually comes together. “We made this for the public. It’s an exciting time for us now and I am glad that it’s finally coming to theatre,” says Lashari.
Apart from Shaan and Abbasi, the film also features budding star Hamza Ali Abbasi and singer, Ali Azmat. Famed bureaucrat Kamran Lashari, who is also the father of the director, will also be playing a role in the film. “My father has been directing me my whole life. I finally got a chance to direct him and I think he was impressive,” adds Lashari.
Waar: ‘Girls can do action sequences, too’
By
Sher Khan
Published: October 10, 2013
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This screen grab from the Waar trailer shows Khan playing an overconfident and unapologetic agent. PHOTO: PUBLICITY
LAHORE:
One would expect Pakistan’s first major action-thriller to keep the fighting scenes focused on male characters. But Waar makers have something different up their sleeves. The film releasing on Eidul Azha features singer-turned-actor Meesha Shafi and TV actor Ayesha Khan, who are all set to show some stellar action stunts.
“I wanted headstrong dominating females in the films,” says producer Hassan Waqas Rana, adding that Khan plays the role of a chief communication and intelligence officer at a counter-terrorism agency. “The girls had to go through rigorous training, and Ayesha had to carry a weapon at all times. So, her way of walking also changed.” Without giving away too much, he adds that Shafi will be seen in a “dominating mode that builds the action of the film.”
Khan plays an overconfident and unapologetic agent. “I wanted to show that girls can do action sequences, too,” she tells The Express Tribune. “For the first time, I got the chance to be part of action sequences and use real weapons.” She adds that due to
Waar’s “sophisticated cinematography”, the project will be distinctly different from others.
The actor admits she had to take a break from television which is her forte, but she doesn’t regret the decision one bit as she feels
Waar will revive stakeholders’ confidence in the industry. “We all had been working independently for quite some time but this has brought us together for the first time,” says Khan, referring to her co-stars Shaan, Shamoon Abbasi, Shafi, Ali Azmat and Hamza Ali Abbasi.
Waar has been shot primarily in English, a different challenge altogether for actors who have largely done projects in Urdu. “I have always acted in Urdu. I would joke in the middle of the scenes that it’s so hard to cry in English,” she says with a laugh.
Expectations surrounding the movie are mounting up and rightfully so.
Waar has been in production for over two years and is finally complete. Cast member Abbasi admits this was bound to happen as the current infrastructure and support are not developed enough to cater to such large-scale projects. “I am certain that this movie will set a [new] standard. It will be the one to watch out for,” he says, proud of the team’s accomplishments.
“For most of us, it was not a professional commitment, but more a commitment of passion,” he continues, adding that the actors have worked hard to make the film as close to reality as possible.
Azmat had turned down several television projects just to be part of
Waar as he was enamoured by the freshness of the project, Abbasi reveals. “In my case, I was involved from the beginning, so I grew up with this.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2013.
