British director Steven Moores Pakistani film Tamanna (An Overlook)
his would be one of the most interesting projects in the history of Pakistan film industry. The upcoming Pakistani film Tamanna is directed by British director Steven Moore and produced by Sarah Tareen, who also has the experience of working with Shoaib Mansoor for his blockbuster hit Khuda Kay Liye.
The movie is Pakistans first feature film directed by any British director, as all the past efforts by any foreign director were on lower level. Tamanna has got a very experienced and heavy cast which includes internationally acclaimed Pakistani actors like Salman Shahid, Faryal Goher and Omair Rana.
Omair Rana was not part of the film initially and the role which he will feature in was given to Hameed Sheikh, who is famous for his role of Sher Shah in Shoaib Mansoors KKL and Omar Boloch in Kandahar Break. But according to the producer Sarah Tareen, he has now been replaced by Omair Rana.
The story is essentially about class snobbery, adultery and ego. We have purposefully chosen realism and artistic integrity over sensationalism, because we want this film to be taken seriously internationally and have a long shelf life. Our general philosophy is to stay away from politics and religion and to concentrate on class and social issues. This film is not masala but neither is it parallel cinema it is midway, and is aimed at intelligent viewers from any background. The story is relevant to present Pakistani culture with its emerging middle class challenging the gentry, told Sarah in an interview to Daily Times.
Making an international standard film is of-course not an easy job at all, and every aspect either big or small, requires an extra ordinary care. Keeping the same fact in mind, the legend Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is chosen to give the music of the film.
Explaining his experience in Pakistan, director Steven Moore in an interview with Daily Times said, he believed culture is narrative while the film is the most powerful cultural narrative and Pakistan needs a boost in its recognition of its cultural heritage and stories. He said, After spending five years in Pakistan, living like an ordinary citizen, not in some foreign enclave or working with a single organisation with an agenda, I feel very connected with whats happening here. I needed time to both mature as an artist and understand the country and the people of Pakistan. The important thing is that the current slide in the film industry is reversed, and the stories of a generation are not lost forever.
Sarah Tareen, via email told Galaxy Lollywood that the film is actually a drama in genre and the work on the film is almost complete, however it will come out somewhere in the month of April this year, whereas the music of the film will be released before. She further said, Its a Pakistani-British Co-Production and the veteran playwright, poet, writer and columnist Munnu Bhai, is Tamannas script supervisor.
Tamanna after 2007′s KKL will surely open an another brave and un-touched topic of the society of not only Pakistan but the whole Indo-Pak region. This film is not only important for the revival of Pakistan film industry but will also open doors for Pakistani people to show to the whole world that they are not what they are actually depicted by the international media and they have this positive side as well where film makers are now opening such social taboos through their artistic skills. This film can also help the Pakistan film industry to get an international recognition which they lost somewhere in late 80s and 90s.
British director Steven Moore’s Pakistani film “Tamanna” (An Overlook) « Galaxy Lollywood