The Shaan Factor
KARACHI: The year 2013 is threatening to be a big one for local cinema. For the first time in a long time, there is a new wave of film-makers who are not looking to make typical Lollywood films. We have trailers to prove that they exist its not an ambiguous discussion anymore. This is a healthy sign. There are some heavy-duty films coming out and theres a genuine effort to tell different stories. But what happens when one man is telling all the stories?
A case in point: Shaan Shahid
Dont get me wrong. Shaan is a credible and intelligent actor. His choice of roles, over the years, may suggest otherwise, but the man is Pakistans biggest film star. His contribution to cinema even in the form of wild gujjar films is not small. Hes still here.
Shaan was the poster boy for the so-called revival of cinema in 2007 when Shoaib Mansoors Khuda Kay Liye released. The film was a mammoth hit and Shaan put up a solid performance but it was a one-off. And there have been some fabulous looking films that Shaan has done since then including Zilay Shah and the recent Ishq Khuda. Yes, Im smirking. No, I havent seen them. I have reluctantly watched the trailers and they paint a strange and horrifying picture.
Shoaib Mansoors second feature film, Bol, created a star out of Humaima Malick while Mahira Khan and Atif Aslam grabbed the youths attention. A bold effort by Mansoor had Pakistan feeling uncomfortable, talking about things we usually shove under the carpet, quietly. It made us think.
Now fast-forward to 2013 and youre in for a surprise. Some prolific films are coming out in the upcoming weeks. One of the most-anticipated films of the year is Bilal Lasharis stylistic debut feature, Waar. Bilal Lashari has our attention partially because of some superlative videos behind him such as Overloads magnificent Dhamaal and the most credible Atif Aslam video to date, Hungami Halaat. Casting Meesha Shafi and Ali Azmat was a masterstroke because they will pull in urban audiences right alongside Shaan and his mass appeal.
So, weve got Ishq Khuda and Waar featuring Shaan. Then there is Zeba Bakhtiar and son Azan Sami Khans Operation 021, co-produced with Jamshed Mahmoods Azad Films, that also stars Shaan as a CIA agent. Finally, there is Nasir Tehranys Naach, a film revolving around the performing arts, also featuring Shaan whether its a supporting role remains to be seen.
So, weve got two films inspired by the war on terror (or so it seems from the trailers) in addition to Khuda Kay Liye (another war on terror theme) and all of them star Shaan. Shaan is multi-faceted so hes also going to be directing a film and not for the first time and it will, in all probability, star Humaima Malick and you guessed it, Shaan. The film is supposedly called Mission Allahuakbar. Shaan has also announced a remake of the timeless Mahesh Bhatt film, Arth. Preliminary media reports suggest that he is indeed planning on casting himself.
Numbers dont lie
Maybe Shaan fits the bill for all of these roles but it doesnt change the fact that it feels like we have no other actor who can act in movies. It isnt hard to analyse why Shaan was cast. He can act and hes very popular with the masses.
Shoaib Mansoor took a leap of faith by casting Fawad Afzal Khan in Khuda Kay Liye. It paid off because one cant imagine Ali Zafar bringing that same level of intensity to the role. Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur cast Amna Ilyas and Khurram Patras and in doing so, they managed to set their film apart from every other film. Zinda Bhaag managed to bag four awards at the Mosaic MISAFF festival in Toronto, including Best Picture by beating out prolific films like Mira Nairs The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
Shameless flirting, falling in love, dreaming of foreign shores, illegal immigration, the ties of friendship are just some of the themes running through Zinda Bhaag. Khurram and Amna, meanwhile, make an interesting onscreen pair. With Naseeruddin Shah in a supporting role and a special appearance by Manzar Sehbai, the film looks unique.
We love Bollywood so much so lets take their example. Its always been a star-driven industry. So, whats changed? Bollywood is no longer just a star industry. The success of newbies like Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Sushant Singh says otherwise.
In recent years, the success of television dramas like Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai has transformed an actor like Fawad Khan into a national heart-throb. Even a newcomer might do the trick. However, if every film-maker continues to run with Shaan, the excitement of revival may just fizzle out or maybe its just one womans opinion.
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