'3 Bahadur' will be groundbreaking: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Published December 25, 2014
The protagonists (Amna, Saadi and Kamil) of 3 Bahadur. – Publicity photo
The protagonists (Amna, Saadi and Kamil) of 3 Bahadur. – Publicity photo

The First Look of Waadi Animations' 3 Bahadur will have you craving more and luckily all those involved in the film are committed to providing just that. Their goal to make 3 Bahadur a household name is admirable, ambitious and, it seems, completely attainable.

The brainchild of Academy Award Winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, 3 Bahadur is all set to make a splash in the summer of 2015 as Pakistan's first animated feature.

An exclusive press conference held at Nueplex and hosted by Fahad Mustafa outlined the goals of the film itself as well as the marketing strategies used to promote it.

 L-R: Fahad Mustafa, Humayun Saeed, Ahmed Ali Butt and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. – Publicity photo
L-R: Fahad Mustafa, Humayun Saeed, Ahmed Ali Butt and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. – Publicity photo

Waadi Animations is a joint venture of ARY Films and SOC Films and deserves applause for trying to fill the long-ignored gap in children's entertainment.

For the first time, Pakistani children will see themselves represented in cinema. Anchored in reality, this superhero movie is set in the fictional town of Roshan Basti which is meant to depict any Pakistani city.

Even the powers the 11-year-old central characters Amna, Saadi and Kamil receive are rooted in the authentic rather than the fantastical.

Unlikely heroes banding together through friendship and teamwork to defeat a menacing villain is an interesting and universally relatable story. But the added advantage of having familiar characters, terrain and environment turns a universal story into a uniquely personal one.

It is important for the next generation to see that they hold a stake in the future of the country and that their bravery is both appreciated and essential.

 The villains in the movie. - Courtesy photo
The villains in the movie. - Courtesy photo

“We are proud to be bringing the first animated feature film 3 Bahadur under the banner of Waadi Animations, aimed at bringing quality entertainment to our little cinema fans. 3 Bahadur will definitely set a culture of making inspirational movies for children in Pakistan,” said Mr Salman Iqbal, Director Waadi Animations also Founder and President, ARY Digital Network.

Discussing the process of creating the film, Sharmeen said: "When I first said that I wanted to make an animated feature, people thought I was crazy. But people think I'm crazy anyway, so it's okay."

It is that very fearlessness and pioneering spirit that makes her the ideal person to turn a movie into a movement.

 The work that has gone into making 3 Bahadur is groundbreaking. – Publicity photo
The work that has gone into making 3 Bahadur is groundbreaking. – Publicity photo

Working with its partners, Waadi entertainment plans to create an expanded universe for 3 Bahadur complete with a dedicated website, comic strip, tie-in book and smartphone game.

Sponsors Peek Freans Gluco by English Biscuit Manufacturers (Pvt.) Ltd. (EBM), Safeguard by Procter & Gamble and McDonald’s Pakistan are all on board to promote the film through special edition products, marketing campaigns and promotional activities.

McDonald's themed meals with 3 Bahadur packaging, specially designed staff uniforms, souvenirs like mugs, lunch boxes, pencil cases and tees displaying 3 Bahadur also look promising.

This tie-in with merchandising is forward-thinking and sponsor support is necessary when trying something this risky and new.

CEO of ARY Digital Network Jerjees Seja is certainly looking towards the future: "A huge portion of our population is under the age of 15 and there has been very little film entertainment for them locally. We at ARY Films strongly believe that 3 Bahadur will definitely fill the gap and in the process create more marketing opportunities for brands who cater to our young population."

 Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy with her team. – Photo by Mahjabeen Mankani/Dawn.com
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy with her team. – Photo by Mahjabeen Mankani/Dawn.com

Animated movies are rarely just for children, they also appeal to those young at heart.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said: “I believe that 3 Bahadur is going to be groundbreaking because it provides quality entertainment for the whole family."

 Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy speaks at the event. – Publicity photo
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy speaks at the event. – Publicity photo

With so much in store, May 2015 cannot come soon enough. Until then, we have 3 Bahadur's catchy and addictive theme song by acclaimed musician Shiraz Uppal to tide us over.


Hala Syed is a culture critic who writes on television, fashion and food.

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