KARACHI: The press conference called by actor and film director Sangeeta at a local hotel on Thursday to announce the launch of her next project was supposed to start at 4pm.

That it started 10 minutes past five is something Karachi’s journalists have become rather accustomed to.

The wait was for the cast of Sangeeta’s film who were busy, according to the director, in dolling themselves up. The makeup took so much time that one of the artists (who it’s not known whether she’s in the film or not) arrived when the journalists were treating themselves to an assorted variety of snacks after the presser.

Speaking to the media, Sangeeta said her film was titled Tum Hi To Ho for which shooting began in Karachi on Sept 29. A young girl, Qurutulain, who was sitting next to the director, was cast in the role of the female lead while Danish Taimoor was the ‘hero’ of the story, and a girl named Marium would feature in the ‘item number’, she said.

The director sounded quite pleased with the soundtrack of the movie claiming that a majority of the singers who’d lent their voices to the project were new. She told the media that soon the music of Tum Hi To Ho would be launched at a similar event.

‘I watch English and Indian films; I’m familiar with today’s cinema’

Sangeeta said Sooraj Baba had penned the screenplay of the film, Pappu Samrat was its choreographer and Khalid its director of photography. She said it was a love story revolving around college-going boys and girls.

Answering a question about the finances involved in the venture, she said there was ‘no limit’ and she had made ‘no compromise’ because she’s also its producer.

Replying to a question about the so-called revival of cinema, Sangeeta said she was aware of what was happening in the Pakistan film industry as well as all around the world. She told the questioner that she watched Hollywood and Bollywood films, so she’s familiar with the latest happenings as to what camera was being used or what the new trends in filmmaking were.

She said there was a time when Pakistani films fared better than their Indian counterparts; unfortunately things deteriorated and technicians in the Pakistani industry began using old equipment.

Sangeeta said Tum Hi To Ho would be released on next Eid. The filming would primarily take place in Karachi, but some scenes would be shot in Lahore and Murree.

Actor Danish Taimoor said he was looking forward to the film, adding that being part of the project would enable him to learn from the experienced director.

Qurutulain said she was excited to be in the film and echoed Taimoor’s sentiments saying she’s going to learn from Sangeeta.

Published in Dawn October 2nd, 2015

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