Karachi – On Sunday, July 7th Atrium Mall played host to ARY Films and Mandviwalla Entertainment’s second motion picture announcement in two months – albeit from a different “platform”.
The motion picture on showcase was “Main Hoon Shahid Afridi”, produced by Humayun Saeed and Shahzad Nasib under their banner Six Sigma Films, directed by Syed Ali Raza.
“Main Hoon Shahid Afridi” is about an underdog youngster (Noman Habib) who dreams of becoming the next Shahid Afridi, and his improvised rag-tag team, as they take on undefeated well-heeled rivals and behind the scenes politics of regional cricket. Leading the team is Akbar Deen (Mr. Saeed), an ex-cricketer still suffering from a professionally damaged past.
Apart from Mr. Saeed, the film stars Nadeem Baig, Javed Sheikh, Mahnoor Baloch, Noman Habib, Shahzad Sheikh, Ismail Tara, Shafqat Cheema, Humza Ali Abbasi, Gohar Rasheed and Ainy Jaffry, with cameos by Faisal Qureishi, Aijaz Aslam, and cricketers Sikandar Bux and, of course, Shahid Afridi.
Several variations of the movie’s theatrical trailer, including a few songs (two of which we were told are directed by Suhail Javed and Saqib Malik), were interjected between the introductions hosted by Vasay Chaudhry, who is also the film’s writer.
Speaking at the event were Nadeem Mandviwalla, of Mandviwalla Entertainment, actors Mr. Baig and Mr. Sheikh – each recalling different perspectives of Pakistani cinema’s recent history, the dire need and expansion of the multiplexes and emergence of a new generation of filmmakers.
Jarjees Seja, CEO of ARY Films, by karmic coincidence recollected the television network's long association with Mr. Saeed, whose every “first” endeavor they have been a part of. Mr. Saeed, the center of the project, though was the first to bow out with a short introduction, saying that he “isn’t that good of a public speaker”.
The real stars at the podium however, were host Mr. Chaudhry, Mr. Tara (in his glibbest), and Mr. Cheema at his self-congratulating best.
The film is set to release on Eid-ul-Fitr, amongst other local titles and a pre-dictated absence of international releases.
