Pakistan's first noir film Tamanna has been acquired by Britain-based independent distributor Mara Pictures and is set to make its international release in March, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Directed by renowned British director Steven Moore and produced by Sarah Tareen of Concordia Productions, Tamanna is based on Anthony Shaffer's 1970 play Sleuth and features Pakistani actors Salman Shahid, Mehreen Raheel, Faryal Gohar and Omair Rana.

"Pakistan's film industry and the art of storytelling has dwindled in the half century since partition from India [in 1947],” Tareen told The Hollywood Reporter. “Tamanna is one of a handful of films released in the last few years, in a period hailed as 'revival.' We are excited to bring Tamanna to a global audience.”

Tamanna is the story of a young man, Riz Ahmed (Omair Rana), who falls in love with the young wife (Mehreen Raheel) of the wealthy Mian Tariq Ali (Salman Shahid). The daring Riz pushes the boundaries and puts the question in front of Mian Tariq Ali, who proposes that in order to take his wife in marriage the young Riz steal some highly precious jewels that the former had brought a while ago.

The film released in Pakistan in June 2014.

Opinion

Editorial

Pathways to peace
Updated 27 Apr, 2026

Pathways to peace

NEGOTIATIONS to hammer out the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement took nearly two years before a breakthrough was achieved....
Food-insecure nation
27 Apr, 2026

Food-insecure nation

A NEW UN-backed report has listed Pakistan among 10 countries where acute food insecurity is most concentrated. This...
Migration toll
27 Apr, 2026

Migration toll

THE world should not be deceived by a global migration count lower than the highest annual statistics on record —...
Immunity gap
Updated 26 Apr, 2026

Immunity gap

Pakistan’s Big Catch-Up campaign showed progress but also exposed the scale of gaps in routine immunisation.
Danger on repeat
26 Apr, 2026

Danger on repeat

DISASTERS have typically been framed as acts of nature. Of late, they look increasingly like tests of preparedness...
Loose lips
26 Apr, 2026

Loose lips

PAKISTANIS have by now gained something of an international reputation for their gallows humour, but it seems that...