Don’t we all love space odysseys?
Turns out Pakistani director Saeed Rizvi loved them a little more than the rest. The veteran director released Pakistan’s first sci-fi film Shanee, complete with special effects, on March 10 in 1989.
The cast featured prominent actors like Babra Sharif, Muhammad Ali and Sherry Malik. Music was looked after by musician Anjum.
The story revolves around a couple: Babra Sharif as Hina and Sherry Malik as her beau, Shanee. However, a notorious villain kills Shanee and Hina is left only to hope that her beau will return one day. During this time, a spaceship visits earth and leaves behind an alien. This alien decides take on Shanee's physical appearance then, well, marries Hina.
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| Babra Sharif in an oncoming train's path — Screen grab from Shanee |
But that’s not it — the film uses special effects that weren't seen in Pakistani films before 1989. During a fight sequence, Shanee breaks and then yanks off someone's arm and prevents a train from running Hina over — thanks to his super vision.
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| Shanee in a fight sequence — Screen grab from Shanee |
It becomes really amusing when it turns out that Hina's pregnant and has her baby in a moving train without any help whatsoever. We won't say whether Hina finally realises who Shanee really is... we're not a fan of spoilers! That being said the film totally fits the bill if you want to laugh all day long.
The melodramatic sci-fi is flick bagged seven Nigar Awards and was a hit in its time.
