Ever since the phrase ‘revival of cinema’ has caught on, most of the Pakistani films that the audience has been offered are either rom-coms or thrillers. Nothing wrong with that. But then you question where is the ‘intellectual’ content that once used to be part of Pakistani films’ makeup (people like the poet Munir Niazi and music composer Khjwaja Khursheed Anwar who had studied philosophy had worked for films). Worry not.

One of the forthcoming Pakistani films is Mah-i-Mir, penned by the poet and playwright Sarmad Sehbai, whose promotional campaign has begun and can be seen on social media. Starring Fahad Tunio and Iman Ali, it comes across as a good effort. However, since the name of the classical Urdu poet Mir has been bandied about in the movie, it is expected that the makers of the project have paid extra attention to actors’ pronunciation while using chaste Urdu. One of Iman A’s clips doesn’t suggest so. The rest looks fine. Let’s wait till the film is released.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, April 3rd, 2016