KARACHI: The trailer of upcoming film Parwaaz Hai Junoon was launched in a local multiplex on Friday evening. The conditions at the venue were hot and humid while the red carpet was cramped with celebrities who had come to witness Pakistan Air Force’s first foray into films in five decades.

The launch event began late as usual but that’s mostly because of the fact that there were too many stars to cater to. The film’s lead Hamza Ali Abbasi and Hania Aamir were joined by Ahad Raza Mir, Asif Raza Mir, Farhan Ally Agha, Adnan Jaffar, Marina Khan, Hina Bayat and the makers of the film Momina Duraid, Duraid Siddiqui and above all, Sultana Siddiqui.

Apart from the cast of Parwaaz Hai Junoon, there were Bushra Ansari, Adnan Siddiqui, Humayun Saeed, Urwa Hocane, Satish Anand and others who turned up at the event to support their colleagues and the film fraternity.

While talking to the media, Sultana Siddiqui first congratulated Hamza Ali Abbasi on the “big” development on the political front and later spoke about the film industry and how Parwaaz Hai Junoon will benefit it with its release. Her son Duraid and daughter-in-law Momina also spoke regarding the inception of the film — the former told the audience that it was only after Hamza Ali Abbasi announced through an interview that he is doing an air force film that they became serious about the topic; Momina finished the story overnight with the help of Farhat Ishtiaq, the writer of the movie.

Hamza Ali Abbasi told the audience that his own mother didn’t like his clean-shaven look whereas Hina Bayat and Marina Khan disclosed that they were army and air force brats respectively. Asif Raza Mir who plays a small role in the film remarked that he is proud to be a film child who has now given his son to films and his statement earned applause from the audience. Kubra Khan, Hania Aamir and Ahad Raza Mir also spoke.

It was left to director Haseeb Hasan to explain to the audience why the film took two years to complete and what were the hurdles they had to face while making the film. He thanked all members of the cast present in the cinema or not for cooperating in the film and helping in making the movie. The trailer was then shown to the audience for as many as three times and they all loved the thrill, the speed and the adrenaline rush it brought with it.

The film will be released by Hum Films in association with Eveready Pictures on Eidul Azha that will fall in August this year.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2018