At midnight, a multi-coloured van speeds down the motorway towards Lahore. It stands out from the other vehicles on the road because of its unique exterior, with Na Maloom Afraad 2 (NMA2) emblazoned along its length along with images of the movie’s star cast. With the film releasing in just a few days on Eidul Azha, this vehicle is the cast and crew’s transport as they traverse the country on promotional rounds.
“It’s like a picnic,” laughs director Nabeel Qureshi. “Our stars have the option for travelling in separate cars but we all get along so well that we prefer to travel together. We sing songs and make jokes along the way.”
The van stops at a dhaba in the middle of the night and its star-studded passengers trickle out. “I wanted to have tea but it is so hot that I think that I will stick to juice,” shrugs Fahad Mustafa good-naturedly.
The bonhomie is also evident in the behind-the-scenes clips from the movie that one occasionally sees on social media. A large chunk of the film was shot in Cape Town and a short video shows all three male leads — Fahad Mustafa, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Javed Sheikh — lying on makeshift beds while filming preparations are underway, singing Kishore Kumar songs together. “We had long shooting schedules,” explains Mohsin Abbas Haider, “and often, while waiting for the shooting to begin we’d lie down and begin singing.”
The sequel to NMA brings back the trio who are richer but still open to bending the law for a quick buck
What goes on behind the scenes often resonates with what comes out on screen, and this means that NMA2 could turn out to be an all-out entertainer. “You’ll see how comfortable we are together,” confirms actor Javed Sheikh. “In the first movie Fahad and Mohsin still were a bit reserved towards me since I am their senior. This time round, we were shooting abroad and just had fun throughout.”
In continuation to the 2014 hit Na Maloom Afraad, the sequel brings back the trio who are richer but are still open to bending the law for a quick buck. In a roundabout way, the movie touches upon economic discrepancies within society while unfolding a comic mystery centered on a missing ‘toilet pot’ made of gold. Urwa Hocane and Hania Aamir are also part of the cast but as in the earlier part, the women’s roles are less substantial with the lead trio taking centre stage.
“It’s heartening that people still remember the first movie so well,” says Fizza Ali Meerza, producer and co-scriptwriter with director Nabeel Qureshi. “During our promotional rounds, I have met people who have quoted entire dialogues to me and know the characters’ names.”
Bolstered by this enthusiasm, the group — consisting of Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Hania Aamir, Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza with the leading lady Urwa Hocane conspicuously missing — continues to trudge their way from malls to college campuses to unique promotional events such as a bike rally organised in Karachi and a ‘Hug Day Party’ held some weeks ago. “We all have the flu now,” laughs Fizza, “but it’s still amazing.”
What goes on behind the scenes often resonates with what comes out on screen. “You’ll see how comfortable we are together,” confirms actor Javed Sheikh. “In the first movie Fahad and Mohsin were still a bit reserved towards me since I am their senior. This time round, we were shooting abroad and just had fun throughout.”
“It’s tough but it’s worth it,” agrees Fahad, who had to pre-record several episodes for his show on ARY Digital, Jeeto Pakistan in order to make time for the film’s promotions. “It helps that we all get along so well. The day I came on set, Mohsin, Javed Sahib and I just clicked and slipped back into our characters immediately.”