An Indian newspaper has come up with the revelation that the Shoaib Mansoor film, Bol, is to be released in India on May 20. The film stars pop singer Atif Aslam, Iman Ali, Humaima Malik, Shafqat Cheema and Manzar Sehbai. If that’s true then it’s a tad baffling that the film is not being released in Pakistan on the same date. Mulling over its reasons would be a fair idea.

Then the question of the cast springs to mind. Shoaib Mansoor’s talent is beyond apprehension. He’s done enough to merit his place in Pakistani show business’s hall of fame. Why he’d choose someone like Atif A as the lead character, who is as poker-faced as most Pakistani pop crooner are, is a mystery. Perhaps the director would prove us wrong and Atif will emerge as the acting star on the showbiz horizon. Or… let’s leave the ‘or’ for the time when the film sees the light of day.