Pakistani cinema may have launched into a much-touted revival but it will take some time before it gets completely airborne. A disappointing spate of flops over the past year has exemplified the need for newer ideas, cohesive scripts and better production. It turns out that the era of gujjars, slipshod storylines and a reliance on lascivious dance numbers is long gone.

With the latest releases from Bollywood and Hollywood filtering on to our screens, the box office competition is stiff and our fledgling industry has to work hard to enamor audiences.

It is with this realisation that the Dawn Media Group has recently ventured into cinematic territory with Dawn Films.

Naz Afreen, the CEO of Dawn Films, elaborates, “Like all great studios, we want to make films that are both commercially viable and also have societal and cultural impact. Observing and chronicling this country over the past seven decades, the Dawn Group occupies a unique vantage point when it comes to Pakistan and its people. Bringing this rich legacy to bear, Dawn Films hopes to provide people with quality entertainment through quality storytelling.”

Dawn Films’ debut feature project Saat Din Mohabbat In promises to be an off-beat romantic comedy

The network has announced its very first project to be titled Saat Din Mohabbat In, to be created in collaboration with Mateela Films, of Zinda Bhaag fame. Mateela’s directors, Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi, will be helming a romantic comedy that has been scripted by Fasih Bari Khan. Slotted for the leads are actors Sheheryar Munawar and Mahira Khan while the considerably illustrious ensemble cast includes veteran Imran Aslam, Amna Ilyas, Mira Sethi, Rehana Saigol, Adnan Shah Tipu and Aamir Qureshi.

The movie is being touted by the directors as a ‘coming of age romantic comedy’ and will narrate the story of a befuddled hero who dreams of making it big in cinema and his female cousin who lives in the same house as him. “A series of unexpected events, which will also have some supernatural elements, bring them close together,” hints Dawn Films’ spokesperson Sanam Mehdi.

The movie’s scriptwriter, Fasih Bari Khan, is well-known for his unconventional, intrinsically Pakistani projects and he says that this movie will be no different. “We hope to consciously try to move away from Indian influences. The story’s off-beat with natural scenes and easygoing Urdu dialogues.”

“There’s no denying that a major draw for the movie will be the lead pair, Sheheryar Munawar and Mahira Khan. The stars have worked together before in Ho Mann Jahaan and the chemistry that they share is evident.

There’s no denying that a major draw for the movie will be the lead pair, Sheheryar Munawar and Mahira Khan. The stars have worked together before in commercials as well as in 2016’s Ho Mann Jahaan and the chemistry that they share is evident. “Both Mahira and Sheheryar are great actors and they are definitely one of Pakistani cinema’s best jodi,” says Farjad Nabi.

According to Meenu, the concept behind the movie was developed even before their previous venture, Zinda Bhaag. “It is a special project and we’re glad that we have aligned with Dawn Films, where the focus is on imaginative, creative and entertaining filmmaking,” she says. “We enjoyed writing this with Fasih Bari Khan who has his finger on the pulse of contemporary Karachi like no other.”

Naz Arfeen adds, “We found the story to be very compelling. Not only is it a heartwarming rom-com with lots of twists and turns but also a story of a neighbourhood nestled in the heart of Karachi. This setting and the lovable characters that come along with it have allowed the script to comment on the complexities of urban life in Pakistan — all done in a fun, tongue-in-cheek manner. That’s what really made us feel right away that this would be the ideal first step for us to take into the world of filmmaking.”

The movie begins shooting in August this year, slotted for release some time in 2018.

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 2nd, 2017