Pakistani Cinema

Project 11: A new age thriller
Bhai Log to make a comeback in a sequel
31 October 2011 :::: Showbiz news from Today's NewsPaper :::

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:01 AM PDT

Eleven directors from 11 cities around the world have collaborated on Project 11, a film they describe as a 'new age thriller'. Project 11 follows 11 global gamers, all engrossed in playing the same online game to such an extent that they fall prey to death.

Filmed in 11 cities around the world, each of these 11 separate pieces threads into one story, and during the course of the film, the plot jumps from one city to another.

The Project Director of Project 11 — due to be released internationally on November 11,2011 (11.11.11) — is Vikhas Chandra, whose previous film credits include working on Aamir Khan's Ghajini (2008) and a short film, Kavi, which was nominated in the 2010 Oscars.

Pakistan is also a part of the international collaboration. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Chandra said, "The way Pakistan got featured in 'Project 11' is an interesting story. Initially, I had wanted a place like Kabul to be one of the 11 cities featured in the film. Around the same time, I had launched the project on Facebook, asking interested film-makers to get in touch. Within a few days of the launch, I got several feelers from directors in Pakistan, writing in to ask why their country wasn't on the list. Ali Ahmed Brohi was one such director."

Besides Pakistan, other countries in the film are, India, Tanzania, China, Canada, Japan, UK, Israel, Luxemburg, and the US, which is repesented twice, in the form of two different cities.
Brohi, who has been chosen from Pakistan, says, "I love collaborations! This project seemed something very different and something bigger than I have already done." His previous work includes short film Innocent Dreams, which won praise internationally.

"This has been made for the love of cinema", says Brohi. "This idea of working with 11 like-minded people at an international level, seemed like a great opportunity for me. The story is and very well structured. It connects different characters from 11 cities around the world in a powerful manner."
Our part [in Pakistan] of the story takes place in a mountainous areas. So we decided to travel to Baluchistan to shoot our film there. We selected our characters from Baluchistan, so that people over there are given chance at an international level."

Chandra asserts, "As the writer of the film, I have tried to touch upon local flavours of all the cities the film is based in, be it Dar es Salaam, New York or Tel Aviv and I am particularly very happy the way the Pakistani portion of Project 11 is shaping up."
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2011.

Project 11 - Teaser

Bhai Log to make a comeback in a sequel

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT

After the commercial success of gangster action-thriller Bhai Log on Eidul Fitr, producer-director Syed Faisal Bukhari is coming back with a sequel of the film that will be shot in Lahore.
For years Punjabi-style gangster films, which are more or less similar, have defined the Pakistani film industry. However, with the release of Bhai Log, film enthusiasts were impressed by the contemporary gangster feel of the film and by the clever portrayal of Karachi's scenic beauty which was part of the film's aesthetic.
While talking about Bhai Log 2, Bukhari informs, "This will be a commercial film based on some of the dynamics in Lahore. One positive thing that came from the success of Bhai Log was that the regional film circuit in places such as Gujranwala and Sheikhupura opened up after years." The director wants to promote cinema culture in smaller cities, where he believes he will find the largest chunk of his target market.
Bukhari, who started out his career as a cameraman and later switched to production and direction of television dramas, made his directorial debut in Lollywood with Bhai Log. He is currently working on a UAE-funded project Sultanat, which will include Indian artists as part of the cast. The director is also looking to produce another film Chamak Chalo, but will only begin that project once he finds the perfect 'item girl' for the film.
The shooting of Bhai Log 2 is expected to start sometime after Muharram. The cast of the film will include popular Pakistani actors such as Javed Sheikh, Moammar Rana, Shamoon Abbasi and Amir Qureshi. However, Bukhari is also hoping to use the film as a platform to introduce new actors of the industry.
The general essence of Bhai Log will be presented in a new look in the sequel; however, Bhai Log 2 will be heavily influenced by some of Lahore's cultural nuances with the dialogues also being delivered in a Punjabi accent. "I made an effort to capture some of Karachi's old heritage previously and now I want to show Lahore's beauty in the same manner," Bukhari adds.
The director is also is hoping to focus more on the musical side of the film this time around. "I did not give enough attention to the music last time and I would like the next film to have better music," explains Bukhari who is making sure the film caters to the masses. "The viewing class is not ready for artistic or artsy films which is why directors garnish their films with action, drama and music."
Meanwhile, Bukhari believes that the market he is targeting to is not ready for Dolby sound (an advanced sound producing technology). He recalls that nearly 20 years ago, Lahore had a lot of cinemas which enabled the investors to recover their money almost immediately, but things are different now that the quality of films has gone down.
Due to the lack of quality films, the market (of moviegoers) is divided into lower and upper class, while the middle class usually stays out of the equation now. "It's a major issue because the middle class used to be an integral part of the industry," he states. "There isn't enough support for the film industry but we also know that there is a lot of new talent, which will help bring a change and work towards removing the stigma attached to the film industry."
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2011.

31 October 2011 :::: Showbiz news from Today's NewsPaper :::

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:21 AM PDT

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