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Arab News
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Pakistani films Nayab and Deemak win top honors at SCO Film Festival in China
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani films, Nayab and Deemak, have won major accolades at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival in China, state-run news agency APP reported on Monday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ The festival showcased 27 films from SCO member states, including China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Central Asian countries. Organized to foster regional cinematic exchange, the event featured screenings, industry forums, a film technology expo, and a gala concert, with awards presented in ten categories. The SCO Film Festival first launched in 2018 and is a cultural initiative of the multilateral bloc to promote cooperation in cinema and the creative industries among member countries. 'Pakistani film Nayab and Deemak received prestigious 'Jury Special Award' and 'Best Editing Award' respectively at the colorful concluding ceremony of SCO film festival held at Chongqing, China,' Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Nayab, released in 2024, is a sports-drama centered on a young woman from Karachi, played by Yumna Zaidi, who aspires to become a professional cricketer despite intense family and societal opposition. The cast includes Fawad Khan, Javed Sheikh, and Adnan Siddiqui. The film has previously won multiple awards, including Best Foreign Film and Best First-Time Filmmaker (Feature) at the World Film Festival in Cannes, and a Special Jury Diploma at the 30th Minsk International Film Festival. 'The cinema was packed, and what truly moved me was how deeply they engaged with the film,' Nayab's director Umair Nasir Ali told APP after the film's screen at the SCO festival. 'They picked up on the layers, the emotional arcs and asked thoughtful, relevant questions that showed how closely they had followed the story.' Deemak is a psychological horror film directed by Rafay Akbar Rashdi and starring Soniya Hussyn, Faysal Quraishi, Samina Peerzada, and Bushra Ansari. Set in an aging home haunted by unexplained phenomena, the film explores family tensions and mental trauma. It became Pakistan's highest-grossing horror film when it released earlier this year, earning over Rs60 million [$211,173] in its opening week. Pakistan's film industry has seen a steady resurgence in recent years, with a new generation of filmmakers experimenting with genres from sports dramas to horror and social realism. Joyland (2022) became the first Pakistani feature to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section, and was later selected as Pakistan's official entry to the Oscars. The country has also received two Academy Award wins in the documentary short category by filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Meanwhile, The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022) set new box office records, becoming Pakistan's highest-grossing film to date and finding global audiences with its big-budget, Punjabi-language action storytelling.
Arab News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Pakistani superstars Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed honored in UAE amid ‘Love Guru' promotions
KARACHI: Pakistani superstar actors Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed, currently in the UAE to promote their upcoming romantic comedy 'Love Guru,' were honored at a special ceremony by Pakistani Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, the envoy's office said on Tuesday. Khan and Saeed have recently toured the US, UK and Canada for red carpet events, fan meet-and-greets and exclusive press interviews to promote Love Guru, which will hit cinemas during the Eid Al-Adha holiday next month. 'During the ceremony, Ambassador Tirmizi presented commemorative shields to the artists, celebrating their dedication and achievements,' the Pakistan Embassy in the UAE said in a statement. 'In his remarks, the ambassador highlighted Pakistan's rich cultural and artistic diversity, underscoring the vital role of the creative industry as a form of soft power in shaping global perception of Pakistan.' Love Guru made history last week when its trailer was showcased at New York City's Times Square, the first time a Pakistani film has ever been featured on the landmark's giant digital screens. The trailer launch attracted a crowd of onlookers, fans, and members of the South Asian diaspora who gathered to watch the film's stars unveil the preview in person. In the upcoming film, Saeed plays the character of a flirt pretending to be a relationship expert who is striving to win over Khan, who is playing an architect.
The National
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Fate of Indian film Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, uncertain amid tensions
The future of Indian film Abir Gulaal, facing a ban in both India and Pakistan, remains uncertain days before its scheduled release as tensions rise between the two countries. The romantic film, which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor in the lead, was scheduled to be released on Friday. However, last month, India's broadcasting ministry said it would not allow the film to be released in the country, following the April 22 killing of 26 people when militants opened fire in the resort area of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack, which Pakistan has denied. Pakistani distributors responded to India's ban a few days later with a similar decision, effectively putting the film's future in doubt. While the film could still get an international release, distributors in the UAE who The National spoke to on Wednesday said they had not bought the rights to the movie. Abir Gulaal is also missing from all the major cinemas' slates of upcoming titles. Khan and Kapoor travelled to Dubai on April 19 to promote the film at Global Village. Meanwhile, cross-border air strikes have begun with at least 38 deaths reported since the terrorist attack. Pakistan said 26 civilians have been killed by Indian strikes, while India added at least 12 dead from Pakistani shelling. Khan was a rising star in India's Bollywood with roles in acclaimed films such as Khoobsurat (2014) and Kapoor & Sons (2016). However, following the 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed 40 Indian security personnel and brought the two countries to the brink of war, a boycott on all Pakistani artists was instituted by an organisation representing Indian film workers. In 2023, the Mumbai High Court ruled against a petition seeking to ban Pakistani artists from working in India. 'Arts, music, sports, culture, dance and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures and nations, and truly bring about peace, tranquillity, unity and harmony in nation and between nations,' the court said in its ruling. Abir Gulaal would be a comeback of sorts for Khan, who still enjoys immense popularity in India. Director and co-writer Aarti S Bagdi told Variety last year that the love story, set in London, 'explores the journey of two individuals who unintentionally help each other heal, with love blossoming as an unexpected consequence'. On Tuesday, Khan posted a statement on his Instagram Stories pleading for peace. 'My deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed in this shameful attack. I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come,' he said. 'A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It is not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail. Inshallah.'
