This Women’s Day is different from the ones we have celebrated in the past; last year Covid-19 had just started to spread during this time but since then, it has been a journey downward in every field.
Be it the entertainment world or Sports, politics or business, everything has taken a hit but even then, some brave women have stood against the tide and kept working hard as if nothing has happened. They have not only been a guiding force to others but have proved that men and women are equal, and sometimes the latter have more courage than perceived. Read on:
Amar Khan (Writer-Dum Mastam)
She came, she saw and she conquered; Amar Khan is just four years old in the industry yet has achieved what not many have done before. She is about to make her film debut as an actress through Dum Mastam, a film that has been written by her as well. This is not the first time she has done something extraordinary; her debut long play Chashme Numm was also something that she had written and directed. Dum Mastam features her in the lead role alongside renowned actors Imran Ashraf, Saleem Meraj, Adnan Shah Tipu and others, and has been directed by Mohammed Ehteshamuddin.
Fizza Ali Meerza (Writer-Producer Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad)
It was Fizza Ali Meerza and Nabeel Qureshi’s collaboration Na Maloom Afraad that revived commercial cinema in Pakistan, and made filmmakers realize that it isn’t difficult to make good films in the country. And it will take a Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad from the same team to herald the second revival of the cinema industry, post Covid-19. She is the ‘money’ behind the collaboration while Nabeel is the muscle; it isn’t just that, she produces and co-writes their films as well. One must mention here that while one of their films is ready for release they are working on Khel Khel Main, their first collaboration without Fahad Mustafa, featuring Bilal Abbas and Sajal Aly.
Mehreen Jabbar (Director Ek Jhooti Love Story)
Born to filmmaker and ad guru Javed Jabbar, Mehreen belongs to that rare breed of filmmakers who like to do things when nobody else is willing to. She made her first feature film Ramchand Pakistani at a time when Pakistani cinema was in dire straits; she ventured into web series with Ek Jhooti Love Story when people were opting for films as they generated more money. And now, she is busy in another venture featuring Naeema Butt for RINSTRA, standing tall against the pandemic that has destroyed everything around us. For someone who has spent two decades behind the camera, Mehreen Jabbar loves to explore, and her exploration helps her counterparts, be it a male or a female director.
Sakina Samo & Bee Gul (Producer-Director & Writer, Intezaar)
And when two of the most accomplished women in Pakistan join hands, they come up with a masterpiece. Veteran TV and film actress Sakina Samo turns film director with Intezaar (“Waiting”) that has been penned by Bee Gul, who has multiple blockbuster plays to her name, including the currently on-air Raqeeb Se. Starring veterans Samina Ahmed and Khalid Ahmed, besides known actors Kaif Ghaznavi and Adnan Jaffar, this movie was supposed to release last year but was delayed due to Covid-19. However, the two strong female filmmakers are confident that when the cinemas will reopen in the country, their film would be the first to be screened. And Bee Gul has started working on her next project which is going to be a Punjabi film with her frequent collaborator Kashif Nisar, who will turn towards films with the project.