INSTEP Magzine


film review 'Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga?' Please don't! Collaborating with India on films is definitely a step in the right direction, but Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga is proof that Pakistan still has a lot of ground to cover before it wins the hearts of local film fans. By Annie Yousuf

The much-awaited collaborative project, Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga, starring Humayun Saeed and Nausheen Ali Sardar, was finally released in Pakistan. The film was expected to be like no other Pakistani film that had come before. With all the shooting and post-production work done in India, along with working with Indians like the legendary Asha Bhosle and Nausheen Ali Sardar, a movie under the banner of Pakistan's veteran director Javed Fazil was being anticipated as the next generation of Pakistani films. But sadly, the hopes that one has before walking into the cinema hall to watch the film, are quickly dispelled within the first 20 minutes of the film.

The movie begins with a small loving family comprising of a mother and her two children, a son and daughter, who love each other unconditionally. After his father's death, the son Zohaib (Ahmed Butt) runs the huge family business with the help of his father's faithful Khan Saheb (Javed Sheikh). One fine day, Zohaib comes across a beautiful woman (Pooja Kanwal) stranded on the road as a result of her broken down car. Interestingly, this girl has come from France, having lived there from the age of five, she is unfamiliar with Pakistan. Now, at this point one wonders, how is it that a girl who is from France, coming to Pakistan for the first time, manages to drive in the city alone and get stranded with a broken down car. Needless to say, one ignores the obvious short sight to continue with the film. In a whirlwind romance, Zohaib and Kiran fall in love and get married secretly, because Zohaib's mother has chosen a girl for her son, in traditional fashion. Now, while we understand that a scenario in which a mother chooses a wife for her son without his consent is absolutely normal and acceptable, it seems contradictory that while in the beginning of the movie she asks him to find a girl for himself, when he finally does, she refuses to his choice claiming she has already found someone.

At this point the movie takes a turn. After getting married, the couple are on their way home to finally reunite with Zohaib's mother and sister, when they stop on the way to take some pictures. Surprisingly, Kiran pushes Zohaib off a cliff in an attempt to kill him. At this point it becomes clear that she had married Zohaib for his money. Now the interesting twist comes in when it is revealed to the family that Kiran is actually the daughter of Khan Sahab, the faithful employee of the family business, and the father-daughter duo had actually tricked Zohaib into signing over all his wealth to Kiran, thus effectively leaving Zohaib and his family penniless. Meanwhile, Zohaib's fall off the cliff destroys his face, but does not kill him. He is discovered by Dr. Azeem (Nadeem), who happens to be a plastic surgeon. He takes Zohaib into his care, and over the course of two years nurtures him and gives him a new face through cosmetic surgery. Enter Humayun Saeed, the new face of Zohaib! Needless to say, at this point the story of revenge begins, with Humayun consistently planning how to avenge what he and his family have been put through at the hands of Khan Sahab and his daughter, and at the same time trying to convince his mother and sister that he is actually Zohaib, with a new face. In parallel with all this happening, Zohaib also happens to find himself a new love in the form of Shaini (Nausheen Ali Sardar), who mistakes him for someone else as a result of his new face.

Now, in the age of Yashraj films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, and Omkara, Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga is a dated story. Such storylines sounded very interesting with a number of unexpected twists and turns in the 1970s and 1980s, with films like Khoon Bhari Maang. In fact, in hindsight, one can safely say that Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga has obvious undercurrents of Khoon Bhari Maang. Clichéd stories of betrayal, face reconstructions, duplicates and amnesia-struck actors are from the generation past. Now, audiences are interested in seeing realism but with a wow-factor! An obvious example of such movies can be found in Bollywood today under names like Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, and Ram Gopal Varma. Unfortunately, despite having countless Bollywood films from the 70s and 80s as examples, the execution of the clichéd plot was severely lacking. Despite having been shot in India, the film lacked the professional touch that is so evident in Bollywood films. It just goes to show that simply filming and doing post-production work in a different country does not make a film a success. A movie is an amalgamation of the script, the actors, the sets, the production, the lighting, and so on and so forth. Changing one or two of these cannot ensure success; instead improving all is the only way to make a successful film. While doing the filming and post-production work in India is reflected in the picture quality, the most crucial part of a film, the dialogues, were just not effective. In addition to that, director Javed Fazil cannot fill a frame the way someone like Karan Johar can. If one compares 'Dil Ke Taar' from Main Ek Din Laut ke Aaonga with 'Boley Churiyan' from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, one can see what it means to fill a frame to have maximum impact! When the camera takes an aerial shot of the scene in 'Boley Churiyan', the effect is so grand and impressive; one can't help but be in awe of the number of perfectly choreographed extras in their exquisite costumes, moving without missing a beat! The wow factor that is added to any scene is by focusing on minute details, even if it means spending more time and money on the extras rather than the main leads. Taking into consideration the actors in the film, it was evident that the actors that shone through with their talent, and who made the film believable were Javed Sheikh, Nadeem, Humayun Saeed, and Pooja Kanwal, from India. The rest of the cast just wasn't cohesive enough, not gelling into their supporting roles turning out performances par excellence. Similarly, Nausheen Ali Sardar, who has previously also worked in Pakistani TV serials, and who shot to fame in India for her role in Kkusum, should stick to TV serials; she isn't suited for big screen performances. Running at the Cineplex since its release, the film manages to attract a very small number of viewers. After all, with films like The Good Shepherd showing, not many people are interested in Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga. And the few that do go, are simply there because they are in a large group looking for a good time. It is quite sad to see that throughout the film the audience is laughing and cracking jokes, no matter what type of scene is running, romantic, tragic, or comical. Out of the 15-20 viewers that go to watch the film on an average day, there are always a few that get up halfway through the film to walk out, preferring to forgo the amount spent on their ticket, rather than sit through a film which, quite frankly is not worth the time. On a more positive note though, the music of the film is its strength. The melodies by Jawad Ahmed are catchy and they manage to strike a chord with listeners, especially the famous number 'Dil ke Taar', sung by Jawad Ahmed and the legendary Asha Bhosle. However, it must be noted that while the music is the best aspect of the film, Jawad Ahmed's voice isn't suitable for all the numbers. His deep voice is very expressive in upbeat songs like 'Dil ke Taar', yet it lacks the expression and softness for romantic slow songs. Such collaborative projects which bring together Pakistan and India, should undoubtedly continue, but the level of integration should go beyond using Indian locations and Indian singers. Perhaps collaboration with script writers and directors would help to bring Pakistani movies to a global standard, something which India has mastered, as is evident by India's growing global presence. India has managed to capture an international platform by showing at the Cannes Film Festival, being nominated for international awards like the World Taurus Stunt Awards, and the Academy Awards. Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga was undoubtedly a move in the right direction, and perhaps with time we hope to see an improvement in our films, so that one day rather than turning to Bollywood glam, we opt for Lollywood glitz!