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    LOLLYWOOD MEETS CRICKET

    Written by: Syed Abbas Hussain
    Posted on: December 24, 2013 | | 中文

    A film whose title flaunts the name of one of Pakistan’s sports icons is sure to arouse interest. Add prominent film and TV stars to the picture and you surely have reasons to get excited.

    Main Hoon Shahid Afridi (I Am Shahid Afridi) released earlier this year with clouds of controversy wafting around it. Shahid Afridi aired his grievances before the media regarding certain scenes in the film which he deemed ‘obscene.’ His name being associated with the film, therefore, was a matter of angst for him.

    The film finally released and to euphoric audiences at that. It lived up to its hype.  One of the reasons to look out for Main Hoon Shahid Afridi was that it diverged from Pakistani cinema’s recent trend; the recent string of films which have presided over the ‘‘revival’’ of Pakistani cinema, as many like to call it, have all had a political slant.

    Noman Habib

    MHSA, on the other hand, unabashedly thrived only on entertainment. There is a new generation of filmmakers who are veering towards the idea of making subtle and thought-provoking films to create a new identity for a cinema that was caught in a cobweb of vulgarity and substandard presentation for the longest time.

    However, music and melodrama defines our popular culture and hence has stuck to local cinema from its onset. There are industry people who believe in providing wholesome entertainment through films while retaining the commercial elements that have defined South Asian cinema, but in an aesthetic and tasteful manner. Writer Vasay Chaudhry is from that school of thought and strongly believes in using cinema as a medium of entertainment for the masses; determined with that belief, he scripted this project with great sincerity.

    First things first: those who thought that the story was a biopic of Shahid Afridi were completely mistaken! The story revolves around a boy named Shahid, who hails from a village in Punjab and dreams of becoming a star cricketer like his idol Shahid Afridi. He is a member of a small club in his village where cricket enthusiasts get together to indulge in their favourite sport.

    Hamayun Saeed

     Hamayun Saeed plays a former cricketer who is disillusioned with cricket, owing to a personal mishap and is coaxed by the village residents to put together a team and coach them to try out for the national under-nineteen team. While the younger lot of actors display their histrionics, Hamayun Saeed is pleasantly understated.  He looks quite suave in his appearance and every bit the mainstream ‘hero.’

    Main Hoon Shahid Afridi is a feel-good film about good triumphing over evil, determination in the face of adversities, having sportsman spirit and rising from the ashes. Suffice it to say, it has the ability to hit a nerve. The plot is one to connect with both the grassroots and the classes, which does not come as a surprise since cricket is a national obsession in Pakistan. The screenplay is gripping and makes for a thrilling viewing experience that keeps you hooked to your seat. 

    The scenes which are shot in the village take us on a heartwarming excursion through the picturesque countryside of Punjab with vast, lush green fields and vibrant cultural traditions of cockfights, carnivals, street cricket and gaudy wedding ceremonies.  It also sheds light on the pressures of rural life - of poverty and regressive customs which humanizes the journey of the protagonist, whose hardships stoke his resilience.

    Actor Noman Habib, who plays Shahid, has a lot of energy and acts with intensity and vivaciousness. His innings on television have not been anything to write home about but with this film he hits a sixer and shines.

    His teammates, played by Gohar Rasheed and Hamza Abbasi, stand out for bringing something unique while fleshing out their characters.  Gohar plays a hyper cricket enthusiast whose tacky mannerisms and hysterics entertain, and how. He looks every bit of his character and, like Noman, mouths an authentic Punjabi village accent. Hamza Abbasi is one of the most memorable characters in the film as the aggressive, religious pathaan. His unique character sketch and the humorous and intense moments he has in the film will have viewers eating right out of his palms.

    Ismail Tara

    The film has a lot of comedic sequences and caricatures are effectively employed in them. Veteran comedian Ismail Tara (of 50-50 fame) as the ditsy head of the village cricket club has, as expected, brilliant comic-timing and lights up the screen.

    The film of course does have the clichés that are reminiscent of vintage Lollywood flicks, such as a semi-crippled sister who awaits her ideal groom and a frazzled mother who is unable to meet the overwhelming demands of her daughter’s suitors for dowry.  Yet, everything still falls into place in the film and does not look crass due to its execution. Kudos to director Syed Ali Raza Usama for that! Main Hoon Shahid Afridi boldly embraces the formulas of our cinema and incorporates them in a larger story that has a lot of gut.

    Directorially, for the most part the film was robust and handled sensitively but where it faltered was in the post-production department. The team used one of the most high-powered cameras available (RED), yet some of the scenes still appeared slightly fuzzy. The RED camera is meant to shoot raw footage and it is the colour-grading and other post-production treatment that allows the final image look visually stunning. There are a lot of scenes though which did appear quite crisp, but in the song Hasraton Ka Malal, for instance, one could see a lack of consistency. An amateurish jump cut is an example. What appeared to be raw footage in a sequence of the song, suddenly transitioned into nicely treated footage in the same scene that broke the continuity; a rookie mistake indeed.

    Mahnoor Baloch and Hamayun Saeed

    The film’s music (by Shani and Kami) is hummable and Rahat’s soul stirring track Hasraton Ka Malal is perhaps the most haunting one from the album. The visuals do justice to the song and both Hamayun Saeed and Mahnoor Baloch look sizzling together. It is perhaps one of the few Pakistani film songs that has been shot so artistically on picturesque locations like a beautiful sandy beach, a desert and elaborate sets, with the camera panning out to give a vast sense of space that appears surreal.  

    Mahnoor Baloch looks beautiful in the film and indeed looks half her age! However in the catchy item song Bus Teri Hee Kami Hai, with Mathira’s revealing belly-dance, Mahnoor Baloch seems a bit stiff while doing her dance moves. Moreover, many of Mahnoor’s frames in the song seem highly inspired by Indian actor Katrina Kaif’s popular dance number, Zara Zara Touch Me.

    The supporting cast boasts some very accomplished names like Javed Sheikh and Nadeem. Javed Sheikh dons the role of an immaculate and forbidding millionaire with ease and never goes overboard in reflecting the negative shades of his character. His confrontations with Hamayun Saeed are to look out for and his vitriolic demeanour is sure to win him accolades. Nadeem as the distraught father of a fallen cricketer is quite apt and his explosive reprimands resonate some of his dramatic portrayals back in the day.

    Javed Sheikh

    Main Hoon Shahid Afridi was perhaps the first sports film to have come out of Pakistan and is one that our cinema should be proud of.  It could generate immense business if released worldwide since it has the potential of being a crowd-puller. Even with all its loopholes it stands as an entertaining fare that is surely your money’s worth.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021