Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
Posted on: May 23, 2024 | 
| 中文
Khushal Khan as Poppay and Nazish Jehangir as Ayesha
An extended Punjabi family, a haveli with countless rooms, a bromance, a comedy of errors, a son ‘settled in foreign’ (pun intended) and an unseen bride; most of these are the regular ingredients for every other Pakistani film. We had been watching ‘Big fat Punjabi weddings’ multiple times since Ho Mann Jahan (2015). Be it Humayun Saeed's Jawani Phir Nahi Aani and its sequel, Parey Hut Love, 'Farhan Saeed-Imaan Ali starrer Tich Button, Parde Me Rehnay Do, Teri Meri kahaniyan to Daghabaz Dil, our filmmakers seemed to have stopped thinking of anything but marriages. In days when Bollywood is making meaningful films like Laapata Ladies, ironically revolving around the same Shaadi culture, we watch Laapata (missing) movies.
The wedding scene of Khushal Khan’s character in Poppay Ki Wedding
Enough of the desi family antics and cultural celebrations, most of the above-mentioned films had established and bankable actors in the cast, who carried the burden of the film on their shoulders. The film is as crazy as the title of the film. The film is filled with illogical and exaggerated scenes, like the entire village flocks to the airport to pick up one person from the airport. Khushhal Khan and Nazish Jahangir, television favorites for some, are cast as Poppay and Ayesha.
The airport scene in the film, where the whole village flocks to the airport to welcome Poppay
Poppay had a face reminding one of Ahmed Ali Akbar, voice of a charming Fawad Khan and pop culture references already heard in Shahrukh Khan movies, (naam tu suna hoga (you must have heard the name). A poor man’s Hareem Farooq, Sana Fakhar kind of a heroine, Nazish Jahangir was a little better than the lead character, although she was simply reading her lines from the script. If Khushhaal Khan’s character was underdeveloped as a lead, Nazish, famous for her self-acclaimed Babar Azam’s marriage refusal (if there was any), looked a little better than Poppay.
Shamyale Nasir and Sara Aijaz
No one but the parents of the ‘hero’ excelled with their acting. Iram Bajwa and veteran Rehan Sheikh as Mrs. & Mr. Shah respectively (and respectfully) were the only pair who seemed to have acting skills.
Rehan Sheikh, Iram Bajwa and Khushal Khan
In the early hour of the movie, it seemed that Poppay would eventually stall his sister’s wedding, but the plot turned out to be very poorly developed. In the next few minutes, a confused Poppay (we never get to know his full name), wants to see the face of his future bride and goes on a mission with his bachpan ka dost Chu Chu. Played by Shamyale Nasir, Chu Chu’s character is a direct lift off from Kartik Arayan’s Sonu from Sonu ke Titu ki Sweety. The main difference was Sonu was the protagonist, while Chu Chu is a side character. Shamyale is a happy-go-lucky kind of a boy, who likes eating round the clock. At breakfast, he thinks of lunch, snacks at lunch and dinner at snacks. No one knows what he does for a living except for the chores at home. There is Sara Aijaz Khan as Pino, Poppay’s phupu ki beti (daughter of paternal aunt). There is a phupu, Rubi Naz, and an evil plan to control the boy. Poppay’s father, Shah Sahab, is a Peer (spiritual leader) and Poppay has revolted against the family norms to go abroad. Phupu’s (paternal aunt) attempts to capture the nephew are mostly ridiculous and sometimes painful. She even went on to steal and burn Poppay’s passport, in order to keep him from leaving the country. The character of a Phupu (aunt) must be essential for a Punjabi family movie, but it could have been done with grace. The way Tazeen Hussain played the role to perfection in Ali Rehman Khan- Mehwish Hayat’s starrer Daghabaz Dil, was credible and realistic. The music can save a film, even when the entire movie is rubbish, sadly, the music of Poppay’s movie was old and hackneyed.
Poppay (played by Khushal Khan) with his aunt, played by Rubi Naz
Written, directed & produced by Kanza Zia & Ammar Lasani, the movie is not worth watching. With the rise of Netflix and other Over the Top (OTT) platforms, people could easily watch the latest films at home, but we need more creative and realistic films to be produced by Lollywood.
You may also like:
