Will Kaptaan make it?
If a film-maker takes on a subject like the popular Imran Khan for a project, he should anticipate that expectations and public interest will be high. Films like Waar and Seedlings have raised the bar for film-makers in Pakistan, but projects like Kaptaan (which revolves around Imran Khan and Jemima Goldsmith) and Kolachi remain a cause of concern.
While Kolachi did not move beyond delivering a trailer, Kaptaan has now been under production for two years, raising questions about poor planning and execution. According to a source affiliated with the production unit, despite being shot and re-shot a few times, the release of the film cannot be expected in the near future. Director Faisal Aman Khan should have known better.
In early 2011, the crew had completed the shooting and released the trailer as public interest mounted. “People were abusing the Kaptaan crew on Facebook for not delivering on time,” the source told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity. “That is when they decided to upload the trailer of the film to YouTube, to calm the fans down.”
But as the initial filming done by Lahore-based cinematographer Tariq Pitafi concluded and the footage was previewed by the crew, technical glitches surfaced and the plan to move to the post-production phase was halted.
“After consultation with the key members of the crew, the director decided to reshoot the whole film,” the source revealed. “The film crew was so desperate (for an alternative cinematographer) that the task of filming was given to the editor,” he concluded, adding that others were reluctant to take on this project as its prospects seemed murky.
The team embarked on a journey to shoot Kaptaan once again, but the quality of the new footage was so poor, that the crew decided to shoot the entire film in black and white.
“This was an easy way out since the look gets classy and most of errors are hidden,” said the source. “But frankly, the film wasn’t going anywhere.”
The most recent development is that Kaptaan has entered the shooting process for a third time now, with Pitafi once again as the director of photography (DP), who will shoot the remainding portion of the film in black and white.
Are we going to see a black and white film after a trailer in colour? If that is indeed the case, then the more serious question that will be raised is, will the project be completed?
PTI says no
While the director and film crew have spoken of their meeting with Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “continuous support” to the film, PTI tells The Express Tribune that it has no clue.
When asked if the party was in any way endorsing the film, PTI’s secretary of information Shafqat Mehmood said that there has been no collaboration or funds extended to the film-makers. “I can totally deny this,” Mehmood said, adding that this “never happened”.
While the Kolachi team re-gained credibility with Seedlings – which may win an award at the New York Film Festival – the Kaptaan project seems to run high on ambition and low on pragmatism.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2012.
COMMENTS (35)
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InshAllah, it will be made, And it will be released soon enough in the coming months. I have faith.
whats wrong in living personality euphoria ? until n unless one criticizes the wrong doing every thing is ok . so think and come out of the caste/language shells and appreciate good things of imran , which he did for this land !! may you live long Imran Khan :) Ameen
@blithe: "Will the film cover Sita White and the disowned daughter???" ---- good question! Here is a living proof of an irresponsible man's character. How can anyone be so stupid to trust such character like this 'savior' Imran Khan who can't provide justice to his own daughter, even if an illegitimate child born out of wedlock.
Some people instead of getting a doctor of philosophy in the comments section can not get rid of bigotry and narcissism. Just because he did not thank you, you discredit his greatest work of building a world class hospital in a country where social work on such a big scale was unknown to, with the exception of Edhi and few others. The reason I support Imran khan is because he is the only cricketer, the only politician who has given this nation so much. Try to get rid of 'May (Me)' as he says often, look beyond yourself. Hope ET publish my comment this time.
They should wait till next elections so as retirement of KAPTAN is also announced!
"the Kaptaan project seems to run high on ambition and low on pragmatism."
sounds a lot like imran khan himself....ouch!
This is goign to be propoganda film funded by "philantrapists".
Will the film cover Sita White and the disowned daughter???
These guys cannot make a damn movie and they are talking about Tsunami and revolution.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Yes, and Mian Saab will surely make it. You are no naive my friend...
Imran Khan's biggest mistake has been to give back to Pakistan something it does not deserve - healthcare, education, clean leadership, and biggest of all... hope. He would've been better off living in London with his family, instead of doing us thankless Pakistanis a favor. If we cannot appreciate the honest efforts a sincere man, then we surely deserve all the ills we are beset with.
Khan has always worked for the nation and earn his respect through his work. It is time to pay back what he did for us and think wise. Living nation always pay tribute to their heroes and we are lucky to have one alive.
Desperately waiting for the movie. I heard last time that it will be released in september. Look forward to seeing Imran Khan, the living legend.
Kaptaan is a Thankless guy. He did not thank his team properly when World Cup was won. He even did not Thank properly some small kids from Grammer School Islamabad who collected money for his Hospital project. One little girl in 1992 still remembers the day when she handed over the money to kaptaan and he did not Thank her and her friends as warmly as they all deserved. That little girl of 1992 is now a Doctor Of Philosophy and still remember Kaptaan in the same image.
Some people lack an ability to change and our Kaptaan is one of them.
@Uza It seems that you don't know the ground realities very well and like the current plight of Pakistan and Pakistanis.
Will Kaptaan make it,.No...Will Tsunami maket it..impossible..
shame on those who find it hard to respect a national hero just because of some petty political differences.
I too don't agree with everything imran says, but I would never think about bad mouthing him.c'mon people he has made Pakistan proud. he deserves RESPECT if nothing else.
All is what they are waiting for Election Schedule... just remind the Fake Campaign Of Obama in the Name of Change...
@uza syed you need to get a life
Dude watch the movie before writing this critique. The movie hasn't even came out yet..and TO THE production people. WTF!! When are you guys going to release this movie. Give us one date. Thanks.
@awans..Never heard if they have ever made a movie on bhutto or altaf...Films on personalities are made all over the world and its nothing new..Edhi is a philanthropist and Dr abdus salam was a scientist...they achieved greatness in their fields but then there work is one dimensional on which one cant make movies..for movies u want to chose a personality who is multi-dimensional,having huge audience interested to know abt him..When movie was made on mandela,it was his love for football that was made more of a subject than his struggle for his countrymen..This movie making on personalities have nothing to do with personality worshiping.
@Uza Syed
And his lack of pragmatism & high on ambition always brought glory to himself and Pakistan.
@Tamoor: "What does that mean mr. Author have you seen it already. Lets offer your criticism after you see it". The author has not given a film review - whichobviously must wait until he has seen the movie. He is referring to thewhole project of making the mvie. Obviously if a movie has to be filmed 3 times, it points o a lack of prgamatism on the part of producer surely. This is not a reflection on Imran or PTI, simply on the producer and crew of the film Kaptaan.
@Uza Syed: Out of curiosity, when was the last time you praised anyone other than PPP & MQM?
Please stop the worship of Personalities and stop these films. Somewhere it is Bhutto Zinda hai. Somewhere Altaf Bhai and somewhere Imran Khan. Personality worship will ultimately doom our nation. Have you ever wondered that someone will make a movie about Dr Abdus Salam, Edhi or any personality and the answer is no because they are not any enigmatic personality wise and personality worshipers of Pakistan have a problem with their Face value to be worshiped.
Everyone saw it coming...this had to happened one day. I know the director Faisal Amanda khan myself, he is a very good person but a terrible film maker and a horrible planner. I am sure most of the people joined him because of his goodwill and courtesy but in a nutshell, he lacks professionalism.
Editor turns into a cinematographer? Are you kidding me?
no neither on box office nor in reality
What is with that second picture? Future plans of Kaptan's party?
@UZA...its high time we start respecting our national heroes...if you dont like his politics or you dont want him to server pakistan in politics that it does not mean you forget what ever he has achieved for pakistan in other fields..I think Imran khan has done biggest mistake by coming into politics..he thought he could serve his nation in politics also as he did in other areas..sorry Kaptaan..we dont deserve you..
That's sad. I was expecting that it is almost nearing release.
what's so romantic about the film Kaptaan? Miss Goldsmith ran after the Hollywood Actor.!!!!
High on ambition low on pragmatism, ET somehow had to stick their own silly opinion into it. What does that mean mr. Author have you seen it already. Lets offer your criticism after you see it.
"----- the Kaptaan project seems to run high on ambition and low on pragmatism." ----- Naturally------- anything that has something to do with this former-Kaptaan-Khan must be totally devoid of any pragmatism, NATURALLY!