Feel nostalgia take over — the Ainak Wala Jin is back!

Shehzad Qaiser talks about his role as Nastoor in the second spell of the timeless drama.

LAHORE:

Hall No. three of Bari Studios is anticipating the return of Nastoor Jin — the second part of the widely popular children’s television series "Ainak Wala Jin".

Conceptualised by late writer Abdul Hameed in the 90s, Bil Batori, Zakoota and Haamoon Jadoogar became household names in Pakistan, as children and parents would eagerly tune in to watch the TV show based on a fictional storyline.

The storyline of “Ainak Wala Jin”, which gained an unparalleled fan following during 1993 to 1996, was a concoction of fantasy, reality and science fiction. A genie (Nastoor) is sent by the emperor of genies from Caucasus Mountains to earth because of the problems in his vision. When he lands on earth, he meets a brave boy who believes in fantasies and is instantly convinced that Nastoor’s presence is indeed a miracle. The jin with a heart of gold then transforms himself into a tall handsome man and starts living with humans; his interactions give birth to an interesting tale of twists and turns.

To the pleasant surprise of many, the show is making a comeback after 19 years. The second part will be a continuation of the first, with mostly the same characters in a contemporary setting. Producer Shehzad Qaiser — popularly known for his role as Nastoor, the Ainak Wala Jin — says that the return of the show comes with the same intent: to inspire. “Writer A Hameed was a legend who was on a mission to inspire children with fantasy and local fairytales,” says Qaiser, who hopes to convey a special message to children with each episode. “In our story, we have to put three ingredients: fantasy and adventure with a dash of reality. My goal is to take inspiration from our country’s heroes and mix a bit of fantasy with their life stories.”

The return of Nastoor Jin is marked by Qaiser’s comeback to the small screen as well. Qaiser explains that he had never felt the urge to experiment with other acting roles because he knew that no other role could bring him the unprecedented acclaim he garnered as Nastoor. “After doing this role, I did not do any other drama or film,” Qaiser says with confidence. “When your name is associated with such a popular character, it becomes rather difficult to adjust to another [character],” he adds. “I consider myself lucky — I am making a comeback in the same role.”

Qaiser’s son will play the role of Jan Bagh, a jin who has lost his powers and lives in a remote village where he is being raised by his mother. The later episodes will show his predicaments, dreams and his quest to regain his powers. Another major addition to the second season of “Ainak Wala Jin” is seasoned actor Shafqat Cheema as the main villain, King Shafoon.

The show has two directors, Hafiz Tahir and Idrees Adil, while veteran scriptwriter Tariq Sahili has penned the script. The plot will introduce several new characters into the fold to make the storyline relevant to the old one. “This is Nastoor’s comeback,” says director Hafiz Tahir. “There will be many new and old characters with him. Jan Bagh’s character will be the central link of the story and will help in connecting other sub stories.”

On the sets of “Ainak Wala Jin”, the audience’s darling, Munna Lahori, was dressed up in his classic character Zakoota Jin. Almost two decades later, the actor reminisces about the significance of the show. He said that he was grateful for the support the team has received over the years from children and fans. He was certain that the efforts would not disappoint them. “The drama has really been written in such a modern and scientific way, that even kids who like Harry Potter and other fantasy series, will appreciate this show,” says Lahori with pride.

The directors and producer of the show have promised to include animations this time, which were largely absent from the first component due the absence of computer graphics facilities. The series will begin on Eidul Azha and the maiden episode will be titled “Nastoor Jin Ki Wapsi”.

The dialogues from “Ainak Wala Jin” are so popular, when we posted a tweet asking people to recall some phrases, there was an overwhelming response — even 19 years later! Here’s what they said:

Mere haath pe haath rakho — Zaibeeeenaaa!

Mujhe kaam batao, mai kia karoon, main kiss ko khaoon?

Umru mera naam hay, sab ko mera salaam hay!

Mera naam Hamoon Jadugar hai, koi patloon jadugar nahi

Bil batori, naasa chauri, aadhi meethi, aadhi kori. I am sorry, I am sorry...

Churail nahi tu dayn hai, meri pyari behn hai

Ullu ullu hello ullu ullu hello.  Assi chaar so bees, assi nou do giyara 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2012.

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