I lost weight because I started producing: Hareem Farooq

Actor discusses transition into movie production, weight loss and upcoming flick ‘Parchi’

KARACHI: From the makers of last year’s hit Janaan, now comes Parchi - all set to grace theatres on January 5. Directed by Azfar Jafri, the film, which stars Ali Rehman Khan, Hareem Farooq and Usman Mukhtar, dropped its trailer like wildfire in King’s Landing. It completely overshadowed every other trailer released so far and has already created a ton of anticipation.

Portraying Farooq in a fierce avatar while Rehman and Mukhtar drool and dance with her, Parchi looks like an out-and-out entertainer and apart from being 2018’s first release, it might just be its first hit too. At the trailer launch held on December 2, the team behind Parchi graced the red carpet.

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After the promo was shown, Mukhtar, who acted as the host for the evening, asked questions from his team about the film. And as it so happens between co-stars, awkwardness turned into hilarity and banter ensued.

Rehearsed or not, the evening turned out to be more than just a trailer launch as a bunch of funny people threw memorable one-liners at each other. At one point, Mukhtar even brought up Farooq’s weight loss. She jokingly responded, “I lost so much weight because I started producing films.”

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The remainder of the cast, including Ahmed Ali Akbar, Shafqat Khan, Shafqat Cheema, Faizan Shaikh, Talal Jilani, Mojiz Hasan, Salman Shaukat, Mahenur Haider and Faiza Saleem, also joined the trio. While everyone praised Hasan, Mukhtar, showing his hosting prowess, asked him the toughest question he could ask. “How was your experience and what are your expectations from the film?”

Mojiz wasn’t the one to stay quiet. He said he had a great experience working with everyone, and “rest assured, a week after Parchi is released, I will at least be a bigger star than Abhishek Bachchan.”

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Rehman shared his stance on doing only one film a year because he doesn’t “like giving time to multiple projects at a time” and prefers fully devoting himself to one. As to how the project initiated, Khan who apart from acting also serves as the writer of Parchi, said it was co-producer Imran Kazmi who came to him in 2014, and one thing led to another to create what is now called Parchi.

Beside the cast, Osman Khalid Butt was also present. With Parchi, he will be making his debut as a choreographer. “So many of my passions got realised through IRK Films. I wrote the screenplay for Siyaah and Janaan (Jafri’s previous two films),” said Butt.

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“I remember we grew up watching great Indian films and I was always found at the back dancing to these incredible songs.” He cited them as the motivation for being a choreographer. Then Mukhtar, wearing his smarty pants, asked him, “Who’s the best dancer?” Butt was quick to say, “I am.”

Kazmi talked about his role and goal to give opportunities to newcomers. “I just try to become a source, a gateway for the new people who want to enter the industry and find it hard to figure out a way.”

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Co-producer Arif Lakhani, who’s based in Canada, shared his reason to be involved in the project. “The audience for Pakistani cinema isn’t that huge abroad. The most watched local film so far has only attracted 30 thousand Pakistanis. And we want to increase that number,” he said.

After the trailer, the team also surprised the audience with the release of a special dance number Billo Hai – a perfect bhangra tune which will surely make you tap your feet and mimic the moves choreographed by Butt. Judging by the trailer and music, guess they weren’t wrong. Parchi might actually blow your mind this upcoming year!

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