KARACHI:
The once war-torn neighbourhood of Lyari is not just the hub of some amazing footballers and hip hop artists but also the hotbed of amazing stories that keep the writers in awe.
Last year, a biopic on the slain police office, Chaudhry Aslam, was announced. Aslam was known for his encounters and anti-terrorism activities in the Lyari gang war. The first poster of the movie directed by renowned Azeem Sajjad saw the actor Tariq Aslam as the late cop, in his signature white shalwar kameez. The film also stars famous actor Arbaz Khan, Asfar Mani, Shamoon Abbasi, and Adnan Shah Tipu in pivotal roles.
Now, the popular film-maker duo Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza have announced that they will be producing a web series on the gang war itself. Meerza while talking to The Express Tribune shared that the project is still in initial stages. "This is the first time Nabeel and I are co-directing a project as well," she told us. Ali Abbas and Basit Naqvi of Laal Kabootar fame have written the screenplay for the web series.
The gritty tale has been in the pipeline for years, Meerza shared. "Lyari gang war has been making news yet again for a while now, so we thought this was a good time to start working on it. The project, however, is still in its initial stages. "It's too soon to reveal the juicy details, but we have completed our research on the subject and our script is in completion stages as well. We plan to start shooting in winters as the weather is nicer and it's easier to work then."
The Na Maloom Afraad producer revealed that they haven't finalised the cast yet. "I wouldn't want to reveal too much but no, we haven't really looked upon the options on who should we star in this web series," Meerza went on. "We plan on covering the incidents from the beginning. The web series will not only shed light on the gang war in Lyari but also the powerful impact it had on the city."
She remarked that the project will not be far from a half-hearted attempt. "It will be an action thriller. We've put our heart and soul into it," Meerza continued. "I've been born and raised in Karachi. Nabeel has lived a huge chunk of his life in this city. We are from the streets and that is why we take pride in covering even the gory details of this city. Lyari gang war is a massive part of Karachi's rich history; we would want to talk about it."
Other than the web series, the duo also has been working on another massive project; Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa-starrer, Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad. Meerza shared that they are almost done with the post-production of the film.
"We are all set to release the trailer but due to the current Covid-19 situation, we have been holding back. We are waiting until we hear when the cinemas are being reopened," she revealed. "We want to release the trailer not just digitally but theatrically as well. So, as soon as hear from them, we will work on it."
Meerza commented on how they have made an elaborate plan for the film’s promotions "The promotions are a massive part of any release. We want to do it properly and hence we are just being patient at the moment. When things are better and we are given a go-ahead by the authorities, we shall get right to it."
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