We must put flawed, independent women at the forefront: Asim Abbasi

Film-maker talks ‘Churails’ and what he hopes to achieve with the upcoming, female-led show

KARACHI:

Last week, the trailer of Churails, Asim Abbasi’s upcoming venture for Indian streaming platform ZEE5, was released. And it was unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Churails follows the lives of four women who take it upon themselves to fix the patriarchal and misogynist society they live in. Soon after the trailer dropped, it took social media by storm, garnering rave reviews from fans and celebrities in India and Pakistan alike. With a storyline that has yet to be explored in Pakistan, Abbasi is all geared up for the bold project.

“Historically, the word ‘churail’ has represented qualities that are seen as undesirable in a woman: courage, aggression, intelligence and sexual liberation. One often encounters this term being used women who are not the conforming, obedient type,” the Cake director told The Express Tribune, when asked about the show’s intriguing title. “Our show aims to take ownership of this word and subvert the historical labelling filled with negative connotations and give it a positive spin. The qualities a churail possesses are to be celebrated. We believe that a woman who wants to stand up for herself and her beliefs is happy to take on the title of a churail and wears it as a badge of honour.”

Cake garnered ample praise back in the day for its relatable storyline. Asked if the audience should expect something similar from Churails, the director remarked, “Cake was a character study; a slice of life film that focused on the nuances of human emotions. Churails takes my storytelling leaps forward, where I have 10 hours to not only develope these characters and their individual arcs but also ground the story in a suspenseful, thrilling plot.”

Abbasi shared that the upcoming, star-studded project and its themes will certainly be relatable but also go beyond the nuclear family, which Cake did not. “Churails is about a sisterhood chosen by these women; a truer representation of what family can be in this day and age,” he explained.

There haven't been many local productions that focus on women and have multiple women starring together. Abbasi commented that it was about time we brought they are brought into the limelight. “Locally, cinema is still, by and large, considered the male hero’s domain and TV the heroine’s. Except, TV tends to push the same tropes of the oppressed damsel in distress who needs a man to rescue her, time and time again,” he said. “Web is now allowing us to move out of the confines of these repetitive narratives and create content that can put flawed, independent women at the forefront. I have been blessed to work with such a stellar all-female ensemble cast.”

The director admitted Churails will not be a very conventional project. “The audience should expect the unexpected!” he laughed. “I believe we have made a show that will keep viewers on their toes, always guessing the unexpected routes the story takes over its 10 episodes. On a deeper level, I hope the series raises some important questions that allow men and women alike to reflect and work towards building a fairer society.”

Abbasi, yet again, has roped in some big named for the project. “Nimra, Yasra, Sarwat and Mehar Bano are some of the strongest female actors that we have in the country,” he said. “They are all powerhouses in their own right, and a show like Churails needed the four leads to be just that. All of them gave me months of their time for rehearsals and preparations, and really got into the skin of the characters, and I have no doubt that the audiences will see these as some of the best performances of their careers.”

Apart from Churails, four other projects have been picked up by Zee5 for streaming. “I think it’s high time Pakistani artists get to shine in a creative space that cuts across geographies and cultures. It is time for them to go global,” Abbasi shared.
Asked why he thinks Pakistan is still struggling to reach the heights Indian content has the film-maker replied, “Streaming platforms give power back to the content creators. Their mandate of diversification allows for new voices to come to the forefront. It’s a huge stepping stone in the right direction and I expect a lot of visionary, experimental film-makers from Pakistan will turn to the web in the coming years.”

He added, “For now, I am extremely excited to see what the other four projects are like. We, as an industry, need to make a long-term plan to achieve a common goal and to think collectively, instead of individualistically. This is a creative business but in Pakistan, the focus, unfortunately, has remained more on business. If you are focused only on short-term windfalls, there will be no sustainable long-term growth.”

According to Abbasi, for Pakistan to have its own streaming service and online content libraries, corporates, TV giants, distributors and exhibitors and most importantly, the government, need to come together on investments and strategies. “With a clear strategic plan that does not curtail film-makers’ liberties, I have no doubt that we can truly flourish,” he concluded.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.