Actor Ahsan Khan returns to cinema in horror film 'Faramosh'

Pakistani filmmaker Abu Aleeha is preparing to bring horror back to the spotlight with Faramosh (Forgotten), an ambitious British-produced horror film that marks Ahsan Khan's return to the big screen after a long hiatus.

Produced by Emberline Studios, Faramosh will be filmed across the picturesque locations of Lancashire, UK. While the search for the female lead continues, the supporting cast is expected to feature actors from Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom, making it one of the most significant cross-border collaborations involving Pakistani cinema in recent years.

In an exclusive conversation with The Express Tribune, Director Abu Aleeha spoke about his passion for the horror genre, the film's international vision, Ahsan Khan's casting and his hopes of introducing Pakistani horror to a wider global audience.

Looking back at his filmmaking journey, Aleeha said horror has remained his favourite genre since the beginning of his career.

"If you look at my filmography, my first feature film was the psychological horror film Kataksha, which was shot at Katas Raj Temple on a very limited budget. After that, I made Udham Patakh, Pakistan's first zombie horror-comedy. I have always tried to experiment with horror and introduce something new for Pakistani audiences."

The director believes Faramosh represents the biggest step forward in that journey and is unlike anything he has attempted before.

"You can say this is a proper Hollywood-level horror film. The only difference is that the language is Urdu and Punjabi. The scale, production value, visual treatment and storytelling have all been designed with an international audience in mind."

Aleeha credited British production house Emberline Studios and its production partners for placing their confidence in his vision.

"Hats off to Emberline Studios and their partner production house. They trusted my script and my vision from the very beginning. That trust has given us the freedom to make the film exactly the way we imagined it."

Explaining why Ahsan Khan was chosen to lead the project, the filmmaker said the actor's versatility made him the ideal fit for the demanding role.

"Once the script was complete, Ahsan Khan was the natural choice. He has the experience and emotional range this character requires. I genuinely believe audiences are going to see a completely different side of him in Faramosh. His performance will surprise many people."

The project is also notable for bringing together talent from multiple countries. According to Aleeha, discussions are underway with a British actress for a key role, while conversations are also taking place with suitable Indian actors.

"We are bringing in a British actress, and we are also looking at Indian talent. We are speaking with people who fit the characters because our goal is to assemble the strongest cast possible."

The director believes this international collaboration reflects the growing popularity of Pakistani artists among South Asian communities abroad.