Pakistani business analyst Zaid Ahmed, 23, who lives in Dubai, said: “The movie is a bit biased against India. But I’m proud of Pakistan for reviving its film industry. I really enjoyed the movie,” according to 7 Days, a UAE-based newspaper.
Conversely, 24 year-old Indian Viraj Mehta, currently residing in Dubai, said: “Movies like this will not be understood by South Asians in the UAE because Pakistanis and Indians grow up here together in a friendly manner.”
Dubai resident Khadija Syed, from Pakistan, said: “It is the best movie Pakistan has ever shot, but movies like this create difficulties in maintaining peace between the countries. Bollywood has also made controversial films about India and Pakistan, but I don’t think it helps to resolve anything.”
The official Facebook page of Waar has more than 200,000 likes and says the film is inspired by true events. Pakistani Dubai resident Farhan Chaudhry commented on the page: “Thanks Bilal Lashari for showing the reality behind some of the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and that the govern¬ment is still reluctant to take the issue to the UN.”
Dubai-based Pakistani expat Farhatus Saba said the relationship depicted between India and Pakistan is saddening. “The governments are to blame. If you look at the Indians and Pakistanis living abroad, they are friendly with each other. I’m happy that the Pakistani film industry is improving, but I also hope the relations between these two countries improve.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (24)
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But it wasn't technically good... Bollywood isn't that technically good either. Good VFX and stunt work only exist in Hollywood.
Waar movie collected 25cr on 45 screens in pakistan.Channei express got 4500 Screens all over world collected 400cr plus. So if waar would have got same no of screens box office collections would go to 2500cr bitter reality O:-)
Pakistan Film Industry is surely growing. I was really amused by the trailer. And yea No Indian b-grade movie ever had a facebook page. We Indians wants to show superiority over others. Good going Pakistan. Regard- Your Indian Friend :)
heard of it a day before yesterday and looking forward to watch this movie if it releases in india as a far as trailer is concerned thumbs up for bilal lashari it rally looks good and please to all guys for god sake its a film yaar take it as entertainment its not a personal bashing to anybody i am a patriot too about my country but it does not gives us the license to undermine somebody's years of hardwork just because it antagonises my country;s establishments
yeh hum sabko samajhna chahiye ki talent aur art ko political tarazu mein tolna bahut galat hai please stop this practice for the sake of a healthy relationship between we two brother nations
For you kind information, it isnt like endian B-Graded movies. Its A-Graded Pakistani movie which totally bashed endians and shown the true picture. Pakistan has the right to patriotic movies. @Indian Business Analyst:
@hasan There is no harm in comparison as long as we do it for improvement n even to analyze our progress. If comparison was to be something bad, the word would not have been introduced / invented
So you cobbled together a couple movie-goers and titled the article "UAE on Waar". Does the International NY Times know that you're using their name?
I don’t agree with the plot of the movie but that’s what many nations do in their movies including Hollywood where they portray other cultures such as Arab, Cuban, Russian and Chinese as undemocratic and barbaric.
Indians also made movies like Maa Tujhe Salaam where the tagline or dialogue about Kashmir openly challenges UN resolution and status that Jammu & Kashmir is indeed a Disputed land. The Indian media even misquoted (Late) Muammar Qaddafi when they reported about his speech about J&K in United Nations (and sadly many Indians easily bought that without even consulting any other news source).
Hollywood made movies like Devil’s Double in 2011 where the sole intention was to justify USA’s invasion and massacre in Iraq. In that sense, I would say that Waar would be thousand times better than movies like these.
Waar was the only movie in which the director had the guys to call a spade a spade, and not worry about frothing liberals complaining about how it hurt India's feelings. Get real.
It is very funny that by making "one" decent kind of movie pakistanies have started thinking as world beater, even better then Hollywood movies let alone Bollywood who has second largest viewership after hollywood. I think my friends from acroos the border have forgotten about "Gandasa Gujjar da", Badla Gujjar da", "Vehshi Gujjar" and so on..
@Indian Business Analyst:
'200000 likes…lol……..even B-garde Indian movie has 10,00000 likes….."
Sir, don't you think that reflects poorly on us Indians?
@Junaid Hussain: Imdb ratings are done by the users who visit the pages and frankly even "Dark knight" has a rating of 8.8... Now dont tell me Waar is better than Dark Knight,even ur own countrymen will laugh
Tell me how many international festivals has it been screened?? How many special jury awards has it won?? How many internationally known critics like Rogert Ebert reviewed the movie???
Just because this movie is better than most of ur movies doesnt mean u can belittle other movies.....I agree 99% of our movies are crap but the rest 1% are real gems....
No, No, No... Not the UAE. Pakistanis and Indians living in the UAE giving their opinions.. Not "the UAE"...
Is a FILM people do these bozoz' think that Hollywood worries who it offends as long as the cash register is ringing in the box office receipts! This is a great film when was the last time you invited non-Pakistani friends to a Pakistani films & they were impressed. The military complex in India & Pakistan profits from the tensions in the two country & that will never change!
@ Bay, @ Nomi -- So in this case you agree that India has bigger population, bigger economy, better infrastructure, better films ... then why do we always compare with them and try
@Indian Business Analyst: Indian movies have no boundaries, they will drop their standards and make 18+ movies just to get those likes. Reality check.
@Indian Business Analyst:
What kind of a flop analyst are you? Did you take into account the several times larger indian population and size of indian film industry when comparing likes ?? Also, you probably failed in spelling too (b-garde) lol typical indian analyst
200000 likes...lol........even B-garde Indian movie has 10,00000 likes.....
Once again disappointed! Where were these same people with ek tah tiger? and 100s more? and well there is no point saying disappointment with ET anymore..