What the Peerzadas have in the works
Film industry heavyweights announce their forthcoming film projects, one of which will be children-centric.
Usman speaks on the last day of the three-day festival, which was dedicated to the memory of late artist and brother, Faizaan. PHOTO: PUBLICITY
LAHORE:
Veteran Pakistani actor-director Usman Peerzada and his brother Saidaan Peerzada recently celebrated the third installment of the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) International Film Festival at the Alhamra Arts Council. The festival is a small step towards strengthening performing arts on a global level. “The main objective of the festival is to show people cinema of the world,” Usman tells The Express Tribune.
Established in 1976 as a tribute to performing artiste, the late Rafi Peerzada, RPTW has played a potent role in sustaining arts in the country. The Peerzada family is full of renowned individuals whose contribution to preserving culture and the film industry has been invaluable. Salmaan Peerzda recently made an acting debut in the Pakistani film Chambaili, Imran Peerzada has been actively involved in film-making, Tasneem Peerzada is known for culture reporting in Urdu media, and the late Faizaan Peerzada was an artist and a puppeteer.
This year, Usman received more than 250 film entries from across the world, of which only a handful were selected for screening at the RPTW International Film Festival. Out of the films that were selected, nearly 80 were of Pakistani origin. “The involvement of local film students has been massive; I think it’s very important to share what they have done [through this platform],” says Usman.
Usman, who joined the film industry in the 1970s, has had an illustrious career. He wrote, directed and produced Nazdikiyan, which was one of the lowest budget films ever to have won a great number of national film awards. In 1989, he penned, directed and produced Gori Diyan Jhanjran, which also won multiple national awards.
Today, Usman is looking towards making a comeback with three projects that will further boost the already growing market for local films. “Right now, we are planning three films; our first project is a children’s film [to be released in the middle of next year]. It should take about two years to make all three films,” he shares.
“I am a film-maker and always have been a film-maker. I personally think the time is right [to re-enter the industry], since the environment has become cinema-friendly and people want to watch local films now.” Usman hopes that the films will stay true to the ethos of RPTW, which has always concentrated on the theme of family and children.
“We are presently working on the pre-production, musical score and locations,” he says. Usman acknowledges the fact that there are limited children-centric films and, to compensate for this, RPTW has done a lot of work with children. “I think in a place like Pakistan, it is our duty that we come out with [entertaining and quality] cinema for children.” Usman feels that this can help in maintaining a stronghold in the South Asian entertainment market.
Saidaan thinks that this year’s festival has been more important than the previous ones, given the recent success of feature films in the country. He says that growth in the film industry has increased the interest of young film-makers in the field.
“This is a movement we have seen grow in front of our eyes. A number of small and independent films have surfaced, and they need to be promoted for film-makers to keep up their good work,” says Saidaan.
The RPTW International Film Festival lasted from December 19 till December 21, 2013. It included a discussion with leading film-makers from Pakistan and India, among other countries. The last day of the festival was dedicated to the late Faizaan, who was the driving force behind RPTW.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.
Veteran Pakistani actor-director Usman Peerzada and his brother Saidaan Peerzada recently celebrated the third installment of the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) International Film Festival at the Alhamra Arts Council. The festival is a small step towards strengthening performing arts on a global level. “The main objective of the festival is to show people cinema of the world,” Usman tells The Express Tribune.
Established in 1976 as a tribute to performing artiste, the late Rafi Peerzada, RPTW has played a potent role in sustaining arts in the country. The Peerzada family is full of renowned individuals whose contribution to preserving culture and the film industry has been invaluable. Salmaan Peerzda recently made an acting debut in the Pakistani film Chambaili, Imran Peerzada has been actively involved in film-making, Tasneem Peerzada is known for culture reporting in Urdu media, and the late Faizaan Peerzada was an artist and a puppeteer.
This year, Usman received more than 250 film entries from across the world, of which only a handful were selected for screening at the RPTW International Film Festival. Out of the films that were selected, nearly 80 were of Pakistani origin. “The involvement of local film students has been massive; I think it’s very important to share what they have done [through this platform],” says Usman.
Usman, who joined the film industry in the 1970s, has had an illustrious career. He wrote, directed and produced Nazdikiyan, which was one of the lowest budget films ever to have won a great number of national film awards. In 1989, he penned, directed and produced Gori Diyan Jhanjran, which also won multiple national awards.
Today, Usman is looking towards making a comeback with three projects that will further boost the already growing market for local films. “Right now, we are planning three films; our first project is a children’s film [to be released in the middle of next year]. It should take about two years to make all three films,” he shares.
“I am a film-maker and always have been a film-maker. I personally think the time is right [to re-enter the industry], since the environment has become cinema-friendly and people want to watch local films now.” Usman hopes that the films will stay true to the ethos of RPTW, which has always concentrated on the theme of family and children.
“We are presently working on the pre-production, musical score and locations,” he says. Usman acknowledges the fact that there are limited children-centric films and, to compensate for this, RPTW has done a lot of work with children. “I think in a place like Pakistan, it is our duty that we come out with [entertaining and quality] cinema for children.” Usman feels that this can help in maintaining a stronghold in the South Asian entertainment market.
Saidaan thinks that this year’s festival has been more important than the previous ones, given the recent success of feature films in the country. He says that growth in the film industry has increased the interest of young film-makers in the field.
“This is a movement we have seen grow in front of our eyes. A number of small and independent films have surfaced, and they need to be promoted for film-makers to keep up their good work,” says Saidaan.
The RPTW International Film Festival lasted from December 19 till December 21, 2013. It included a discussion with leading film-makers from Pakistan and India, among other countries. The last day of the festival was dedicated to the late Faizaan, who was the driving force behind RPTW.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.