Creating Dushman for dosti

Mahesh Bhatt teams up with Humayun Saeed to produce a Punjabi film likely to be shot in Pakistan

LAHORE:

There’s no gainsaying that artists on both sides of the border have been resolute in their efforts to enhance ties between Pakistan and India. The latest to tread this path is famed Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who on his recent visit to Pakistan, revealed that he has joined hands with local actor-producer Humayun Saeed to produce a Punjabi film titled Dushman.

“I’ve been meeting some TV actors of Pakistan to select a cast, but it’s shocking how actors are reluctant to do a Punjabi film,” he said. The filmmaker, who is a favourite among Pakistanis for his frequent visits to the country, shared that he is yet to finalise the cast of the film. Terming Meera as a “talented actor,” he shared that she’s willing to feature in any film produced by him, and said that he’ll offer the first role he finds suitable for her.



Bhatt along with Rafique and Vinay Bhardwaj made their way to Lahore through the Wagah border and will also attend the premiere of Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (JPNA) upon receiving a formal invitation from Saeed. “I especially came to Lahore after receiving an invitation from Humayun for the premiere of JPNA,” he stated. “The standard of Pakistani films is improving and this is a good sign for the country’s film industry.”

“[Indian screenwriter] Shagufta Rafique will be the director of Dushman and we will stay in Pakistan for a number of days to decide on a few important things related to the film,” added Bhatt. Rafique revealed, “I’m writing the script for Dushman and have finalised a few actors from Pakistan, but won’t disclose their names yet. In order to establish strong relations between India and Pakistan, artists should play their part and [they’ll see that their] efforts will bear fruit.”

According to Bhatt, the film will be helmed by his own production house and Saeed’s Seventh Sky Entertainment. It’s likely to be shot in different cities of Pakistan, as Bhatt feels that Indian directors often ignore the panoramic locations in the country. In an attempt to explore opportunities from across the border, he hopes to produce the Punjabi film here. He embarked upon this journey after noticing striking similarities between the neighbouring countries, and pointed out that he has always received love and support from Pakistanis.



Of his past experience working with Pakistani producers, Bhatt added, “I’ve worked with Sohail Khan in the past. He’s like my brother.” Bhatt feels it’s unsettling to see how certain elements have been banning the release of Pakistani films in India. With hopes that this would end soon, he stated, “These [elements] will fail soon and the situation between the two countries in terms of film production will improve. It’s also beyond my understanding how certain Indian films were screened in Sri Lanka and other parts of South Asia but not in Pakistan.” Bhatt lamented that although both the countries are making positive changes in each other’s film industries, things remain stagnant on the political front.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st,  2015.

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