KARACHI: Despite the fact that there were only three major film releases in 2014, the diversity being displayed on celluloid was enough to merit a brighter future for Pakistani cinema in 2015.
This year saw the release of notable films including the highly-anticipated spy-thriller Operation 021 and the crime-caper comedy Na Maloom Afraad. We also saw directors venture into newer and unexplored genres with movies like drama-thriller Dukhtar, political-drama The System and neo-noir Tamanna.
2015 holds the possibility of releases of notable films like Moor, Yalghaar, Downward Dog and Jalaibee but apart from that there is not much on the calendar really.
We bring you the run down on the best that Pakistani cinema had to offer in 2014 and await your vote to decide who is best among our nominees of Tribune Cinema Awards.
If you think that your favourite performance has not been nominated, do leave us a comment. The category for ‘best actor in a lead role – female’ has been axed due to a lack of powerful female lead characters in films that were released this year.
Best Film
Na Maloom Afraad for all its tongue-in-cheek humour captured the life of every Pakistani trying to make it big in a city as volatile as Karachi.
Operation 021 is Pakistan’s attempt at an espionage thriller and turned out to be the most technically sound Pakistani film to date.
Watch a trailer of the films here:
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Best Director
Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Maloom Afraad despite being overzealous with Bollywood, the film was a great example of how to execute an ideal Masala film.
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Jami Mahmood ventured into an unsafe territory by directing Pakistan’s first spy-thriller and did an admirable job.
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Best Actor (Male)
Ayub Khoso as the one-eyed yet far-sighted Afghanistani rebel Abdullah in Operation 021.
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Fahad Mustafa as the down on luck, salesman of IFU Insurance Farhan in Na Maloom Afraad.
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Best Supporting Actor (Male)
Mohsin Abbas Haider plays the Romeo-esque daydreamer Moon seeking to find a living in Dubai in Na Maloom Afraad.
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Mohib Mirza is a driver, Sohail who helps escort the mother-daughter duo of Allah Rakhi and Zainab to safety in Dukhtar.
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Shaan Shahid does what he does best, fighting off terrorists while trying to forget his troubled past as agent Kash.
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Hameed Sheikh as calm yet complicated double agent Dost in Operation 021.
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Best Supporting Actor (Female)
Urwa Hocane plays the girl next door Naina, who is desperate to marry her tenant in Na Maloom Afraad.
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Aamina Sheikh was Shaan’s love interest in the 2013 spy thriller and does well with her short yet significant screen presence.
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Best Actor in a Negative Role
Shamoon Abbasi, or Pakistan’s premier bad guy, was impressive as CIA’s Pakistani agent Danish in Operation 021.
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Adnan Shah Tipu for his ferocious portrayal of Ghorzang Khan, a local tribeman who forces the parents of a young girl into marriage in Dukhtar.
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Salman Shahid is the no-mercy and no-nonsense godfather Gogi, of an otherwise idiosyncratic gang in Na Maloom Afraad.
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Best Cameo Appearance
Nayyar Ejaz plays the insurance agent Samuel, who catches up with the scam being concocted by the principal characters in Na Maloom Afraad.
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Nayyer Ejaz makes yet another powerful cameo in Operation 021 and provides Shaan with a way out of the mess he is embroiled into not before mincing a few lines about treading the right path.
Saleem Mairaj, the marvelous theater actor is drug addict Abdul Qadeer, who delivers the three troublemakers of Na Maloom Afraad a lecture in bomb making 101.
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Best Debut
Mohsin Abbas Haider
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Urwa Hocane
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Fahad Mustafa
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Umair Rana in Tamana
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Best Music (Film)
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Best Screenplay
Nabeel Qureshi & Fizza Ali Meerza put their own twist on the difficulties of living in a city like Karachi. The quick witted dialogues and tongue-in-cheek humor adds further to a well paced engaging story.
Jami Mahmood, Summer Nicks and Azaan Sami Khan combine to make a multiple layered story along the lines of other spy-thrillers like Syriana and achieve the desired reaction quite subtly.
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