It’s hard to sit through a 3-hour long movie. Add some over-acting, cheap comedy, elaborate dance sequences and senseless masala and you not only have the recipe for the perfect Bolly/Lollywood hit but also a guaranteed way to torture your (ever-ready-to-please) male counterparts.
The absence of all of the above is what made Khuda Keliye, Shoaib Mansoor’s first venture, an epic watch for Sameer. Khuda Keliye was a refreshing blend of a powerful story revolving around meaningful issues, excellent acting and a decent soundtrack. Sameer had never watched a Pakistani movie before Khuda Keliye and he had to admit, it was an impressive attempt. And so, when Sameer’s cousins made a plan to go watch Bol, Shoaib Mansoor’s second feature film, he thought it would be a good way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
The tickets for Atrium Mall’s cinema were bought for Rs. 400 apiece. Personally, Sameer would have loved to go to one of the cheaper cinemas but it was his first foray into the new mall and besides, he could never take his sisters to Capri or Prince Cinemas; Sameer was very well aware of the kind of crowd that turned up in those places.
While Bol attempted to underscore some of the pressing social issues (mistreatment of eunuchs, suppression of women, prostitution and people’s misunderstanding of the teachings of Islam), Sameer felt that it failed to capture the essence of any of the aforementioned ideas. The movie, unlike its predecessor, focused on dramatization more than content: the link between the first and second halves of the movie was missing, concepts were left untouched and gaps remained in the story-line. Sameer was unimpressed. However, he did appreciate the performances delivered by Humaima Malik, Shafqat Cheema and Iman Ali.
For now, Sameer is done watching Pakistani movies. And to avoid watching Indian movies with his family, he will have to do something about the fact that while his mother cries during each and every Shahrukh Khan movie, she doesn’t understand what happens in The Dark Knight.
