The poster for film Aar Paar is finally here

Shot in Lahore, Karachi, and the Gurdwara at Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, the upcoming feature film Aar Paar is one of the first titles to release that frames its narrative on the anxieties coronavirus forced onto the common man. The film, though, is much more than that, affirms its screenwriter and producer Mashood Qadri.

Qadri, a nephrologist (kidney specialist) by profession who lives in Arizona, has previously written and produced Saawan. The film was Pakistan’s submission in the Best Foreign Film category for the 89th Academy Awards.

Aar Paar, whose poster launches exclusively through Images, stars Erum Akhtar, Shamyl Khan and Moammar Rana in the lead. The film is directed by Saleem Daad, one of the most prominent film and commercials’ cinematographer in Pakistan whose filmography includes Jawani Phir Nahi Aani, Abdullah: The Final Witness, Balu Mahi and Mehrunisa V Lub U.

The film was shot last year in March and November of 2021.

Aar Paar, according to Qadri, “is the story of a strong woman named Sara (Erum Akhtar), who is fighting for integrity, while standing brave against a group of social evils”.

Shamyl Khan plays Kamal Ahsan, a struggling husband who, facing peer pressure, is trying to get a handle on social myths. “The character, a failed husband and an indecisive father, is seen going through the boredom of not being able to cope with the stresses of Covid related lockdowns. He is frustrated, sometimes belligerent, and worse, paranoid”, Qadri said.

“The situation worsened when a group of cybercriminals” — who Qadri calls ‘society’s evils’ — “started playing their hidden cards to further distance the couple”.

Moammar Rana plays Arman Singh, Kamal’s friend from Chandigarh, India, who strives to save Kamal and Sara’s relationship. The film is about friendship, intertwined family dynamics, and the triumph of motherhood, Qadri says.

“When you think about it, every relationship is flawed, but it is best to mend them, rather than throw them away”, Daad tells Images.

According to Daad, Aar Paar's best aspect is that it is too real and all-encompassing. “It doesn’t matter if you are a conservative, liberal, or a feminist — if you are human, you will like the film”, he said.

“Movies like Aar Paar show the strength and diversity of Pakistani cinema,” he adds.

The film, produced under the banner of Kalakar Entertainments, is co-produced by Cinelight. The cast also includes: Raneya Moammar, Ahmed Hassan, Furqan Ahmed, Zuhab Khan, Pulwasha Shah and Subhan Liaquat.

Although a final release date is expected to be announced with the trailer’s release sometime during or after Ramazan, the film should be out in cinemas this summer.