Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Will Kaptaan hit a sixer?
An article by Sher Khan about Kaptaan the movie and Imran Khan in The Express Tribune.
As Pakistan’s former captain or Kaptaan, Khan stamped the cricket field with his talent and charisma. Years later, he is just as famous after transforming into a successful politician and social activist. The movie based on the former cricket star’s life, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish.
Faisal Aman Khan, an independent filmmaker who is based in the UK, is directing the film. Aman Khan admitted that he had the idea of making this movie two years ago after he graduated from film school. According to his colleagues, Faisal met Khan several times during the research phase of the project to get his endorsement.
“Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country, Faisal’s persistence finally paid in ultimately convincing him,” said Naveed Anwar, the film’s assistant director and screenwriter. “We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Pakistan that have a global appeal.”
Anwar, who has directed several short films, explained that the story centers on how Khan’s disappointment at Pakistan’s dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. He also juxtaposes Khan’s struggle for Pakistan’s future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s.
The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, his hunger strike while in jail and then certain intimate scenes with his ex-wife, Jemima Khan.
A big challenge before shooting the movie was the selection of the actor suitable for the protagonist’s role. After numerous screen tests and auditions for the lead role, the team decided to pick local model Abdul Mannan, who has an uncanny resemblance to the cricketer. Anwar said that it was especially difficult to find someone who could play Khan’s part, since there were very few people who match the physical features and demeanour of the 1992 World Cup captain.
Mannan, who is not an avid follower of Pakistani politics due to its dismal state, said that he had to study various video clips of the cricketer-turned-politician to do justice to the role. He claimed that the film provided inspiration and would make people realise the state of the country and hence take more interest in its affairs. “There have been films such as Jinnah and Gandhi, this is another inspiring story of a nation’s hero,” said Mannan. “There are things people forget about him.”
Mannan is paired with Saeeda Imtiaz, a Pakistani-American model based in New York, who is playing Jemima Khan’s role. Her role highlights the various challenges of living in Pakistan that Khan’s former wife faced and also highlights her complex relationship with the former cricket star. Imtiaz, who took nearly six months to prepare for her part, says “The way the movie is shot — the use of lighting and the fact that the filmmakers are young and full of ideas — will give the film a unique look,” said Imtiaz.
Insiders claim that the film will be ready for distribution this fall but are staying tight-lipped about the scheduled date for the release. Currently, the plan for distribution is that it will get a theatre-wide release in Pakistan and abroad as well. Over 107 actors have been used for the movie and the production team includes 12 people.
Source: The Express Tribune
Published on June 30th, 2011.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Kaptaan : A Film on Imran Khan
Pakistan born and UK based filmmaker Faisal Aman Khan has taken initiative to do a feature film on former Pakistan Cricketer Imran Khan who is considered to be one of the living legends in the world of cricket.
The movie based on the former cricket star's life, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish.
Faisal Aman Khan , a young filmmaker who had never planned his career to get into film making came with the idea of making this movie two years back. Faisal Aman Khan speaks exclusively to DT from his hometown in Islamabad and shares with us all the details.
Says Faisal, "I was born in Pakistan, later my family shifted to UK where I pursued my higher studies. My family was not supportive with my idea of geeting into film making. So as back up I did completed my studies in Business media after which I pursued a course in filmmaking in London." So how did the idea of making a movie on former cricketer Imran Khan came up and he states, "I mainly do a lot of documentary films this would be my first venture into feature filmmaking. I always like to work on subjects that are different and can grab mass attention. It was then I decided that I should film a movie on Khan saab. Imran Khan has been one of the most popular cricketer and a legend in history of cricket all over the globe. I had to do an intense two year research on him before I actually started the movie. I have met Imran at several occasion and when I told him about making the movie he just laughed at me. He is a very quite and shy person and was happy to know that I was making a movie on him. Imran was reluctant at first but later after reading the script he got convinced."
Talking about the movie , Faisal highlights, "The movie is basically a tribute of lifetime to Imran Khan. It is a multi language film - Hindi, Urdu and English. We all have known Imran as a cricketer, but my movie focuses on his life after cricket. What happened to Imran Khan after he left cricket? Imran's marriage with Jemima Khan and later what problems aroused in his relationships with Jemima? Why did he enter politics and so on. The movie talks about Imran's journey in his life and the entire transformation of a person from on field to off field. The movie will definitely have a global appeal and there are few personalities in Pakistan who have been able to do so and Imran Khan for sure is one of them."
Faisal further adds, "The story centers on how Khan's disappointment at Pakistan's dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. He also juxtaposes Khan's struggle for Pakistan's future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's. The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his hunger strike while in jail, his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, and then certain intimate scenes with his ex-wife, Jemima Khan."
The shooting of the film is completed and now the movie is in the post production phase. "We are planning to release the movie soon. I plan to screen it all over the globe." Any plans to screen the movie in India and he adds, "Yes why not, I would love to screen the movie in India too. Both my paternal and maternal sides are from India, unfortunately I have never got the chance to visit India till now. It will be a great moment for me if I get the opportunity to visit India soon and do the screening my movie kaptaan there." Ask about his family connection in India and he says, " My father side is from Azamgarh and my mother side is from Lucknow. We have lot of relatives still staying there in India."
Talking about the lead actors in the movie he says, "It was tough for us to select someone who could play the role of Imran and Jemima. As the story centrally focuses on Imran's relationship with Jemima there was lot of pressure on hiring a character for the suitable role. We had to do lot of auditions. Finally we selected a Pakistan based model Abdul Mannan for the role of Imran khan and Saeeda Imtiaz a Pakistan – American based model from NewYork."
Both are fresh faces and they had to really work hard for nearly 6 months starting from looks to accents facial expression and so on. Abdul who has played the role of Imran in the movie had to grow his hair and change his entire look for the movie. Frankly while selecting the main lead actor we didn't want someone who exactly looks like Imran but someone who can act and give justice to the role. Also Saeeda who will be playing the role of Jemima Khan has to work hard on her looks and appearance. Jemima Khan as all of us have known her is a lady who was beautiful graceful and elegant. Honestly speaking the movie was made in a hoe string budget. We did lot of the movie shooting in Pakistan and winded up the shooting in 30 days time. The support we got from the local people in Pakistan was amazing."
"I hope to release the movie by month of October this year. The music of the movie is catchy and we have roped in all local bands and singers from Pakistan who have lend their voices to the movie like Noorie band and so on. What is more interesting, Imran Khan has love for music and has been a great fan of late Ustaad Nusraat Fateh Ali Khan hence for the background scores we have included two songs of late Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan songs – 'Sanu ekh pal chain na aawe' and 'Yeh jo Halka Halka' for the movie," adds Faisal.
Finally he winds up saying, "I strongly believe that nothing is impossible in making your dreams come true and this was one my dream project which hopefully should come true."
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Music launch of Kaptaan the movie
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| Saeeda Imtiaz & Abdul Mannan in Kaptaan |
According to insiders, Kaptaan’s official trailer is scheduled to be released online on September 25, while the film itself is expected to be released during the first quarter of 2012. Negotiations with several distributing companies in Pakistan and India have already begun, confirmed the director.
The low-budget film, based on the former cricket star’s life, has attracted global attention as it explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish. When asked about his subject choice, Khan replies, “There is a dire need for Pakistani film-makers to change their influences and inspirations. More quality stuff needs to be brought in; the argument that there are not enough resources is an excuse,” says Khan. “This is a Pakistani film about a character who was called ‘King Khan’ before Shahrukh Khan was given the same title in India.”
An avid follower of orchestra and contemporary Pakistani music, Khan is emphasising on ensuring that the soundtrack is catchy and, at the same time, able to complement the film’s storyline. Khan says that he aims to portray the film as a journey between ‘surrealism and realism’ and to highlight the inner transformation of the legendary cricketer.
“I have always been a fan of symphonic orchestra such as London Philharmonic, so finding the right person, given the limited budget, has been a difficult task,” states Khan, while heaping praise on Farhan Zameer, who is composing and directing the film’s music. “We were initially hoping to get Kaavish and Ali Azmat on board for the direction and composition of the film’s music, but it was becoming too expensive. However, when I first heard Zameer sing I was stunned at the amount of talent he possessed.”
Khan, while mentioning that negotiations with rock band Noori are currently underway, states that he is also thinking of getting Najam Sheraz on board for the soundtrack. The intention, he adds, is to get some of the rock artists to lend their voices to an orchestral symphonic sound — similar to what came about as a result of Metallica’s collaboration with late musical composer Michael Kamen. Meanwhile, local pop artist Abbas Ali Khan, Indian singer Rashmi Nair (who is based in America) and Canadian Naqi Ali Khan have also agreed to contribute to the film’s music.
Mainly known for his work as a composer in South Indian films, Zameer takes inspiration from western and eastern folk music. “For a movie like this one, it’s important that the songs are motivational and have a message for the youth,” says Zameer. “We’re excited about composing Kaptaan’s music; it’s not going to be typical of what is generally seen in Lollywood, rather it will be modern and progressive.”
He adds that the main challenge is finding the right blend of western and eastern music that could adequately create the mood encapsulating the cricketer’s life.
However, keeping in mind Imran Khan’s personal music taste, the film will also include three of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs namely “Allah Hoo”, “Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor” and “Sanu Ek Pal”.
Source: The Express Tribune
Published on September 24, 2011
Kaptaan: Imran Khan on the silver screen
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| Saeeda Imtiaz and Abdul Mannan in Kaptaan the movie |
Moments from the life of Imran Khan, arguably Pakistan’s most charismatic cricketer, will soon appear on celluloid. Faisal Aman Khan, a Britain-based independent filmmaker has directed an independent film titled ‘Kaptaan’ (captain) which focuses on Imran’s political life as well as glimpses of his relationship with ex-wife Jemima Khan. The film is currently in post-production, and Faisal met Imran several times while researching the project to get his endorsement. “Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country," Naveed Anwar, the film's assistant director and screenwriter, told the Express Tribune. “We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Pakistan that who have a global appeal.”
Anwar said the film traces Imran’s entry into politics and juxtaposes his struggle for Pakistan's future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's, the country's founder. Pakistan model Abdul Mannan, who reportedly bears an uncanny resemblance to Imran, will play the title role. Pakistani-American mode Saeeda Imtiaz, plays Jemima and her role looks at the various challenges Jemima faced while living in Pakistan as Imran’s wife and the various complexities of their relationship. The film has a cast of 107 actors and while the producers are yet to reveal its release date, they plan to screen the film in Pakistan and abroad. A film on his cricketing life is awaited – and no one can play his role better than the man himself.
Source: Cric Info The Buzz
Published on 07/01/2011
