Wajahat Kazmi’s film ‘The Dusk’ will be releasing in January 2012 world over in various film festivals, while in Pakistan the film will be released by February, he said in an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today. Kazmi, whose cousin Zeeshan is directing the film says that the film was a middle budget film (USD 95,000) and incorporated a completely new crew, to revive the film industry of Pakistan. But he refused to be connected in any way with Lollywood. “We are independent film makers, who are not connected with Lollywood, no one has heard about us, and we had no sources to support us through the project,” said Wajahat in his typical candid style of talking.
The film is about a doctor who is kidnapped some days after his wedding. He goes missing, and it is his journey that is followed along with his return back home and the circumstances he faces. “It is inspired by cases of missing people with similarities to Dr Aafia’s case, but it is not based by any one person’s story,” Wajahat clarified. “It is a film showing Pakistan in a post 9/11 scenario, and it will be a bit controversial because we have taken a bold stance about the American role in ruining our country with drone attacks and so many missing people,” he said. “No one has shown Pakistan being subject to drone attacks, so ours will be the first film in the world to do this. Also no one dwells on missing people and the horror their family faces and what everyone feels once they return after being tortured.”
He says that besides this, he has also tried to show the media’s role in the entire process. “We all know what politicians are, so I did not need to show their corruption and involvement, but I want to show the media anchors that pose and garner respect on TV yet in reality they are nothing by pawns and touts of different parties.” The film took about a year to shoot. It has been shot in many locations including Gujrat, Kashmir, Lahore and Islamabad. Unfortunately however, the film’s release is still uncertain in Pakistan thanks to the monopoly of a few groups in the censor and license boards. “I am not really unhappy about this because India has shown interest in buying the film and we are ready to sell it. We are not going to run after the censor board and distributors. If this film is released in India and not here, they themselves will be at a loss.” Release dates will be finalised by the first week of January 2012, he said.
