Courtesy:
IndiaFM
Friday,
June
22,
2007
Several
Indian
producers
in
the
past
have
been
campaigning
for
an
official
release
of
Bollywood
films
in
Pakistan.
Years
back,
films
with
a
distinct
Pakistani
flavour,
Soni
Mahiwal,
Mughal-e-Azam
and
Taj
Mahal,
were
cleared
for
release,
but
because
of
political
problems,
no
contemporary
Bollywood
title
has
found
a
theatrical
release
in
the
country,
even
though
illegal
viewings
and
piracy
of
Indian
titles
is
rampant
in
Pakistan.
Mahesh
Bhatt's
Awarapan,
releasing
next
week,
will
create
history
in
Pakistan,
if
the
Federal
Film
Censor
Board
in
Lahore
is
understanding
enough.
A
print
of
Awarapan
is
being
taken
to
Pakistan
to
be
shown
to
the
censor
officials
on
Wednesday.
If
the
film
is
cleared,
it
is
likely
to
witness
a
theatrical
release
in
Pakistan
concurrently
with
the
rest
of
the
world,
giving
the
cinemas
there
a
fresh
lease
of
life
and
the
audience
a
valid
reason
to
rejoice.
The
screening
of
Awarapan
before
the
Censors
does
not
come
as
a
surprise
given
the
Bhatts'
affinity
for
Pakistan
and
the
talent
there
-
be
it
be
it
in
the
form
of
actress
Meera
or
music
personalities
like
Atif
Aslam,
Rahat
Fateh
Ali
Khan
and
Ali
Azmat,
to
name
a
few.
"It's
payback
time," says
an
industry
insider.
"Pakistan
should
let
Awarapan
release
in
its
country
as
there
are
compelling
reasons
to
justify
this."
In
Awarapan,
Mahesh
Bhatt
has
introduced
the
chartbusting
compositions
and
renditions
of
Roxen
vocalist
Mustafa
Zahid,
Annie
and
Rafaqat
Ali
Khan,
making
this
the
first
Bollywood
soundtrack
to
feature
musical
talent
from
Pakistan
in
entirety.
This
is
also
the
first
Bollywood
film
in
recent
years
to
have
been
shot
in
Lahore.
(The
Rishi
Kapoor-Zeba
Bakhtiar
starrer
Henna
had
been
shot
in
Pakistan
more
than
a
decade
back).
In
the
climax
of
Awarapan,
the
main
protagonist,
a
simple
Hindu
boy,
Shivam
(Emraan
Hashmi)
brings
his
unrequited
love
interest,
a
Pakistani
girl,
Reema
Zaidi
(Mrinalini
Sharma)
back
to
Lahore
to
give
her
the
freedom
and
respect
she
yearns
for.
The
film's
other
heroine,
the
south-Indian
super-star
Shriya
Saran,
plays
the
role
of
Aliyah
Hamid,
Shivam's
former
love
interest
before
Reema
comes
into
his
life.
A
Muslim
expert
was
hired
on
the
sets
of
Awarapan
during
the
shoot
in
Jodhpur,
Bangkok
and
Hong
Kong,
as
both
the
actresses
essay
Muslim
characters
and
it
was
important
to
get
their
body
language
and
mannerisms
right,
especially
for
the
namaaz
scenes.
The
film,
itself,
is
based
on
the
Islamic
tenets
of
freedom
pronounced
by
Prophet
Muhammad.
When
we
spoke
to
director
Mohit
Suri,
he
confirmed
our
story,
"It's
true
that
on
Wednesday
Awarapan
will
be
censored
in
Lahore.
I'm
keeping
my
fingers
crossed.
Studio
18
International
is
giving
the
film
an
overseas
release,
so
it
would
be
unfortunate
to
have
Pakistan
left
out
of
the
equation.
If
it
works
out,
I
will
get
a
chance
to
have
the
first
simultaneous
release
in
India
and
Pakistan."
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