Thaindian News

By Shivani Sharma
New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Pakistani director Mehreen Jabbar, whose debut film “Ramchand Pakistani” has been widely appreciated at the 10th Osian’s-Cinefan Film Festival, says she will make a Bollywood film some day. “I would surely like to make a complete Bollywood film. Many people have even asked me to try my hand at it. But whenever I will do something like that, I will put all my heart and soul into it. For now, it will take me some more time to do something like it,” Jabbar told IANS.

“I might make a Bollywood film with songs and dance sequences to get over ‘Ramchand Pakistani’, but I still have some years to start thinking over such a project,” added the 36-year-old director.

Although personally she is not much into watching Bollywood films, she finds movies with good music and dance numbers “absolutely incredible”.

“I honestly developed a fondness for Indian music ever since I heard Shubha Mudgal’s ‘Piya tora kaisa abhimaan’ from the film ‘Raincoat’,” she said.

Mehreen is the daughter of former Pakistani politician and filmmaker Javed Jabbar. Mehreen ventured into showbiz in 1994 with the play “Nivala” (Morsel), based on a short story by Ismat Chugtai. After that she went on to make short, independent art films and commercial serials for TV.

Her first full-length feature film “Ramchand Pakistani” is based on an accidental crossing of the India-Pakistan border at the time of war-like tension. The film earned rave reviews from audiences and critics here.

“The film is based on actual events. My father works a lot in the areas close to the desert. One day he came across a father-son duo who narrated their story to him. That is where we got the inspiration to make this film. I am sure it will reach out to audiences,” she said.

Fazal Hussain, who plays the eight-year-old protagonist Ramchand, has been particularly appreciated for his outstanding performance.

“The younger Ramchand has been played by a seven-year-old Fazal Hussain. A friend of mine who is a director himself suggested him after a lot of search. The older one, however, is 14 years old. He is the son of a mechanic in Pakistan and has acted for the first time ever in any film,” Jabbar said.