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    Film Review: Maalik

    Written by: Aiza Azam
    Posted on: April 08, 2016 |

    Film 'Maalik' by Ashir Azeem

    Fans of Ashir Azeem will be flocking to cinemas this weekend to see his silver screen debut Maalik. The actor, who directed, scripted and also stars in the film, first rose to fame with Dhuaan, a TV drama that aired in the 90s from Quetta to rave reviews, which he also wrote the script for and starred in. Maalik, shot on location in Baluchistan, interior Sindh and Karachi, is a story with multiple narratives. Combining idealism, love, honour, sacrifice and courage, it addresses the best and the worst of the Pakistani society and system.

    Film Maalik Review

    Ashir Azeem as Major Asad with Bushra Ashir as his wife

    Azeem stars as Major Asad, a former SSG officer who runs a security company with his father, retired General Amjad (played by Sajid Hassan). The company, which began as a private enterprise affording security to highly placed government officials, has morphed into an entity seeking to provide justice for those the law cannot, or will not, assist. Hassan Niazi plays a brutal feudal lord who worms his way into the title of Chief Minister of Sindh, and sinks his fangs into an office that elevates him ever further beyond the reach of justice. Mohammed Ehteshamuddin is Master Mohsin, village schoolmaster and head of a broken family that fell victim to Niazi’s saeen. Into the mix is added an Afghan refugee family; escaping from the imminent dangers posed by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the parents and their two young daughters settle into a struggling existence in Karachi.

    The film addresses a multitude of issues and ills: Baluch separatism; the lords and victims of the feudal system; corruption; victims of a failed justice system; vigilante justice; urban crime and lawlessness; Afghan refugees and the mujahideen. Combined into one whole, it creates the feeling that the film has trouble finding focus. Running a little long at 2.5 hours, it meanders in places and the editing could have been much improved.

    Film Maalik Review

    Hassan Niazi as the feudal lord addressing the masses

    However, Azeem’s direction holds you in your seat, as does the superb acting by the major characters. Major Asad is the consummate professional, torn between duty and addressing the evil he cannot ignore. Ehteshamuddin’s ‘Master’ is the downtrodden little guy, harming no one but having lost everything in the process; the actor skillfully steers clear of a clichéd portrayal and maintains a stoic but strong presence. Niazi, and his man Friday played by Adnan Shah Tipu, are brilliantly villainous. Voracious for power, trodding roughshod over prey that falls to their vicious instincts, both actors deliver a performance that chills you; not for a second do they fall out of character, convincing you beyond doubt that they are in fact the men they are portraying on screen. While the male roles predominate, the female leads also deliver strongly, especially Pakiza Khan and Bushra Ashir.

    Film Maalik Review

    Adnan Shah Tipu at his character's threatening best

    The concept behind Maalik is to caution against apathy towards a corrupt and crumbling system and society, by taking ownership of your country and executing your responsibility as a citizen. It is a call to awareness, to duty, and a red flag against being carried away by the flow of indifference.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021