Print

    Film Review: Na Maloom Afraad 2 - Forgettable, If Not a Complete Failure

    Written by: Noor Ul Ain
    Posted on: September 05, 2017 | | 中文

    Fahad Mustafa as Farhan, Javed Sheikh as Shakeel and Mohsin Abbas Haider as Moon

    By pure coincidence, I have found myself in the cinema on two Eid-ul-Azha’, watching a Nabeel Qureshi film. With Na Maloom Afraad (2014) he offered novelty and ingenuity while with Actor in Law (2016) he worked on a similar social-satire-driven plot, but crafted something unique. However, with Na Maloom Afraad 2, he has tanked his signature filmmaking style and created what can only be called an incoherent mess.

    To be fair, Na Maloom Afraad was a mess too. It built its narrative around the volatile city of Karachi where fraud, terror and mistrust rule the daily life of the citizens. From the city’s underbelly came a story of three unlikely protagonists, who found themselves caught in the crossfire of thugs, mafias and bad governance. However, Na Maloom Afraad’s mess was controlled, its chaos characteristic of the city, and its madness dolled out in just the right proportions.

    Nayyar Ejaz as the Arab Sheikh in the film Na Maloom Afraad 2

    Nayyar Ejaz as the Arab Sheikh

    Na Maloom Afraad 2 works with a similar formula of a heist film, one which Qureshi has truly perfected. The plot follows Farhan (Fahad Mustafa), Shakeel Bhai (Javed Shaikh) and Naina (Urwa Hocane) to South Africa, where they are attending Moon’s (Mohsin Abbas Haider) wedding with Pari (Hania Aamir). In the quintessential heist-film twist of fate, the three male protagonists find themselves in possession of a stolen gold pot, which is filled with pink diamonds. The pot, of course, is owned by an Arab Sheikh (Nayyar Ejaz) and two gang leaders (Saleem Mairaj & Nazar Hussain). The chaos that ensues over the ownership, location and exchange of the stolen goods, is peppered with occasionally funny dialogue, and situational humor, as well as Qureshi’s witty pop culture references.

    Urwa Hocane as Naina and Hania Amir as Pari in the film Na Maloom Afraad 2

    Urwa Hocane as Naina and Hania Amir as Pari

    The humor, however, loses its edge in this film as the audience is mostly presented with toilet humor. While it largely depends on a viewers taste, it may be safe to say that the script fails to create the effortless comedy of Qureshi’s other works. The film relies heavily on the overdone antics of the three heroes, and their one-dimensional female counterparts. Even the situational humor fails where the situations themselves are far too unlikely and illogical to be funny.

    The musical score of the film also does not manage to create any real emotional effect. Kaif O Suroor featuring a Sadaf Kanwal cameo kicks off the mediocre soundtrack, but even this item song fares better than the cringe worthy Chal Hug Lay, which has the three men dancing between throngs of scantily clad women who have (unsurprisingly) no real purpose than to be showpieces in the song. Heeray, sung by Mohsin Abbas Haider himself, emerges as a better addition to the song list.

    Mohsin Abbas Haider, Fahad Mustafa and Javed Sheikh in burqas in the film Na Maloom Afraad 2

    Mohsin Abbas Haider, Fahad Mustafa and Javed Sheikh in burqas

    Furthermore, the film lacks in essence. In Na Maloom Afraad 2, social satire is only hinted at in a few dialogues, where characters lament the harrowing class divide between the rich and the poor. While the gold pot may have been intended as a symbol for class discrepancy, the satire gets lost somewhere in the structural mess of the plot. There is no convincing motivation to the quest of the heroes, no logic to half their decisions, and no reason for them to be located in the midst of the South African landscape. South Africa does provide the film with scenic backgrounds, and allows for shirtless shots of Mohsin Abbas Haider, but this is hardly justification enough. What cannot be denied is that the notion of ‘Na Maloom Afraad’ is simply more at home in Pakistan, where the face-less dread suggested by these words, is a resounding reality and not some fiction weaved into oblivion.

    An action scene from the film 'Na Maloom Afraad 2'

    An action scene from the film

    This is not to say that the film is all bad. Qureshi’s craft shines through in some scenes where the cinematography is strong and the character building brilliant. It’s undoubtedly funny on occasions and relatable when dialogues with some Pakistani lingo and street slang are used. With fairly decent acting by the leads, Na Maloom Afraad 2 is a watchable film. Qureshi delivers a film that may even be entertaining for most, but once you leave the cinema, it becomes a largely forgettable affair.


    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