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    Film Review: Yalghaar

    Film Yalghaar Review

    Written by: Staff Report
    Posted on: June 19, 2017 | | 中文

    Humayun Saeed as Torjan in Yalghaar

    Yalghaar is about the war within: the Pakistan Army and the insidious spread of terrorists in the valley of Swat. Yalghaar seems to be an unalloyed attempt at cashing in on the success of Waar. Hassan Waqas Rana had produced Waar and Bilal Lashari had directed it, but for Yalghaar, Mr Rana took on all the jobs: producer, director and scriptwriter. It did not work!

    Sana Bucha as Sadia and Shaan Shahid as Col. Asad - Film Yalghaar Review

    Sana Bucha as Sadia and Shaan Shahid as Col. Asad

    The story of the army operation against the well-entrenched terrorists in Swat, showing the use of modern technology and helicopter gunships as they are directed from the central command, is interesting to watch, and would not have been possible without the facilitation provided by the ISPR. However, the parallel story lines of different couples, Shaan Shahid and Sana Bucha, Adnan Siddiqui and Aleeza Nasir, Bilal Ashraf and Armeena Khan, were disjointed and patched on to the main storyline to relieve the ennui. The dialogue was a jumble of clichés, including what should have been Shaan’s stirring calls to patriotism. The film enters the fantasy world when a major of the Pakistan Army is shown driving a Mercedes Benz, and as the annihilation of the terrorists is almost complete, Shaan as Col Asad is shown to opt for hand to hand combat with Torjan, the leader of the terrorists, while the rest of his men stand and watch the hero bring down the villain.

    Adnan Siddiqui as Lt Col. Imran - Film Yalghaar Review

    Adnan Siddiqui as Lt Col. Imran

    With a galaxy of famous names starring in the film, some of the actors gave good performances while others were wanting. Ayesha Omar as the captive of Torjan, the leader of the terrorists, seems to be under the impression that crying hysterically, non-stop, was a substitute for good acting. As for Humayun Saeed as Torjan, he is so used to doing roles of the lead romantic hero, that he was unable to look threatening, least of all in his interaction with his captive. Ayub Khoso, Adnan Siddiqui and Shaan Shahid acquitted themselves well as army officers, but Bilal Ashraf has emerged as a promising young actor, and has come a long way since the Janaan days.

    Bilal Ashraf as Capt. Bilal - Film Yalghaar Review

    Bilal Ashraf as Capt. Bilal

    Shoaib Mansoor with Khuda Kay Liye (2007) and Bol (2011) had stirred the Pakistani cinema out of its stasis, setting a new benchmark for thought-provoking quality films. The first spate of films that followed were good: Zinda Bhaag, Na Maloom Afraad and Jawani Phir Nahi Aani, Dukhtar, Moor and Mah-e-Mir. In the genre of films with war against terrorism as their theme, Waar, Operation 021 and Jamal Shah’s Revenge of the Worthless or Badal, retained their quality.  With cinemas doing good business, a number of get rich quick category of filmmakers have jumped into the fray, and a number of bad films have flooded our screens; Yalghaar is the latest addition to this list, but with a lot of unnecessary gore and violence, hinting at Quentin Tarantino’s influence. The film is slated for release this Eid-ul-Fitr.

    Ayub Khoso as Col. Jogezai - Film Yalghaar Review

    Ayub Khoso as Col. Jogezai

    Ayesha Omar at the launch - Film Yalghaar Review

    Ayesha Omar at the launch

    Waqas Rana and Ayesha Omar - Film Yalghaar Review

    Waqas Rana and Ayesha Omar


    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.

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