| Moor | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| مور | |
| Directed by | Jami |
| Written by | Jami |
| Produced by | Nazira Ali Nadeem Mandviwalla Jami |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Farhan Hafeez |
| Edited by | Rizwan AQ Sourath Behan |
| Music by | Strings |
Production companies | Azad Film Company Mandviwalla Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Geo Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Languages | Urdu Pashto |
| Budget | Rs. 5crore (US$170,000)[1] |
| Box office | Rs. 1.85crore (US$64,000) |
Moor (Pashto:مور,Urdu:ماں, meaningMother) is a 2015 Pakistanidrama film written and directed byJami and co-produced by Nazira Ali, Nadeem Mandviwalla and Jami under the production banner of Azad Film Company and Mandviwalla Entertainment. The film starsHameed Sheikh[2] in lead along withSamiya Mumtaz,Shaz Khan,Nayyar Ejaz,Ayaz Samoo and Abdul Qadir in lead roles. The film's title,Moor, is aPashto word meaning "Mother".Moor was previously named asMorqaye (maan sahiba).[3][4][5][6] Film's story depicts the railway system ofBalochistan, especially the closure ofZhob valley railways in 1984. Besides that the movie shows how families are run by the women. According to the director of the movie, the film depicts living through the problems faced byPakistan.[7]
The film was released nationwide byMandviwalla Entertainment on 14 August 2015 (Pakistan Independence Day).[8] It was selected to premiere at 20thBusan International Film Festival.[9] The film was selected as the Pakistani entry for theBest Foreign Language Film at the88th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.[10][11][12]
Recently widowed, Wahidullah Khan (Hameed Sheikh) is a troubled station-master at theKhost railway station on the fracturedBostan-Zhob tracks. The station, his sole source of income, has been reduced to a pitiable ruin due to the prevalence of a mafia which has caused several rifts in theBaluchistan railways. Using a combination of incentives and coercion, it acquires the land on which the tracks and stations were situated – and builds commercial and residential developments there. Additionally, it sells the steel, removed from the tracks, for a fortune. Wahid is in a predicament; torn between a verbal agreement to sell the station and tracks under his care to the mafia – including his brother, Zahir (Shabbir Rana), and gang leader, Lalu (Sultan Hussain) – and the last wishes of his deceased wife, Palwasha (Samiya Mumtaz). She vehemently opposed the deal, based on a strong conviction that this land keeps her family rooted.
Meanwhile, Wahid's son, Ehsaanullah Khan (Shaz Khan), has set out to turn his fortunes in Karachi, Pakistan's troubled megacity, only with the memory of his mother's guidance to use time to his advantage. Yet the city, which appeared to be a sweet promise of success from a distance, is more unforgiving than Balochistan's treacherous landscape; here, time is at no one's mercy. Frustrated by his circumstances, Ehsaan chooses the more dishonourable trajectory to success, by getting involved in the corrupt, but highly lucrative, business of counterfeit documentation. He continues in the business even after his mother's passing, and a scandal that almost exposes him in the film's opening sequences. He is, nonetheless, persistently haunted by his conscience and his mother's upright values of honour and loyalty to the land.[1]
Earlier, Shabbir Rana was chosen for lead role in film but was later opted out to give room toHameed Sheikh who met the physical challenges of the role. Sheikh was selected after Jami was struck by his entry in the filmKandahar Break. For female leadSamiya Mumtaz was asked to do the role. Despite being a comedian in field,Ayaz Samoo was cast for villain's role in film. Abdul Qadir is senior most actor in cast hails fromQuetta. On his role in the film he stated "I’m from a people who know how to live in the mountains, but I can't swim. But Jami was able to make me do it. My fellow actors proved that they are no less than any other in the country." Moreover, this will be the first film ofSoniya Hussain and can be considered a second film forEshita Mehboob Syed.[14]
Moor is made at a budget ofRs. 5crore (US$170,000).[1] The film was shot inQuetta,Muslim Bagh, Khanozai, Shelabagh,Bostan,Hyderabad,Sukkur andKarachi.[7] Making of Moor began in 2007 at a time when train issues were worse in Pakistan. To write the script, director and crew decided to travel toBalochistan by train. He summoned the conditions as "The 10-11 hour journey took us two days on a train that had no windows, no bathrooms and barely functioning lights. The engine broke down multiple times, and the diesel ran out just as many. And oh, we couldn’t stand near the door, because “rocket launcher kabhi bhi asakta hai”. We couldn't have anticipated the serious issues that we saw. Shooting in Muslimbagh had trials of its own. Not only was the weather inclement, but we encountered lack of support from security forces who would intervene to tell us it's not safe. Surprisingly, theTaliban cooperated and even emptied out their headquarters for us to shoot in. Our crew included girls wearing Western clothes, and nobody cared."[14]
The first look teaser was revealed online on 6 August 2013. The film release date was announced in a press conference held inKarachi where posters and theatrical trailer were also revealed.[15] Film's final extended trailer was revealed on 7 July 2015 on official Facebook page.[16][17][18] Final poster was revealed on 17 July.
| Moor | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 28 July 2015 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 43:33 |
| Label | Azad Film Company |
Soundtrack of Moor is composed by the Pakistani band,Strings.[19][20]Kothbiro byAyub Ogada is featured in the trailer. The film bought the copyrights.[21]Anwar Maqsood wrote the lyrics of songs. The soundtrack was released on 28 July 2015.[22]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jogiya" | Javed Bashir | 5:12 |
| 2. | "Eva" | Meesha Shafi | 4:25 |
| 3. | "Talabgaar Hoon" | Javed Bashir | 6:00 |
| 4. | "Tum Ho" | Strings | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Gul Bashri" | Rahim Shah | 4:13 |
| 6. | "Jeye Jeye Ja" | Rahma Ali, Noman Farooqi, Nisha Ali | 5:21 |
| 7. | "Ku Ku Ku" | Strings | 3:45 |
Moor was premiered inKarachi on 10 August[23] and inLahore on 13 August[24] whereas film had its red carpet inRawalpindi the next day.[25] The film was released in cinemas across Pakistan on 14 August 2015 (Independence Day).[8][26] The film premiered inDubai on 29 October, while released in cinemasUAE the next day.[27]
At box office, Moor collectedRs. 2.5 million (US$8,700) on its first day and opening weekend total collection wasRs. 6.21 million (US$22,000) The film had very low week days with collection ofRs. 8.58 million (US$30,000) in its first week. In its 2nd weekend film collected ofRs. 2.1 million (US$7,300) taking total box office collection toRs. 1.07crore (US$37,000).
The film was rated good overall by critics. Rafay Mahmood ofThe Express Tribune praised the film, rated 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Jami manages to pull off the impossible with Moor. He grants us a true Pakistani film sans being pretentious or preachy and makes the much rural and suburban concept of ‘love for your motherland’ moving for urban audiences."[28] Aayan Mirza ofGalaxy Lollywood rated 4/5 and summed up as "Moor is by far the best Pakistani cinema has ever offered in terms of overall execution. What a cinematography, what an acting, and what a music."[29] Adnan Murad ofBlasting News rated 3.5/5 stars and verdicts as "A surprisingly engaging mix of reality and substance gives Moor a cult appeal that Pakistani film industry will always cherish. Moor has a swirl of allure and enchantment that sets it apart from other Pakistani films."[30] Elizabeth Kerr ofThe Hollywood Reporter praised the film at20th Busan International Film Festival saying, "A gorgeous and intensely contemporary slice of Pakistani life."[31]
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| Ceremony | Won | Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| 15thLux Style Awards [32] |
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| 2nd Galaxy Lollywood Awards[33] |
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| 2nd ARY Film Awards |
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