Karachi hosted the first edition of the Pakistan International Film Festival (PIFF) 2018 at Frere Hall on Sunday. The who’s who of the industry might not have turned up, but most of the leading stars did, with the highlight of the show being the attendance of Bollywood celebrities that included actor Vinay Pathak, filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Subhash Kapoor, Nishtha Jain and Onir as well as musician Rekha Bhardwaj. The awards night, which was organised and arranged the Karachi Film Society in collaboration with the Sindh government under the auspices of Hum Network, began around 10 PM, much to the delight and convenience of the attendees. It is not yet clear if it began early to facilitate Minister of Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb or for some other reason, but it sure was a relief for all. All the awards that were given out were well deserved and on merit rather than on popularity basis Actor Ali Khan hosted the night with some of the other host celebrities being Sarwat Gillani, Azfer Rehman, Sanam Saeed, Aamina Sheikh, Ayesha Omar and Ahsan Khan. Minus dance performances, the event featured a capsule collection fashion segment, a Sufi performance by Abida Parween along with the awards handout ceremony. The cast of newly released film ‘Cake’ promoted their project in full enthusiasm. A formal dinner was served to the attendees. Here are some of the highlights and weaknesses that the 1st PIFF carried. STRENGTHS The positive thoughts, feelings and admiration expressed by the Bollywood delegation for their Pakistani counterparts were heartwarming to hear. “I wish I could have gotten a bigger suitcase for the love and affection I have received in Pakistan is too much for me to take back home. People had indeed told me that I will receive a lot of love, but this has been truly memorable,” Vinay Pathak said in front of everyone. “Whenever we went out for shopping or something and informed the shopkeepers we were from India, they would begin showering us with more warmth and respect and give us discounts. They would ask if we would like some tea, anything,” ‘Baahubali’ director SS added. It was an honour to be holding the country’s first inter film festival in the presence of international stars. All the awards given out were well deserved and on merit rather than on popularity basis. Artistes like Ali Rehman Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Fahad Mustafa and Hania Amir were recognised for their talent, which was encouraging for all. Another well deserved award of the night was won by ‘Arth – The Destination’ in the Best Music Category. Actor and singer Ali Zafar’s coming timing and sense of humour can never go ignored. The handsome star got on stage to present an award with acclaimed singer Hadiqa Kiyani. Hosts Ayesha Omar and Ahsan Khan requested Ali Zafar to croon a few lines for the audience present to which Zafar replied, “We singers get these requests all the time regardless of time, occasion or gathering. Sometimes I’m grateful I didn’t become a gymnast, otherwise I would’ve been requested to do handstands all the time.” Later, when someone else came to collect the award on the winner’s behalf, Zafar said to him, “You have changed so much. I know success does that to people, but wasn’t this a bit too fast?” The audience were in fits of laughter. Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb got on stage to laud the efforts of the organisers for making the event possible and mentioned how the month of March had been fruitful for Pakistan in every way. Pakistan Super League final had been held. The West Indies cricket team had come to Pakistan to play. And the country’s first inter film festival was being held in attendance of international media. The minister vowed that every support from the government’s end would be lent to the country’s film industry for its evolution and further development. A traditional dholak performance was conducted by local dhol walas that entertained the audience especially the Bollywood delegation. The fashion segment too was a breath of fresh air as it expressed the culture vibe of Pakistan. Speaking of cultural vibe, Abida Parween’s performance enthralled all and captivated the audience; just the affect the songstress has every time she performs. As mentioned earlier, the awards night began and ended on time, a precedent that needs to be followed by all other award functions. The trophy was beautifully designed by Abdul Jabbar Gul. It depicted the image of a gold butterfly with its wings spread, ready to fly. WEAKNESSES Almost all the awards that were given out had to be handed over to someone on the winner’s behalf. The attendance was short and we missed seeing all the celebrities under one roof. Dance performances were missed sorely. They keep the audience entertained and their omission was not enjoyed. While reading out the names of the Bollywood delegation that had come all the way from India, the announcer skipped out on a few names like renowned director Onir of ‘My Brother Nikhil’ fame. Published in Daily Times, April 3rd 2018.