Daily Times

‘Heer Maan Ja’ will be released in cinemas around the country on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Azha.

This film is produced by Imran Raza Kazmi and Hareem Farooq under the banner of IRK Films.

Actress and producer Hareem Farooq along with producing this film is also playing the lead role of Heer which is made with the sole purpose to give outright entertainment to the audience coming to watch the film.

A few days ago, I got an opportunity to converse with Hareem Farooq about the film and other critical matters pertaining to Pakistani cinema.

Talking about the character Heer, she revealed that Heer is an innocent and playful girl who is immensely loved by her father. She keeps people happy and also remains happy herself. She is a positive girl who remains optimistic even in adversity but something happens that changes her life.

When I read the script, I liked the character. I am sure that everyone will love this character.

Hareem Farooq further said that music plays vital role in bringing people to cinema. We realize the importance of music and have worked hard to produce quality music for Heer Maan Ja. I think album is going to touch the taste bud of every music lover because we have a rich variety of songs which are capable of catering variety of mood.

Hareem Farooq further revealed that Aaminah Sheikh is playing one of the most important characters in this movie. We perceived Aaminah when we were penning down this character. When I called Aaminah and told her about the character, she fortunately accepted this role immediately. It is an interesting character and she performed it superbly.

Talking about her strategy, Hareem said that we prefer to maintain a blend of fresh and experienced people in our team. We always try to have some new faces behind the camera in our team new because they gave us freshness. In Heer Maan Ja, we have given opportunity to Bilal Chaudhry as production director and Faiz Rohani as dress designer.

We have made Heer Maan Ja a romantic comedy with the perception that 50% to 60% audience is inclined towards comedy. This movie is not restricted to comedy but it also have drama, action, tragedy and love. It is definitely an ideal movie for the majority of audience who watch one movie every month.

Talking about working with Ali Rehman and others repeatedly, Hareem said that when it is the same team, a chemistry is developed between team and it makes working smooth. During the shooting, we all were on the same page and everything fall in place without any hassle.

Talking about her co-stars, Hareem said that my favourite co-actor is Ali Rehman. I also enjoyed working with Adnan Siddiqui and Osman Khalid Butt.

Talking about the character Heer, she revealed that Heer is an innocent and playful girl who is immensely loved by her father. She keeps people happy and also remains happy herself. She is a positive girl who remains optimistic even in adversity but something happens that changes her life

Talking about public’s response for her work, Hareem said “I am grateful that Allah give me respect. I am grateful to my fans also. I can only work hard, rest all is in Allah’s control. So far it is a beautiful journey and I loved each and every moment of this journey.”

Hareem Farooq’s ambition is to promote the soft image of Pakistan. She intends to show the real Pakistan to the world.

Hareem said that cinema is a major factor in changing a country’s perspective. In lieu of this, we do international releases to introduce real Pakistan to global population.

Talking about the progress of Pakistan’s cinema, she said that progress means something is moving forward. Our cinema is moving forward and I am glad about it.

Businessmen are willing to invest in increasing the number of screens. This is the sign that business is growing. The increase in number of screens is a lengthy and cumbersome process but once this is achieved, tickets prices will be reduced allowing more and more people the opportunity of watching their favourite stars on the big screen.

Talking about international release, Hareem said that we are releasing this movie to UK, USA, Canada and UAE because large number of expatriates from Pakistan are residing in these countries and we want to give these residents a flavour of their own domestic entertainment

Hareem Farooq happily revealed that current government realise the important role cinema can play in promoting positive image of Pakistan. She is hopeful that by the end of current government’s tenure, we will see some positive developments for the promotion of cinema industry.

Talking about the promotion strategy, Hareem said that entertainment factor is low in our country. We don’t have cinema going culture and in this background, promotions are very important. We go to rural areas for the promotions, the love we get from the locals is unbelievable. People value us as our presence is a surreal experience for them

In her message to the people of Pakistan, Hareem says that ‘Heer Maan Ja’ is a family entertainer made with the intention to bring a smile on the faces of cinemagoers.

“I am confident that people coming out of the cinema after watching ‘Heer Maan Ja’ will have a big grin on their faces,” Farooq says.

The writer is a freelance journalist. He can be reached at kzk1972@gmail.com and Tweets at @KhurramZiaKhan