Ready, Get Set, Carma must be the new terminology when it comes to Pakistani films because the Kashan Admani thriller has taken the audience on a ride they will never forget.
Shot around cars in Karachi and London, and featuring a car chase that made the audience scream, Carma has ticked all boxes with its release on 2nd September 2022.
Starring Osama Tahir, Navin Waqar, Zhalay Sarhadi, Paras Masroor, Umer Aalam, and Vajdaan Shah, the film’s story which is written by Fawad Hai, revolves around a kidnapping that takes place in Karachi. As the kidnappers played led by Sasha take the hostage Hamza on a ride while they wait for the ransom, the film goes back and forth in time to establish the characters and their motives.
For a change, a Pakistani film has a plot that involves characters, not actors which would prove to be a good thing for Pakistani cinema where the story is weaved around actors. Using the technique made popular by Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, the director Kashan Admani divides his film into chapters which simplify the film, making it enjoyable as well as entertaining at the same time.
Every actor in Carma does a commendable job since they take the story forward; be it Osama Tahir’s Hamza, Zhalay Sarhadi’s Sasha, Umer Aalam’s Jamal or Paras Masroor’s Hashmat, they all give a performance that definitely helps Carma come out strongly. The non-linear timeline warrants multiple viewing, something a Quentin Tarantino film also demands, making this tribute to the Hollywood legend worth the audience’s time.
Add to all that the car chase and Carma become all the more interesting for the audience. In a country where car chases are neither shot properly nor given the importance it deserves, Carma features a car chase that would remind the audience of Hollywood films like Bullitt, Ronin as well as the Fast and Furious franchise. Cinematographer Farhan Golden’s ‘golden’ touch is visible in the sequence where a police car tries to outrun a driver who has more experience than them when it comes to driving a fast car.
The backstory is as important as the main story, which is also not a usual occurrence in Pakistani films. How the kidnapping goes wrong and how nearly every character has an ulterior motive of his or her own makes Carma stand out in the midst of Pakistani films that tackle nothing else except romance and drama. If a first-time director can make a thriller that doesn’t compromise on quality, then so can the experienced campaigners who don’t want to switch genres because they don’t want to fail.
The film’s sound design, as well as the background score, is also a few factors that keep the audience glued to their seats from the first scene till the last. Unlike other Pakistani films, Carma doesn’t have an item song or song-and-dance numbers making it more of an elite film than one for the masses. Some of the dialogues are in English whereas British singer Lily Cassell makes an appearance as the protagonist’s sweetheart who resides in London. Veteran actors Adnan Siddiqui and Arjumand Rahim and Khaled Anam also make their presence felt in their extended cameo appearance, which is integral to the film’s main plot.
The premiere of Carma was held at the Nueplex Cinemas in DHA Karachi and was attended by the who’s who of the showbiz industry. From leading actors to actresses, models, music composers, singers, directors, and exhibitors, the film was shown to a packed house that didn’t hesitate to give their verdict in the form of thunderous applause. The whole cast was present at the occasion and loved the audience’s reaction which proved that people in Pakistan are ready to appreciate different kinds of films, that fall into different genres.
Carma was released all over Pakistan and will be the only Urdu film to be screened in cinemas until the release of Shaan Shahid’s Zarrar. With its fast-paced narration, brilliant portrayals, excellent cinematography and storyline that is both new and fresh to the Pakistani audiences, Carma is here to stay.