Abdullah: The Final Witness is a 2015 Pakistani drama film written, produced and directed by Hashim Nadeem, featuring Hameed Sheikh, Imran Abbas and Sadia Khan in lead roles. The film focuses on the Kharotabad Incident which took lives of five Russian citizens, allegedly mistaken to be suicide bombers by the Frontier Constabulary force, at the Kharotabad check post in Quetta.[1]
| Abdullah: The Final Witness | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Hashim Nadeem |
| Written by | Hashim Nadeem |
| Based on | Real-life Events |
| Produced by | Hashim Nadeem |
| Starring | Imran Abbas Sadia Khan Hameed Sheikh Imran Tareen Sajid Hassan Zuhab Khan |
| Cinematography | Saleem Dad Melcome and Liaqat |
| Edited by | Adeel Zaidi Sheryqar Bilaal |
| Music by | Roger John Sohail keys |
Production company | Taurus Films |
| Distributed by | IMGC Distribution Club |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 Mins |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Language | Urdu |
| Box office | Rs0.10 crore |
The film was selected to be screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival[2] and became third national film to do so.[3] IMGC Distribution Club will release the film in Pakistan on 21 October 2016. First it was published in the form of a novel. There are two parts of novel Abdullah.
Plot
editThe film is based on Kharotabad Incident involved the killing of five Russian and Tajik citizens at the Kharotabad check post by the Frontier Constabulary who claimed the five were terrorists. The incident was filmed by a journalist and footage was aired on media channels who reported that the five victims were in fact innocent citizens. The chief justice of Pakistan at that time took suo moto notice of the incident and a commission was asked to prepare the Kharotabad Inquiry Report, the findings of which have never been made public with the case remaining unresolved. A key witness of the killings was murdered in Quetta in December 2011.[4]
Cast
edit- Hameed Sheikh as Abdullah
- Sajid Hassan as SP Zaman
- Habeebullah Panezai as Shinkai
- Imran Abbas as Gullalai
- Sadia Khan as Zahira
- Imran Tareen as Ali
- Yameen Shah as Sher Khan
- Saleem Mughal
- Asal Din
- Sultan
- Durdana
- Parvez
- Najeeb
- Zuhab Khan
Production
editFilming
editThe film's shooting took a total of 25–30 days and it was shot mainly in the Pakistani City of Quetta.[5]
Editing
editDue to the present security situation and sensitive issues in the film, the film had to go through three 'major cuts' (editing), before Pakistani Film Censor Board gave it the green light and approved the film for general screening in Pakistan.[6]
Release
editThe film is selected to screen in 2015 Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2015.[7][8][9] The Film's trailer was released online in December, 2014.[10] A Rumour was created by news agencies that film is releasing nationwide on 5 June 2015[11] but the Director turned down the Rumour. Whilst speaking to Express Tribune IMGC Distribution Club have confirmed that they will be exclusively distributing the film in Pakistan nationwide on 21 October 2016.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Imran Abbas Naqvi's Pak film opens at Cannes Film". Mumbai Mirror. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2018 – via Times of India.
- ^ "Abdullah The Final Witness to be screened at Cannes Film Festival". ARY News. Rashid Nazir Ali. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- ^ "Imran Abbas's film 'Abdullah' makes it to Cannes". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "'Abdullah: The Final Witness' to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 18 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "I have not degraded the state in Abdullah, says director Hashim Nadeem". 28 September 2015.
- ^ "I have not degraded the state in Abdullah, says director Hashim Nadeem". 28 September 2015.
- ^ "Cannes update: Imran Abbas's Abdullah to be screened too". DAWN.com. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Pakistani film 'Abdullah: The Final Witness' starring Imran Abbas Naqvi at Cannes". Blasting News. Priyanka Srivastava. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Imran Abba's film 'Abdullah The Final Witness' to Premiere at Cannes Film Festival". PinkVilla. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "- YouTube". YouTube.
- ^ "Imran Abbas' Abdullah to release in Pakistan on June 5". DAWN.com. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
- ^ "Distribution Club to release one Pakistani film every month". 5 October 2016.