Pakistani flick ‘Na Baligh Afraad’ channels ‘90s nostalgia for laughs this Eid 

the combination of photo shows the posters of the Pakistani film Na Baligh Afraad. (Photo courtesy: nabqur/Instagram)
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Updated 18 June 2024
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Pakistani flick ‘Na Baligh Afraad’ channels ‘90s nostalgia for laughs this Eid 

  • Set in the ‘90s, film revolves around two naive brothers who get entangled in hilarious misadventures
  • Directed by critically acclaimed Nabeel Qureshi, film stars breakout actors Aashir Wajahat, Samar Jafri

KARACHI: Pakistani movie buffs are in for some laughs, hilarious plot twists and ‘90s nostalgia this Eid Al-Adha, with the release of the latest Pakistani film ‘Na Baligh Afraad’ over the religious holiday.

The comedy flick takes viewers to the streets of ‘90s Karachi and the lives of two teenage brothers, Mazhar and Fakhar, whose innocence gets them entangled in a series of misadventures that give birth to a comedy of errors. 

Acclaimed director Nabeel Qureshi directed the movie which is produced by Fizza Ali Meerza and stars singers and actors Aashir Wajahat and Samir Jafri in the lead roles alongside Rimha Ahmad, Mohammed Ehteshamuddin, Faiza Hasan, Saleem Mairaj and Irfan Motiwala. 

The title of the film is inspired by Qureshi’s 2014 hit ‘Na Maloom Afraad.’ 

“We grew up in the 90s so it has a lot of nostalgia [for us],” Qureshi told Arab News at the premiere of the film. “I always wanted to do something which is related to the 90s.”

Wajahat, who plays the role of Mazhar, declined to reveal too many details of the plot but promised that audiences would get to see the brothers entangled in a hilarious web of problems.

“I think the film offers a lot of comedy, a lot of entertainment, and a lot of fun,” Wajahat told Arab News. “Just a quarter to two hours of good entertainment.”

Jafri, who plays Fakhar in the film, said the film was not just for kids or teenagers. 

“Everybody can watch it because it’s a family movie,” Jafri told Arab News. “It has comedy, it has thriller, it has romance, it has bromance.”

But for an actor who did not grow up in the ‘90s, was it difficult to play a character set in that era?

“I learned things from my director, he taught me a lot on the set,” Jafri revealed. “And of course, when you are doing a character, you study it. I watched a few old movies [such as] ‘Andaaz Apna Apna’,” he said, referring to a 1994 Bollywood cult classic that starred Indian A-listers Salman Khan and Aamir Khan as two gold diggers who attempt to woo an heiress to get access to her father’s wealth.

“I think given the timing, this film will maybe give a lot of courage and inspiration to people and newcomers to do something,” Qureshi said about his expectations for the film. “And I think because the storyline is very different, so maybe things will be a bit better [for the movie.]” 
 


Pakistan vows full support for Somalia at UN after Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

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Pakistan vows full support for Somalia at UN after Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

  • Pakistan Deputy PM Ishaq Dar speaks to Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali
  • Israel last week recognized breakaway region Somaliland, triggering among from Muslim states

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday vowed to extend full support to Somalia at the UN and other multilateral fora after Israel last week recognized Somaliland, a breakaway African region, triggering anger among Muslim nations. 

Israel this week announced it had recognized Somaliland — a self-declared region that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but has not previously been recognized by any United Nations member state — triggering condemnation from Somalia and criticism from regional bodies.

The foreign ministers of 21 Muslim nations, including Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), released a joint statement on Saturday condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, saying the move was a violation of the principles of the UN charter and international law.

Dar received a phone call from Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali on Sunday during which the latter thanked Islamabad for supporting Somalia in the wake of recent developments, the Pakistani foreign office said. He also sought Pakistan’s assistance in raising Somalia’s concerns at the UN Security Council, the foreign ministry said. 

“The DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for Somalia’s sovereignty & territorial integrity and condemned any actions aimed at undermining it,” the statement said. 

“The DPM/FM affirmed Pakistan’s full support for Somalia at the UN and other multilateral fora.”

Israel’s move to recognize the breakaway region triggered anger among Muslim nations worldwide after international media reports earlier this year said Israel and the US had reached out to East African states, including Somaliland, to take in Palestinians from Gaza.

The joint statement by Muslim states said they rejected any attempts to “forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land.”

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also condemned Israel’s move to recognize the breakaway region on Sunday, describing it as a threat to the stability of the region and the world. 

Critics argue that Israel has long lobbied to carve up the region further under various guises.

This recognition of Somaliland is seen by many in the Arab world as a continuation of a strategy aimed at weakening centralized Arab and Muslim states by encouraging peripheral secessionist movements.