ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first Sindhi-language film in nearly three decades, “Indus Echoes” or “Sindhu Ji Goonj” will have its international premiere next week at the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) on Jan. 21.
The film is directed and produced by Pakistani journalist-turned-filmmaker, Rahul Aijaz, who told Arab News in August last year that the Indus River served as inspiration for the film. The river fascinated Aijaz for a long time as it served as a “major symbol” of the Sindhi culture, he said.
According to its synopsis, the film explores the relationship between humans and the Indus River through five stories set on, across and around the Indus. The film is a collaboration between Pakistan’s Film N’ Chips Media Productions,
Shaam Films and South Korea’s Big Meta Films. It stars Sindhi-speaking actors, Vajdaan Shah and Ansaar Mahar, in addition to Samina Seher in key roles. Renowned actor Shamoon Abbasi serves as executive producer of the film.
“GOOD NEWS! Our Sindhi language feature film “Sindhu ji Goonj” (Indus Echoes) has been selected for the Jaipur International Film Festival in India,” Aijaz wrote on his Facebook profile on Dec. 21. “We will be having the international premiere in Jaipur next month.”
While JIFF is scheduled to kick off on Jan. 17, the Sindhi feature film will be screened at the Rajasthan Adult Education Association in Jaipur on Jan. 21.
Pakistan reportedly released its first-ever Sindhi film, ‘Umar Marvi,’ in 1956, while the country saw the release of its last Sindhi film, ‘Himmat,’ in 1997. Since then, only a few Sindhi telefilms and short films have been produced, but no
Sindhi feature film, which averages between 75 and 210 minutes, was made in the South Asian country.
In 2020, Aijaz also produced a short Sindhi-language film called, ‘A Train Crosses the Desert,’ which was screened in four countries, including at JIFF (2021) in India and the South Asian International Film Festival (2020) in the US.
