Janaan

Last updated • 6 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Janaan
Janaan film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
جاناں
Directed by Azfar Jafri
Written by Osman Khalid Butt
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyHaider A Rizvi
Edited byMitesh Soni
Music by
Production
company
IRK Films
Distributed by
Release date
  • 12 September 2016 (2016-09-12)
Running time
133 minutes
CountriesFrance
Pakistan
Languages{{Plainlist
  • French
  • Urdu
  • Pashto
}}

Janaan (French/Urdu/Pashto: جانان; transl.Beloved) is a 2016 Pakistani romantic comedy film directed by Azfar Jafri, written by Osman Khalid Butt and co-produced by Hareem Farooq, Munir Hussain, Imran Raza Kazmi and Reham Khan, under production banners of IRK Films and Munir Hussain Films – UK. The film stars Armeena Khan, Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan in lead roles.

Contents

The film was released in Pakistan by ARY Films on 12 September 2016 (Eid al-Adha). [1] B4U Films distributed the film Internationally. [2]

Plot

Meena (Armeena Khan), a Pashtun student living in Vancouver, Canada, travels to Swat, Pakistan for her cousin Palwasha's (Hania Amir) wedding. Her Canadian friends are worried that she may be married, too. She is met at the airport by the bride's adopted brother, Asafandyar (Bilal Ashraf), and taken back to the house, where festivities are taking a swing.

Upon arrival, Palwasha explains to Meena about her meeting and subsequent engagement with her fiancé Samir, a Punjabi. Daniyal (Ali Rehman Khan), Palwasha's cousin, attempts to impress Meena with some ill-advised stunts (including swallowing a lit cigarette), to Meena's disapproval and derision. The groom's family also arrive for the wedding. Meena breaks a tooth and while having the tooth fixed becomes intoxicated by the painkillers from the dentist- this leads to a chain of events which leads to Samir becoming uncomfortable, mistakenly thinking that Daniyal is attracted to him. Meanwhile, Meena develops a feeling for Asfandyar after seeing his kind nature, at the school where he works- a school funded by wealthy beneficiary Ikramullah.

On the night of Palwasha's mehndi ceremony, Chotu (the driver) reveals to Asfandyar that he was abused by Ikramullah in his childhood and that Ikramullah is a child predator who has been abusing vulnerable children at the school. Upon Ikramullah's arrival at the ceremony, Asfandyar approaches him in anger and punches and slaps him, much to his family's chagrin. This leads to Daniyal's mother denouncing Asfandyar, claiming that his temperament is solely due to his being adopted.

Asfandyar is greatly upset by this but is consoled by Daniyal, who tells him he thinks of him as his real older brother. Before learning about Ikramullah's true nature, Meena slaps Asfandyar out of anger and afterward regrets this action.

Due to his family's disapproval of his earlier actions, Asfandyar refrains from telling the family of Ikramullah's child abuse and remains detached at the Nikkah ceremony. His father learns of what happened to Chotu and the younger students and decides to pursue a court case against Ikramullah with the help of the students' parents. Ikramullah threatens violence against the family if the charges are not dropped.

Meanwhile, Samir and Asfandyar help Daniyal plan a proposal for Meena, a proposal that she rejects. Later that evening, the car that Palwasha and Meena are driving is stopped by Ikramullah's men. Asfandyar and Daniyal are also driving along this road and are injured in a struggle with Ikramullah's men.

On the day of the wedding, Meena receives a full-time job offer from a Canadian middle school, starting from a month after the wedding. After a talk with Daniyal, Asfandyar realizes his feelings for Meena and goes to her room to talk to her where he finds the job offer and leaves, assuming she will leave after accepting the offer.

After the wedding, Ikramullah's men arrive and shoot Chotu, killing him. Asfandyar follows them and finds that they have set the school on fire, in retaliation for Ikramullah's arrest earlier that night. Daniyal and Meena arrive as Asfandyar runs into the flames.

A month later, Meena is seen teaching the children from the burnt school, which is seen being reconstructed. She and Daniyal then travel to a graveyard, where Asfandyar is visiting Chotu's grave, still blaming himself for his death. Asfandyar assumes Meena is planning to return to Canada, having accepted the job offer, but she tells him she wants to stay and help rebuild the school. She then proceeds to propose to Asfandyar. The three then begin to head home.

Cast

Guest appearance

Music

Janaan
Soundtrack album by
Salim–Sulaiman, Ahmed Ali & Taha Malik
Released2016
Recorded2016
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Language Urdu, Pashto
Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s) and Composer/ProducersLength
1."Janaan" Armaan Malik  
2."Jaanan Reprise" Shreya Ghoshal  
3."Shor Sharaba"Shadab Fridi, Bhoomi Trivedi  
4."Reid-i-Gul"Yusra Iqbal, Awais Niazi 
5."Jhoom Le" Taha Malik featuring Natasha Baig  

Production

Filming and casting

In May 2015, it was announced that a film named Janaan is in pre-production phase. [3] In August, the cast and crew was revealed on Twitter by the producer. Siyaah's team reunited in this film, with Imran Raza Kazmi returning as producer, Azfar Jafri as director, and Osman Khalid Butt as writer. [4] An agreement was signed between the production team and ARY Films to distribute Janaan. [5] [6] The first spell of shooting began from 21 August in Islamabad [7] and lasted till 5 September. [8]

The second spell started in Swat valley. The same month Usman Mukhtar and Hania Aamir were cast. Janaan entered the final phase of its production in mid-October after shooting in Islamabad and Swat. [9] Reham Khan's departure from Pakistan after her divorce with Imran Khan questioned the production status of the film but her co-producer Imran Raza Kazmi stated "As the popular phrase goes: 'the show must go on' and putting all and any speculation to rest, I would like to say that this news will not affect the film in any manner whatsoever." [10]

Ajab Gul, Jalal Khan and Mishi Khan were revealed as cast with their character names on 7 November. Three new artists appeared in Janaan for the first time: Hania Aamir, Usman Mukhtar and Saad Zia Abbasi.

Marketing

Film's first look poster featuring Armeena Khan, Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan was revealed online while Teaser Trailer on 18 March 2016. [11] [12]

Janaan is the first Pakistani film whose teaser was shown on UK TV broadcasting channel Sky Sports 2 during the World T20 Cup match between India and Pakistan on 19 March 2016. [13]

Further the teaser was played on Shreya Ghoshal Concerts in UK. [14]

The film's theatrical trailer was released on 1 July 2016 on Fahad Mustafa's Jeeto Pakistan show. The trailer was appreciated by critics and film is expected to be a successful endeavor to promote Pashtun culture. [15] The trailer is expected to be played on all Arjit Singh's concerts in UK after its release. [16]

Release

The film was distributed by B4U Films in 17 countries. [17] ARY Films distributed it in Pakistan. [2]

The film was released in the United Arab Emirates on 8 September 2016, and was shown on limited screens the next day in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Fiji, Mauritius, New Zealand, South Africa, East Africa, and Singapore. The film was released in Pakistan on 12 September (Eid al-Adha), [18] and in India on 16 September.

Box office

The film grossed Rs 300 million ($3 million) worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Pakistani film of 2016. [19] It grossed at least Rs 175 million ($1.68 million) in Pakistan and Rs 110 million ($1.05 million) overseas.

In the United Kingdom, the film grossed £400,000 ($540,000) in 2016, making it the year's seventh highest-grossing non-English and non-Hindi film in the UK. [20] The UK accounted for about half of the film's overseas gross.

Awards and nominations

Date of CeremonyAwardCategoryRecipient(s) and nominee(s)ResultRef.
19 April 2017 16th Lux Style Awards Best FilmJanaanNominated
Best Director Azfar Jaffri Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Ali Rehman Khan Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Hania Amir Nominated
Best Playback Singer – male Armaan (for the song "Janaan")Nominated
Best Playback Singer – Female Shreya Ghoshal (for the song "Janaan")Nominated
2017 5th Hum Awards Recognition Award – FilmsJanaanWon
9 September 20171st International Pakistan Prestige AwardsBest Film"Janaan"Nominated
Best Director Azfar Jaffri Nominated
Best Actor Bilal Ashraf Nominated
Best Actress Armeena Rana Khan Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Ali Rehman Khan Nominated
2018Pakistan International Film FestivalBest Film"Janaan"Nominated
Best Director Azfar Jaffri Nominated
Best Male Debut Bilal Ashraf Nominated
Ali Rehman Khan Won
Best Female Debut Hania Amir Won
Best EditorMitesh SoniWon

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hum TV</span> Pakistani Television channel

Hum TV HD is a 24-hour Urdu general entertainment TV channel based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was founded by Sultana Siddiqui and Duraid Qureshi. It is owned by Hum Network Limited and traded on the Pakistan Stock Exchange as (HUMNL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pashto cinema</span> Pashto-language film industry of Pakistan

Pashto cinema, refers to the Pashto-language film industry of Pakistani cinema based in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

The family of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, is a prominent Pakistani family active in politics and sports. It was formerly the First Family of Pakistan. Khan was born on 5 October 1952 in Lahore to father Ikramullah Khan Niazi, a civil engineer, and mother Shaukat Khanum. He grew up as the only son in the family, with four sisters. Paternally, Khan belongs to the Niazi Pashtun tribe which has long been settled in Mianwali in northwestern Punjab. Khan's mother hailed from the Burki Pashtun tribe settled in Jalandhar, Punjab, which emigrated a few centuries ago from South Waziristan in the tribal areas of northwest Pakistan. Khan's maternal family has produced several great cricketers, the most prominent of whom are Jahangir Khan, Javed Burki and Majid Khan.

Reham Nayyar Khan is a British-Pakistani journalist, author, and filmmaker from Baffa, Pakistan. She is a former wife of Imran Khan, who later became Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018, The publication of her memoir shortly before the 2018 Pakistani general election led to claims that its publication was intended to damage Imran Khan's electoral prospects. Khan married Mirza Bilal on 23 December 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armeena Khan</span> Pakistani Canadian film and television actress and model

Armeena Rana Khan is a Pakistani-Canadian film and television actress and model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamza Ali Abbasi</span> Pakistani actor

Hamza Ali Abbasi born 23 June 1986) is a Pakistani actor and director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARY Films</span> Film company in Pakistan

ARY Films is a film distribution and production company in Pakistan, part of ARY Digital Network. 35 films including 11 Urdu, six Punjabi and 17 Pashto films have been released by ARY Films since 2013. Among them, Waar, Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Wrong No., Jalaibee, 3 Bahadur and Punjab Nahi Jaungi have topped the charts in the industry.

<i>Jeeto Pakistan</i> Pakistani game show

Jeeto Pakistan is a Pakistani game show, hosted by actor Fahad Mustafa on ARY Digital. The show was launched on May 18,2014. It has been called the "biggest game show" in Pakistan. Jeeto Pakistan's participants are selected randomly from a studio audience who require passes to attend the show.

<i>Yalghaar</i> 2017 Pakistani film

Yalghaar is a 2017 Pakistani war-epic film directed by Hassan Rana. The film is produced by MindWorks Media and is based on the true story of Pakistan Army's Swat Operation. Yalghaar was facilitated by Brigadier Syed Mujtaba Tirmizi from Inter-Services Public Relations -ISPR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azfar Jafri</span> Pakistani film director

Azfar Jafri is a Pakistani film director, screenwriter, actor, and VFX artist. He is best known for his Independent film Siyaah which earned him critical recognition and accolades, including a nomination for the ARY Film Award for Best Director at the 1st ARY Film Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hareem Farooq</span> Pakistani actress and film producer

Hareem Farooq is a Pakistani theatre, film, and television actress and film producer. She began her career with theater, playing the lead role of Fatima Jinnah in Pawnay 14 August and Kiran in Aangan Terha. She made her screen debut with a leading role in the 2013 horror thriller film Siyaah, which earned her a nomination at Lux Style Award for Best Actress.

Ayeza Khan is a Pakistani actress who works in Urdu television. Khan has established herself as one of the leading television actresses and is a recipient of several accolades including three Hum Awards and two Lux Style Awards. Khan has been described among the nation's highest-paid actresses by the media.

<i>Revenge of the Worthless</i> 2016 Pakistani Urdu, Pashto and English-language film

Revenge of the Worthless is a 2016 Pakistani Urdu, Pashto and English-language action drama film featuring the directorial debut of Jamal Shah with an assistant direction of Zohaib Akhtar and produced by Amna Shah under production banner Hunerkada Films. The film casts Jamal Shah himself, Ayub Khoso, Firdous Jamal, Shamil Khan, Maira Khan and Emel Karakose along with new talent, the students of Hunerkada College of Visual and Performing Arts. And Noor Bukhari in a Cameo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Rehman Khan</span> Pakistani actor

Ali Rehman Khan is a Pakistani actor who appears in Urdu films, television series, and theater plays. Khan has won two Hum Awards and has been nominated twice at the Lux Style Awards for his acting prowess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bilal Ashraf</span> Pakistani actor, producer, and director

Bilal Ashraf is a Pakistani actor, producer, and visual effects director. After studying visual effects at Franklin Marshall College, he started his career as a visual effects director and then pursued his career in acting after making a brief appearance in the 2014 thriller O21. Ashraf has since starred in the romantic comedy Janaan (2016), the acclaimed war drama Yalghaar (2017), and the musical romance Superstar (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hania Aamir</span> Pakistani actress (born 1997)

Hania Aamir is a Pakistani actress who works in Punjabi, Urdu television and films. She began her acting career with the comedy film Janaan (2016). Aamir made her television debut with Titli (2017) and later appeared in the romantic drama Anaa. She also acted in the comedy film Na Maloom Afraad 2 (2017), the combat-war film Parwaaz Hai Junoon (2018) and the 2020 romantic drama Ishqiya. She received popularity with the dramatic Mere Humsafar (2022) and has since appeared in the romantic Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha (2023). The former earned her the Lux Style Award for Best TV Actress nomination.

<i>Parchi</i> (film) 2018 Pakistani film

Parchi is a 2018 Pakistani Urdu-language crime comedy film directed by Azfar Jafri and produced by Imran Kazmi and Arif Lakhani under the banner IRK Films. The film stars Hareem Farooq, Ali Rehman Khan and Shafqat Cheema, with Ahmed Ali Akbar, Faiza Saleem, Shafqat Khan and Usman Mukhtar in supporting roles. Khan also wrote film whilst Usman Mukhtar managed cinematography; Farooq also produced the film. It was released and distributed by ARY Films on 5 January 2018.

Wahaj Ali is a Pakistani actor known for his appearance on Urdu television. After making his television debut with the soap serial Ishq Ibadat in 2015, Ali gained critical praise for playing Bangladeshi freedom fighter Shafi Imam Rumi in Jo Bichar Gaye (2021). He has also appeared in other notable roles. In 2023, Ali earned wider recognition, especially across the South Asian continent, for his portrayal of Murtasim Khan in the romance drama Tere Bin.

Shazia Wajahat is a Pakistani television and film producer. The wife of director Wajahat Rauf, best known for producing a number of television series under her production banner Showcase Productions, formerly known as Showcase Communications.

References

  1. "ARY FILMS announce to release Reham Khan's Janaan". ARY News . 19 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 "B4U Movies to distribute 'Janaan' globally". ARY News . 30 May 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  3. "Reham Khan to launch film production career with Jaanan?". DAWN.com . Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  4. "Just in: Reham Khan announces Janaan's cast and crew on Twitter". DAWN.com . Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  5. "Reham's first film "Janaan" to be released by ARY Films". Daily Times . Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  6. "ARY Films to release Reham Khan's first flick 'Janaan'". The News Tribe. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  7. "Reham's 'Janaan' to go on floors". The Express Tribune . Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  8. "First leg of Reham Khan's 'Janaan' is complete". HiP. Wajiha Jawaid. 6 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  9. "Janaan to enter final phase of production". The Express Tribune . Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  10. "Despite Reham Khan's absence, her film Jaanan's shoot goes strong". DAWN Images . Irfan-ul-Haq. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  11. "First teaser of ARY Films' Janaan unleashed". ARY News . Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  12. "'Janaan' starring Armeena Khan teaser released". The News Teller. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  13. "Teaser of Reham Khan's film 'Janaan' released" . Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  14. "Janaan". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  15. "- YouTube". YouTube .
  16. "New 'Janaan' trailer to play at Arijit Singh UK Shows | BizAsia Media | The UK's only Asian media news site". www.media247.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  17. Film 'Janaan' seeks positive global spotlight for Pakistan
  18. "Pakistani 'Janaan' all set to release on Eidul Azha". Daily Times . 4 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  19. "Janaan Became the Highest Grossing Pakistani Film of 2016 as it has earned more than 30 Crores Globally". Facebook . @JanaanOfficial. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  20. Statistical Yearbook 2017 (PDF). United Kingdom: British Film Institute (BFI). 2017. pp. 66–7. Retrieved 25 April 2022.