Superstar is a 2019 Pakistani romantic, musical-drama film, starring Bilal Ashraf and Mahira Khan. It is directed by Mohammed Ehteshamuddin, produced by Momina & Duraid Films,[2][3][4] and the music and screenplay are by Azaan Sami Khan.[5] The story of the film follows Noori (played by Mahira Khan), who works in a theatre run by her uncle Agha Jan (played by Nadeem Baig), her entry in films and her romance and betrayal.[6] The principal photography of the film began in March 2019.[7] It was released on the occasion of Eid al-Adha on 12 August 2019 by Hum Films under Momina & Duraid Films.[8]
| Superstar | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mohammed Ehteshamuddin |
| Screenplay by | Azaan Sami Khan |
| Produced by | Momina Duraid |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Azaan Sami Khan & Saad Sultan |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Hum Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 135 minutes[1] |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Language | Urdu |
| Budget | Rs. 15 crore (US$520,000) |
| Box office | Rs. 30.05 crore (US$1.0 million) |
Plot
editThe story is about Noori, a struggling theatre artist who wants to work in films. She has been doing advertisements along with theatre. One day her advertisement is scheduled along with Sameer. The crew waits for him while Noori practices along with props and costumes backstage, Sameer sees her and gets attracted towards her. During the shoot, the director does not like Noori's acting and asks her to leave. Sameer is adamant that he will work only if Noori is taken back. Eventually they start going out together. Noori's life takes turn she has to choose between love and her career.
Cast
edit- Mahira Khan as Noori[9]
- Bilal Ashraf as Sameer Khan
- Alizeh Shah as Chutki
- Nadeem Baig as Saleem Malik alias Agha Jaan
- Wahaj Ali as Young Saleem Malik
- Jawed Sheikh as Zulfiqar Khan
- Marina Khan as Laila Khan
- Syra Yousuf as Laila Khan (young)
- Asma Abbas as Choti Ammi
- Saife Hassan as Zahid Malik
- Ali Kazmi as Shaan
- Waqar Hussain as Bobby
Special appearances
editProduction
editThe film was announced in August 2018 by producer Momina Duraid. She stated that her next film titled Superstar, starring Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf, to be directed by Ehtishamuddin on screenplay of Azaan Sami Khan was at pre-production stage. In an interview she said that Azaan who has written the screenplay was behind the project. She added, "It’s a genre that hasn’t been made in Pakistan yet, very theatrical and something I had been wanting to do for a while.”[5]
Filming began in March 2019. The lead actress Mahira Khan shared pictures from the set on her Instagram account.[7]
Marketing and release
editThe official trailer of the film was released by Hum TV on 15 July 2019. It garnered 4 million views since its release on YouTube.[10] The official teaser of the song "Ghalat Fehmi" was launched by Hum TV on 25 July 2019. It garnered 6 million views since its release on YouTube.[11]
Superstar has been certified with a runtime of 135 mins by British Board of Film Classification[1] and was released theatrically on Eid al-Adha, on 12 August 2019 by Hum Films under Momina & Duraid Films.[8]
Soundtrack
edit| Superstar | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Azaan Sami Khan and Saad Sultan | |||||||
| Released | 9 August 2019 | ||||||
| Recorded | 2019 | ||||||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | ||||||
| Language | Urdu | ||||||
| Label | Hum Films | ||||||
| Producer | Shafaat Ali | ||||||
| |||||||
The music of the film is composed by Azaan Sami Khan and Saad Sultan. While the lyrics are by Shakeel Sohail, the qawwali lyrics are by A. M. Turaz in the song "Ghalat Fehmi".
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bekaraan" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan, Saad Sultan | Ali Sethi, Zeb Bangash | 4:10 |
| 2. | "In Dinon" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan | Atif Aslam | 4:10 |
| 3. | "Noori" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan | Sunidhi Chauhan, Jabar Abbas | 3:30 |
| 4. | "Ghalat Fehmi" | Shakeel Sohail, Qawwali lyrics by A. M. Turaz | Azaan Sami Khan and Saad Sultan | Asim Azhar, Zenab Fatimah Sultan | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Dharak Bharak" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan | Shiraz Uppal and Raktima Mukherjee | 2:13 |
| 6. | "Doston" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan and Saad Sultan | Mustahsan Khan and Mustafa Zahid | 1:50 |
| 7. | "Anjaana" | Shakeel Sohail | Azaan Sami Khan and Saad Sultan | Atif Aslam | 3:04 |
Reception
editBox office
editThe film grossed Rs. 2 crores in its opening day in Pakistan taking its total 2 days collection to Rs. 4 crores. The film collected a total of Rs. 6.3 crore at the domestic box office and a total of Rs. 5.1 crore from overseas markets. Its worldwide box office collection as of 14 August was Rs. 11.4 crore.
After 7 days, the film had grossed Rs. 13.2 crore domestically.[12] As of 23 August 2019[update] its worldwide gross stood at Rs. 21.15 crore. As of September 4, Superstar has collected 20.5 crores from Pakistan and 6.41 crores from overseas for a total of 26.91 crores. Superstar has become the highest grossing Pakistani film of 2019. The film since its premiere in August this year managed to cross PKR 300 Million on local and international box office both.
Critical response
editHassan Kazmi of Masala.com rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and stated, "Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf have blown away everyone with how good they are in this film with excellent music and screenplay from Azaan Sami Khan". He further mentioned, "it has some of the best acting performances, brilliant music, and remarkably executed storyline. Director Mohammed Ehtehshaamuddin deserves every bit of the praises for this wonderful jewel".[13] Shahjehan Saleem of Diva Magazine Pakistan rating the film 4 out of 5 stars, praised it for its cinematography and overall acting skills and stated, "While both Bilal and Mahira in the past have received critique over their acting skills, Superstar will prove to be the turning point in their careers. Bilal especially has overshadowed everyone in the film." He further added, "Superstar is definitely not a typical Pakistani movie made these days. It has a soul in it. Kudos to the director Ehteshamuddin."[14]
Aamna Haider Isani of Something Haute rated 4/5 stars and remarked, "Superstar is like a well cut and perfectly polished diamond that sparkles from every angle". She further stated that, "This is Mahira at her phenomenally best, and this should put all naysayers and critics to rest". She also praised Bilal Ashraf and wrote, "Bilal Ashraf is the dark horse of the movie". She concluded by saying, "One can go on and on about the strengths of the film but conclusively, not wanting to give anything away, I do have to say that Superstar is one of the best Pakistani films I have ever seen".[15]
Yousuf Mehmood of Pakistani Cinema.net rated the film 3/5 and wrote, "Subtle nods to the film industry of yesterday, clever dialogues, charming details, an overall freshness to the script despite a formula we’ve seen a hundred times, and some great performances by Mahira Khan and Nadeem Baig, give the film the emotional weight it needs to resonate with the masses.".[16] Mohammed Kamran Jawaid of Dawn gave a positive review by stating, "With its emotion-raising climax, director Ehteshamuddin’s Superstar is an intelligently crafted film that has only a few snags"[17]
Shafiq-ul-Hassan of The Express Tribune Blogs rated 3.5/5 stars and praised the performances, direction and writing thoroughly and remarked, "It won’t be wrong to say that Superstar is one of Mahira’s best performances since Humsafar" and concluded by writing, "On the basis of content, performance, storytelling and music, Superstar is a brilliant entertainer".[18] Asjad Khan of Oye Yeah heavily praised Mahira Khan's performance and wrote, "To surmise, Superstar is an uncomplicated but dreamy love story with excellent performances, and beautiful music".[19] Omair Alavi of Box Office Insights rated 4/5 stars and wrote, "On the whole, Superstar is a film that is time to perfection for the audience". He further added, " The combo of Ehteshamuddin and Mustafa Afridi also guarantees quality writing and direction which is their specialty, and with Superstar they have entered filmdom, hopefully for good".[20]
Rafay Mehmood of The Express Tribune rated 2.5/5 stars and criticised it by writing, "Despite some very creative blocking choices by Ehtesham and relatable incidents within the context of Pakistan’s film industry, Superstar, to repeat the same old story, is a film flawed on paper. Don’t confuse it for being a bad story, in fact, it has a semblance of a story which is a big deal by Pakistani standards. However, the film as a whole is unsure about what it wants to be and that is perhaps its curse."[21] Sonia Ashraf of Images Dawn giving a mixed review stated, "Not only did it humanise the industry, it was a nice break from the desperate attempts at wacky plot twists aimed to shock the audience. Superstar is a simple love story and there's nothing wrong with that. Had the treatment been better, the script detailed, this would've been the film of the year".[22]
Omair Alavi further writing for Hum Spotlight remarked, "The verdict is out – Mahira Khan’s Superstar makes you fall in love again".[23] Writing for Brandsynario he rated the film 4/5 stars and stated, "There are films that inspire and films that lead, and then there is SUPERSTAR that does both. Mahira Khan's latest is probably her best work so far, even better than Raees".[24]
Accolades
edit| Year | Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1st Pakistan International Screen Awards | Best Film | Nominated | [25] | |
| Best Director | Mohammed Ehteshamuddin | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Bilal Ashraf | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Mahira Khan | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ali Kazmi | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Alizeh Shah | Nominated | |||
| Best Song | Asim Azhar | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Khizar Idrees | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | Azaan Sami khan | Won | |||
| 19th Lux Style Awards | Best Film | Nominated | [26] | ||
| Best Film Director | Mohammed Ehteshamuddin | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Actor | Nadeem Baig | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Actress- Viewer's Choice | Mahira Khan | Won | |||
| Best Film Actress- Critic's Choice | Won | ||||
| Best Playback Singer | Ali Sethi (Song: Bekaraan) | Nominated | |||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "SUPERSTAR (2019)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ Ummara Sheraz (1 April 2019). "Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf Give Us a Glimpse of Their 'Superstar' Characters". propakistani.pk. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Hira Ahmed (16 April 2019). "Pakistani Movie Superstar to Feature Bollywood Star for a Dance Number". brandsynario.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Usman Ghafoor (3 September 2018). "Mahira Khan is the new 'Superstar'". Gulf News. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b Ahmed Sarym (21 August 2018). "Mahira Khan, Bilal Ashraf to star in Momina Duraid's next film". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Mahira Khan says her next film, Superstar with Bilal Ashraf is a passion project". Something Haute. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Mahira Khan reveals first look from upcoming film 'Superstar'". The News. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b Maisooma Batool (10 June 2019). "The multiple Eid releases mess: Clashing filmmakers share their views". galaxylollywood.com. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ Maheen Sabeeh (12 June 2019). "Atif Aslam and Mahira Khan reunite with Superstar". The News. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Superstar | Official Trailer 2019 Mahira Khan | Bilal Ashraf | HUM Films". YouTube. HUM TV. 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Ghalat Fehmi Song – Superstar – Mahira Khan – Bilal Ashraf – Asim & Zenab – Azaan & Saad". YouTube. HUM TV. 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Superstar 7 Days Boxoffice Collections Pakistan". Entertainment Pakistan. 20 August 2019.
- ^ "Superstar Movie Review: Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf Are A Treat To Watch!". Masala.com. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
- ^ "A 'Superstar' is Born!". Diva. 7 August 2019.
- ^ "Haute Review: This 'superstar' exceeds all expectations!". Something Haute. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Superstar (Movie Review): A Flawed, But Very Sincere Tribute to Love and Cinema". PakistaniCinema.net. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ Jawaid, Mohammad Kamran (11 August 2019). "THE ICON REVIEW: REACHING FOR THE STARS". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
- ^ "Behind every Superstar is the right director". 8 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
- ^ Khan, Asjad (9 August 2019). "Oyeyeah Reviews Superstar: A Dreamy Love Story with Beautiful Music". Oyeyeah. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
- ^ Alavi, Omair (9 August 2019). "Superstar Is All Set To Crush The Competition". Box Office Insights. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ Tribune.com.pk (7 August 2019). "'Superstar' review: Another film, another misstep for Mahira Khan". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ Ashraf, Sonia (7 August 2019). "Review: Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf do their best in Superstar". Images. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "7 Super factors that give 'Superstar' the edge this Eid!". HUM TV – Watch Dramas Online. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ Alavi, Omair (13 August 2019). "Superstar Full Movie Review: A Tale of True Love & Wishful Dreams". Brandsynario. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ Images Staff (8 February 2020). "PISA 2020 winners – complete list of all categories". Incpak. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ "LSA 2020 results: 'Laal Kabootar', 'Ranjha Ranjha Kardi' win big", tribune, 17 December 2020, retrieved 17 December 2020