Having effortlessly transitioned into acting, Fouzia's debut film swiftly captured global acclaim, earning accolades at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
With a multi-starrer cast including Shaan Shahid, Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Armeena Khan, Aleeze Nasser, Ayesha Omer, Irfan Gilani and Sana Bucha, this Pakistani war drama is touted to be the biggest movie production in the country.
Moreover, Dubai-based Aleeze Nasser and Pakistani actor Syed Irfan Gilani are making their debut in this film. They came down to the office of Khaleej Times recently to talk about Yalghaar.
Dubai raised Aleeze is working opposite Adnan Siddiqui, who has just worked in a movie with Sridevi called Mom.
Said Aleeze, who is all excited to make her debut in the most expensive film from Pakistan: "I play a girl who is new to the country. She moves there after marrying an army man. It's about how she is faced with the challenges of the language barrier and spending time alone, as the husband is mostly away. All the characters are relatable. The backdrop is that of war and action and all the stuff that people go through when they are in the army. The producers have taken the real story and actors have been picked up accordingly."
Syed told us that he had a dream debut. He actually had no intentions of acting in the movie, but the director spotted him and roped him in for a role. "I would often be on the sets because my friends and family were part of the film. This is my first movie. The director used to call me saying he wanted an officer who looked like me for his movie. I told him that I cannot act in a movie but he was persistent. This movie is based on the real story about the Swat Operations."
It took three years and extensive research for the movie to go on the floors. The production was huge and it needed a vast number of choppers and heavy ammunition. An artificial tunnel too was dug in Karachi to replicate the ones in North Waziristan.
Syed also revealed that army officers were constantly present on the sets to guide the cast and the crew. "We had a lot of majors (army) in the movie. They were also performing as actors apart from guiding us. Some of the officers who worked in the movie were part of the Swat Operations. This film explores what happens in the lives of those involved, including the militants, soldiers and their families and how all of them are affected on a personal level because of the operations," said Syed.
The movie has been in the making for a long time, no wonder the actors cannot wait to see the reaction of the audiences. "I would be lying if I said that I am not nervous. I am curious to see the audience reaction. I want to see how my performance is received. I want this film to do well because a lot of hard work has gone into the making of the movie. The entire cast worked endlessly!
"The movie is releasing in 60 countries and will be dubbed in many languages. People should watch Yalghaar because it is a huge movie with a big star cast and it would be nice to see what people have put into it," said Aleeze.
Syed: Khaleej Times is the best newspaper in the UAE. Thanks a lot, Suhail Galadari, for all the support. You have to see Yalghaar. Take care!
Aleeze: Khaleej Times is the best newspaper ever. I have grown up reading it and I continue to read it. I would request Khaleej Times readers to watch Yalghaar when it releases because it would mean a lot to me as I was born and raised here. I would like to congratulate Suhail for having a huge company like Khaleej Times. Thank you for having us at your office.
Aleeze: I was born and raised in Dubai. I studied at St Mary's School. After my A-levels, I left for the US. I am of Turkish-Pakistani origin. I am neither from television or theatre. Acting was a passion for me from childhood. I have learnt various forms of dancing. After doing my bachelor's degree in business, I went to the New York Film Academy in LA and did a degree course for around three-and-a-half years which entailed movie-making and acting. I consider myself an international person and I work globally. I look at this movie as my stepping stone into the film industry and I am hoping to work in different genres. My passion lies in dancing and doing light comedy and romantic films whether it be Bollywood, Hollywood or Pakistani films. I would love to see Dubai come up with its own movie industry one day.
Aleeze: I have been in the company of huge Hollywood celebrities, who used to come to our university to give lectures and talk to us. I like Michael Caine, Meryl Streep. In terms of Bollywood, I admire Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. When it comes to Pakistani cinema, I would say that it is still a budding industry. But from the drama industry, I admire Shehnaz Shaikh.
Irfan: I love Sanjay Dutt!
Having effortlessly transitioned into acting, Fouzia's debut film swiftly captured global acclaim, earning accolades at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
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