7 Pakistani Movies That Released In 2023! (2024)

Here are 7 Pakistani movies that were released in 2023 and left a significant impact as they pushed forward the revival of Pakistani cinema.

7 Pakistani Movies That Released In 2023! (1)

This year gave us a multitude of Pakistani cinema content from indie movies, to chick flicks and even a Pakistani Anthology! It was a year that moved away from the same old, repetitive, unimpressive attempts at content.

These movies attempted to raise the bar and perhaps even succeeded. Here are 7 movies from the year 2023 that made an impact in the Pakistani cinema and efforts of its revival. Find out which ones brought exactly what to the cinemas and audiences.

John – A Promising Watch To Awaken Society

Some budding actors and some seasoned, a carefully crafted narrative, hard hitting performances and some food for thought made for an interesting recipe!
The movie John released on the 14th of July all overPakistan. The movie casts Saleem Mairaj, Aashir Wajahat and Romaisa Khan, Faiza Gilani, Rashid Farooqui, Mohammad Ehteshamuddin, Tabish Mughal along with Raza Samo. It is produced by Fizza Khanum and written and directed by Babar Ali.

The movie is set against the hustling bustling backdrop of Karachi’s vibrancy and volatility. John delves into themes of love, life, death and violence while urgingsocietyto re think certain connotations. Promising a gripping portrayal of the city’s streets with a premise that is raw, authentic but also one that demands change, John seems to be an awakening of sorts, brought to us by a young cast to solve issues affected mostly by the youth.

Babar Ali’s direction of John has cemented his name as a promising new director. His first directorial project reveals the attention to detail, dedication and the passion for his craft. The scenes run crisp and smooth at the same time…watch the movie to understand how it all comes together. Each scene blends seamlessly into another, the director makes sure the narrative is well carried through. The scenes and events, surprisingly keep the audience gripped even with the mundane, making us wait for something more.

Check out our review here!

Madari – Raw Yet Vibrant Indie Watch

Madaari stars Ibad Alam Sher, Paras Masroor, and Hammad Siddiq, the film is a creative endeavor written and directed by Seraj Us Salikin. The production team includes Seraj Us Salikin, Ali Rizvi, and Ammar Alee Danish as producers, while Musab Akhter and Ammar Ul Haq handle cinematography. The captivating story is penned by Seraj Us Salikin, with screenplay contributions from Seraj Us Salikin and Ali Rizvi. Asif Noorani takes charge of the music and sound design, while Zeenat Ul Ain is responsible for production design and wardrobe. The film’s visual appeal is enhanced by Ayaz Akbar’s expertise as the colorist, and MMA Films handles VFX and post-production. This promising project is presented by Enigma Motion Pictures in association with Contentino Films.

Set in early 2000s Karachi, this political drama skillfully explores power dynamics, corruption, and chaos. Through a diverse cast, it authentically captures the city’s complexity, blending gritty cinematography to depict its vibrant yet volatile essence. Despite some hiccups in navigating political intricacies, the film excels in humanizing characters and their conflicted motives.

The film focuses on the tumultuous journey of Haris, played by Ibad Alam Sher. Haris grapples with the harsh realities of life following his father’s tragic murder sparked by a political feud. A twist of fate leads Haris to the office of his father’s assailant, prompting a poignant exploration of whether he will succumb to the desire of revenge or choose the path of resilience, hoping to carve out a brighter future. The film intricately weaves together themes of justice, redemption, and the complexities of human choices in the face of adversity.

Gunjal – Gripping Crime Thriller Based On True Events

A gripping crime-thriller inspired by true events,Gunjalis directed by Shoaib Sultan and produced by Nighat Akbar Shah, from Adur Productions and Eveready Pictures.

The movie follows the true story of journalist Shahbaz Bhatti, played by the acclaimed Ahmed Ali Akbar. Bhatti embarks on a treacherous journey to uncover the truth behind the murder of child activist Irfan Masih, a brave soul who fought relentlessly against the scourge of child labour in 1990s Pakistan. The film thrusts us into a world rife with hidden secrets, intricate conspiracies, and half-revealed truths. As Bhatti navigates through this complex web of intrigue, viewers are promised a relentless pursuit of justice.Themoviealso addresses the issue of our weak legal systems, denying justice to Irfan Masih and his family. The topic is heavy and hard-hitting, but viewers will find moments of relief through some light-heartedness.

The cast ofGunjalboasts aline-upof exceptional talent, contributing to the film’s allure. Alongside Ahmed Ali Akbar, the movie features stellar performances by Resham, Amna Ilyas, Syed Muhammad Ali, Sarmed Aftab Jadraan, Razia Malik, Sardar Nabeel, Ali Aftab Saeed, Arham Khan, Ebtisam Mustafa, Habiba Sufyan, Ahsen Murad, Munir Khan, Usman Zia, and Ahmed Ali Butt.

The film makes it clear from the beginning that, although it’s a fictionalized account, it is entirely based on Iqbal Masih. An investigative journalism crime thriller with Resham making a comeback and featuring a story that’s horror still haunts us to date. The movie follows the path to discover whether Irfan Masih’s murder was truly an accident or a brutal crime. It attempts to immerse us in the misery and agony of Irfan Masih’s family as they are denied justice. The grief-stricken journey is all engulfing, the performances, captivating, and the cinematography seizes audiences in a hypnotic grip throughout the film run time.

Read our full review here

Babylicious – An Attempt At A Chick Flick

Babylicious is aPakistaniromantic comedy film written, directed and produced by Essa Khanunder the banner Coconut Entertainment Pakistan. It stars former couple Shehroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf alongside Indian actor, Ankur Rathee, Sabeena Syed, Shehzeen Rahat, Mohi Abro, Aadi Adeal Amjad and Adnan Jaffar. The film has been shot extensively in Manama, Bahrain and Karachi, Pakistan.

The movie is shot very differently to most Pakistani movies; artsy, aesthetically pleasing and super relatable to the younger generation. The scenes and settings were real-life believable, almost as if you were watching aNetflixquality show in terms of the aesthetics.

The wedding dance number “Gazab Kuriye” was one of the best ones we have seen so far. The aesthetics, outfits, set, choreography, cinematography and the song itself were all high up on the scorecard. A fun original, quite nicely shot song challenging futuremoviemakers. Some parts were funny while some just left us wondering if we missed the punchline or our funny bone just decided to take a walk (far away from us). Some parts and a good chunk of the humour was also downright offensive, so that was a miss and for more on the movie, you will just have to really dig in at our full review.

In Flames – Psychological Horror Shrouded In Mystery

In Flamesis a cinematic, psychological horror film cleverly disguised as drama. Precisely one year following the triumph of “Joyland,” our independent filmmakers gifted us another cinematic treasure in the form of In Flames.

In Flames is a 2023 Pakistani Canadian horror film, marking the directorial debut of Zarrar Kahn who is also the writer for the project. The movie features a cast that includes Ramesha Nawal, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Mohammad Ali Hashmi, Adnan Shah Tipu, and Omar Javaid. The film is produced by Anam Abbas.Zarrar Kahn has shot his debut film rather intricately being successfully able to immerse audiences in the storyline. The production quality is well at par with big budget films with sets that were true to the conditions narrated.

After the death of the family patriarch, a mother and daughter’s precarious existence is ripped apart. They must find strength in each other if they are to survive the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf them, and their telepathic connection might just help. However the mother and daughter duo soon find themselves further constricted bysociety.The mystery unravels as the story strings us along, one gripping scene at a time.

Our review on the movie will give you the full down low.

Teri Meri Kahaniyan – First Anthology Of Pakistan

The first anthology film of Pakistan which combines three short films. Teri Meri Kahaniyaan is produced by See Prime which helped transform the digital platform scene in Pakistan with their series of great short films. Teri Meri Kahaniyaan is a first in many ways; first time two writers have written the script of one of the short films “Jin Mahal” and the strength of the script is a testament to why multiple writers might be the way to getting better stories into thePakistanentertainment landscape. It also brings together, horror, light hearted storytelling and serious poetic drama for the first time, giving something to everyone who wants to get their money’s worth in cinemas.

Teri Meri Kahaniyaan will not bore the movie lover in you. The film will offer multiple flavors, the stories reach a climax and despite being short films, are brilliantly wrapped up so when one walks away, we don’t feel as if we have watched an incompletemovie. Teri Meri Kahaniyaan also features some great performances and direction.

Jin Mahal is directed by Nabeel Qureshi, starringHira Mani, Mani & Gul-e-Rana. A horror comedy set in a dingy 70/80 year old house.An intelligent script, captivating storytelling, a heart-touching topic and some mention-worthy performances make Jin Mahal a true piece of artwork directed with love and passion by Nabeel Qureshi.

Pasoori, acedramadirector Marina Khan’s cinema debut with actors, Shehryar Munawar and Ramsha Khan; An excellent one-time, spirited watch. Sandwiched between Jin Mahal and Aik Sau Taeswaan, Pasoori sets the right ‘mood break’ from some serious content and hands out fun elements to sit back and enjoy. It carries all the flavors of a typical light-heartedromance, but what makes it a good watch is the originality of the concept and script. With more and more women pursuing their dreams passionately and bravely, the film presents the classic dilemma many girls face today – Shadiversus following their passion.

Aik Sau Taeswaan directed by Nadeem Baig; A chance meeting of two people, whose conversation is laden with multiple underlying meanings and connotations of desire, attraction, loyalty, life lessons and just being a man and a woman. And at some point in time, the story leaves the realms ofgenderand just becomes about doing the right thing as a human being.

Check out or full review on the Pakistani anthology!

Chikkar – Getting Murder, Mystery & Crime Thriller Right!

Dareechay Films’ “Chikkar,” is a crime thriller starring the dynamic duo Usman Mukhtar and Ushna Shah. This crime thriller also marks the directorial debut for the talented Zaheer Uddin. The cast includes Usman Mukhtar, Ushna Shah, Faryal Mehmood, Nausheen Shah, Saleem Mairaj, Aliee Sheikh, Adnan Shah Tipu, and other seasoned TV and theatre actors.

The title itself,meaning “mud” in Punjabi and Urdu,hints at themes of societal struggles and oppression.Theteaserportrays images of government buildings,police officers,and a bloodied corpse,suggesting a potential focus on social injustices and violence. As a crime thriller, one naturally expects themovieto provide a logical account of events, clues, fact-finding, and order – Chikkar truly does get it right.

The scenes and cinematography were aesthetic, pleasing to the eye, and quite varied. The film explores high society, power dynamics, and the relationships of educated, thriving couples, while also delving into the harsh realities of our nation, our surroundings, and the crimes that take place. While Chikkar falls into the murder mystery and crime thriller genres, don’t expect it to be a fast-pacedwatch. It intentionally maintains a slow pace throughout, delving deep into the details of each scene, every angle, and step in the unveiling of the murderer. The narrative takes us along with those who aid the heinous crimes, exploring the characters’ involvement and slips in bits of their personal lives.

Here’s our detailed review on the murder mystery!

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