Dareechay Films and Zaheer Uddin Ahmed’s crime thriller ‘Chikkar’ premiered on Wednesday with a star-studded night. Besides the power-packed cast that included Usman Mukhtar, Ushna Shah, Faryal Mehmood, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu, Nausheen Shah, Nouman Waheed Qureshi, Ali Sheikh and the supporting cast, popular faces from the entertainment fraternity like Kubra Khan, Javed Sheikh, Sonya Hussain, Gohar Rasheed, and Shabbir Jan also walked the red carpet.
As for the movie, Chikkar is the latest addition to the ongoing trend of murder mysteries in the Pakistani film industry which followed the release of Gunjal and 13. Given that it was Zaheer Uddin’s directorial debut, it was a relief to see that the cinematography throughout the movie was true to its trailer. The storyline was engaging throughout and the comedy was subtle and perfectly timed.
However, the audience needed to see more of Neelam to be able to empathise with the central character of the movie. Who was Neelam like besides being a courtesan dancer? Chikkar was packed with stellar performances from lead to supporting cast. The script was substantial, providing a bold narrative revolving around systematic societal oppression.
Faryal Mehmood’s cameo at the end was a delight to look at. Even with limited screen time, her classical eastern moves gave it that touch of glamour. Kudos to the makeup artist and stylist. Which also reminds us of Nausheen Shah’s role as Zareen Shah, who not only does justice to her outfits but the way she conducts herself with authority and composure given her role as a provincial minister. Usman Mukhtar’s role as SSP Sarmad Zaman is a breath of fresh air for doing his all to make sure justice prevails. His role was easily the most featured character in the crime thriller as he investigates the killing of a stage performer belonging to a marginalised community.
For a film critic, the plot twists may not be just enough. But with all it had; unforeseen twists promising suspense, drama, and realism, Chikkar was an interesting watch.
Zaheer expressed gratitude to the film and the entertainment industry for attending the premiere, acknowledging the love and support they showed for the film.
“Chikkar being my debut film holds a very special place in my heart, and I am quite sure it will remain like this forever. All credit goes to the cast, which delivered my narrative compellingly. I am confident that it will resonate with the audiences too. I am overwhelmed by the overall response of fellow industry mates and cannot wait for the grand public premiere,” Zaheer said at the premiere.
Chikkar will be available in theatres for the audiences on 22 December, 2023. Grab your tickets and go enjoy this murder mystery!
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