Laaj may be released tomorrow

LAHORE: The film Laaj, based on a Muslim-Hindu love story that led to a bloody clash between Muslims and the British Army, will be released on Friday (tomorrow).

The film is claimed to be a true story in 1936 when India was ruled by the British. The film features Pakistani, British and other European actors.

At a press conference on Wednesday, film producer, director and writer Khalid Rauf appeared positive and full of hope about his first feature film. He already has television hits ‘Angaar Waadi’ and ‘Laag’ to his credit. The cast includes Talat Hussain, Zara Sheikh, Imran Khan, Resham, Nirma, James Kavaz, Pat Kelman and Fleur Klijnsma, Nayyer Ijaz, Usman Mughal, Rashid Mahmood, Asif Khan, Jameel Babar, Afshan Qureshi and Azra Aftab.

The film cost Rs 28 million was shot on location in tribal areas. Mr Rauf said the entire crew was shot at by tribesmen for shooting the film at the Frontier Constabulary Fort in Shinwari.

“It was our sheer luck that we survived the attack. It was heavy firing. A bullet hit the vehicle and a power generator. I was told to pack up and go back but my crew stood by me in going ahead with the shooting,” Mr Rauf said. He said European actors took pains to come to Pakistan when even the embassies had called their staff back from Pakistan.

The story opens with an affair between a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl of Bannu who converted to Islam and married the boy, which ensued in the conflict. The Hindu elite of Bannu filed a case in the British court pleading that the Muslim boy had kidnapped the girl to grab her father’s money. This led to unrest among Muslims of tribal areas and of Bannu. They united under Aipi Faqir and a battle started between tribesmen and the British Army. —Staff Report