By Maliha Rehman
Women empowerment. The importance of acknowledging women’s sports. The mass migration from Pakistan in the hope of a better future. Blackmailing and favoritism undermining actual talent.
The trailer of upcoming movie Nayab, which will mark the cinematic debut of actor Yumna Zaidi, hints at a plot layered with social commentaries. Simultaneously, it promises a storyline which will deliver these messages without preaching. Nayab’s plot may be one that is inspirational but it also seems that it will be an entertaining one, relying heavily on the love for cricket, dominated by a spunky leading lady and a colorful entourage of characters who will be part of her journey as she follows her dreams of becoming a cricketing superstar.
We see Yumna Zaidi as Nayab discussing her dreams of one day beating India at cricket, with her elder brother enacted by actor Fawad Khan evidently her biggest champion. Javed Sheikh plays her father, a typical patriarch who cannot comprehend how a girl could have such unconventional goals, preferring to make plans for marrying her off instead. Huma Nawab plays her mother, Adnan Siddiqui is Nayab’s coach and Mohammad Ehteshamuddin also appears in the trailer, warning her against the favoritism running rampant in professional cricket. Actor Usama Khan seems to be an important part of the story, playing Nayab’s love interest.
It is a different kind of love, though, which will be the focal point of this movie: Nayab’s love for cricket and the bond between her and her brother, with her relying on him on helping her fulfill her dreams.
Uplifting the storyline will, of course, be the performances. Yumna Zaidi, veritably the country’s most popular actresses, is a powerhouse of talent and one hopes that having proven her mettle on TV, she proceeds to work the same magic on the silver screen. Anyone familiar with Yumna’s career knows that she has a soft spot for unconventional, challenging – or shall we say ‘nayab’? – roles. She has often signed on to play characters that her peers in the industry have been hesitant about and proceeded to perform them with such ease that they become all-out hits. Perhaps, Nayab’s fate will be a similarly successful one. It is interesting that prior to playing Nayab, Yumna had been completely unfamiliar with playing cricket. She learnt how to play especially for the role – knowing Yumna, she’ll be playing like a pro!
The other significant role in the movie seems to be that of Nayab’s brother, enacted by Fawad Khan. The actor’s repertoire of work, dominated by theatre-acting, is impressive. His role as Nayab’s brother, mentor, unyielding supporter, should prove to be one to look forward to.
Actor Usama Khan will also be making his film debut with Nayab. With a slew of TV drama hits to his credit, Usama has proven that he is one of today’s most promising young heroes. He has honed his skill over time, working with a varied range of some of TV’s finest veterans, and he and Yumna Zaidi seem to make a refreshing, youthful pair from what one sees of them in the trailer at least.
There is no doubt, though, that more than anything else, the film revolves around Nayab. The success of the movie rests on Yumna Zaidi’s shoulders – they are very capable shoulders, after all!
Nevertheless, actors depend on their directors to narrate the story in the best possible way. Nayab’s story, written by Ali Abbas Naqvi of Laal Kabootar fame, seems to be a unique one, peppered with humor and action. It remains to be seen whether director Umair Nasir Ali will be able to maintain the story’s pace so that it manages to give a cinematic feel rather than veer towards the slower narratives that we associate with dramas.
A movie revolving around sports rather than the usual narrative of romance is a brave endeavor. It is a ‘nayab’ concept – one that hasn’t surfaced in Pakistani cinema for a while. Then again, in a country obsessed with cricket, a movie revolving around this particular sport also makes sense.
‘Naam yaad rakhna’, urges the tagline accompanying the movie’s title. Come January next year, perhaps Nayab will truly prove to be memorable.
What do you think?