''Gunjal'' is a 2023 Pakistani action

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

thriller film inspired by the true story of a Pakistani child labour activist Iqbal Masih, who led a movement against

child labour Child labour is the exploitation of children through any form of work that interferes with their ability to attend regular school, or is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such exploitation is prohibited by legislation w ...

in 1990s before his tragic murder. The film is directed by Shoaib Sultan, produced by Nighat Akbar Shah and written by Nirmal Bano and Ali Kazmi. Zonaib Zahid and Xarb are the music directors, while the background score is performed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Qamar Parvi, Mobeen Zahid and Zonaib Zahid. It features Ahmed Ali Akbar, Resham,

Amna Ilyas Amna Ilyas () is a Pakistani film and television actress, and model. She is the younger sister of models Salma Ilyas and Uzma Ilyas. Amna began her modeling career at the age of twenty, and a few years later, she moved on to acting in 2013. She ...

and

Ahmad Ali Butt Ahmad Ali Butt () is a Pakistani actor, comedian, keyboardist, rapper, singer-songwriter, voice actor and television host. Early life and family background Ahmad Ali Butt was born on 6 March 1976 in Karachi into a family of Kashmiri ancestry. ...

in leading roles. The film release on 15 December 2023.

Plot

The film revolves around the traverse the journalistic odyssey of Shahbaz Bhatti, a relentless seeker of truth, as he immerses himself in the intricate investigation surrounding the lamentable demise of Iqbal Masih. Iqbal, a courageous child activist, had ardently and fearlessly battled against the pervasive practice of child labor in the tumultuous landscape of 1990s Pakistan. Bhatti's quest unfurls against the backdrop of a society ensconced in hidden secrets, where the palpable tension of concealed truths interweaves with the complexities of intricate conspiracies. The film artfully peels back the layers, inviting the audience to navigate through the labyrinthine corridors of a world fraught with shadows and half-revealed realities. As the story unfolds, it invites viewers into a nuanced exploration of not only the investigative process but also the socio-political milieu that shrouded Iqbal's activism. The poignant narrative delves into the depths of a society grappling with its own dichotomies, making each revelation a poignant brushstroke on the canvas of a larger, more profound story.

Cast

* Ahmed Ali Akbar as Shahbaz Bhatti * Resham as Sarwat Rehman *

as Mehar * Syed Muhammad Ali as Irfan Masih *

as Salman Habib * Razia Malik as Maryam Bibi * Arham Khan as Iqbal *

Omair Rana Omair Tahir Rana (born 31 January 1978) is a Pakistani actor and theatre director. He also directs plays in educational institutes, notably ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'' (2014) and ''Life of Galile ...

as Daily Payam Editor * Samiya Mumtaz as Najma * Ali Aftab Saeed as Mazhar * Fahad Hashmi as Hawaldar * Ahsen Murad as Arshad * Habiba Sufyan as Saba * Munir Khan as Ejaz Ullah * Syed Tanveer Hussain as Nadeem * Sardar Nabeel as Pervaiz * Ebtisam Mustafa as Luqman

Production

Development and Filming

In April 2023, it was reported that Ahmed Ali Akbar working on an upcoming project which is based on the Social issues of Children's and which is produced by Nighat Akbar Shah. The primary film shooting took place in

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

and Rural areas of Pakistan.

Release

Trailer for the film released on 30 September 2023. The film is set to release on 15 December 2023 in Nationwide and Internationally. The film also made a pre-launch event on 20 November 2023 at UMT University,

on the occasion of

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

Notes

References

External links

*
Gunjal Official website
Pakistani action films 2020s Urdu-language films Urdu-language Pakistani films 2023 films {{Pakistan-film-stub