Initially meant to be released on writer Faseeh Bari Khan’s YouTube channel called Kabaar-Khaana, the short film ‘Gulzar’ will now be premiering at a festival in Karachi called Aks International Minorities Festival. Keeping under consideration the fact that ‘Gulzar’ revolves around some tabooed topics and takes on narratives of people residing in the red-light area of Lahore city, its inclusion in a minority festival seems to be an apt decision.
While numerous documentaries exist on what happens in notorious localities like Heera Mandi, dramatists usually keep themselves at a distance from the issue, especially owing to the restrictions that come with being a screen-writer in Pakistan. As a result, the stories of people living over there fail to receive the limelight.
The short film, starring Tamkenat Mansoor in the lead role, will be shown on December 24, which will be the first day of the three-day long festival continuing till December 26. The writer, Faseeh Bari Khan ecstatically announced the news with a special invite for the people of Karachi who formulate an essential portion of Pakistan’s showbiz fraternity.
The short film, as earlier told by Khan in an exclusive interview to Daily Minute Mirror, will also be probing into the lives the Trans community, thus simultaneously hinting at multiple taboos of the society.
