Manto (film)

Manto

Film name including man face with six women faces.

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sarmad Khoosat
Produced by Babar Javed
Screenplay by Shahid Nadeem
Based on Sadat Hassan Manto
Starring
Music by Jamal Rahman
Cinematography Khizer Idrees
Edited by Kashif Nawazish Kashif
Sarmad Khoosat
Production
company
A & B Entertainment
Distributed by Geo Films
Release dates
  • September 11, 2015 (2015-09-11)[1]
Running time
 127 minutes
Country Pakistan
Language Urdu
Box office Rs5.05 crore (US$0.50 million) [2]

Manto (Urdu: منٹو‎) is a 2015 Pakistani biographical drama film based on the life of Pakistani short-story writer Sadat Hassan Manto, starring Sarmad Khoosat in the title role.[3] It was directed by Khoosat himself, produced by Babar Javed, and written by Shahid Nadeem, whose screenplay was adapted from Manto's short stories,[4] particularly "Thanda Gosht", Madari", "License", "Hatak" and "Peshawar Se Lahore".[5] It also depicts his relationship with singer-actress Noor Jehan.[6] The film was released on September 11, 2015, sixty years after Manto's death.[7]

The full-length official trailer was released on August 29, 2015.[8] The motion trailer along with film music was released on August 6, 2015.[9] The TV series on the life of writer entitled Main Manto with the same cast and production, initially made in 2012, was aired in December 2015.

Plot outline

The story is about a 20th-century writer, Manto (Sarmad Khoosat), who grew-up in the showbiz industry of Bombay (now Mumbai) and Lahore. It focuses the last seven years of the writer's life, during which he wrote some of his most controversial stories, such as "Thanda Gosht", "Toba Tek Singh", "License", "Upar, Neechay aur Darmiyan" and "Peshawar Se Lahore". For these, Manto had to face charges of obscenity thrice.[10]

Cast

Soundtrack

The music album was released on August 6, 2015, at a Blue Carpet event held at Nueplex Cinema, Karachi by distributors Geo Entertainment and Geo Films.[12][13] The soundtrack, including background score, sound mixing, editing and original songs, was composed by Jamal Rahman of True Brew Records.[14] Khoosat, who hired Rahman after hearing his work for Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, said, "I want to make it yours and run with it."[15] Three of the four songs are taken from famous poets, including Majeed Amjad, Mirza Ghalib and Indian Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi. One song was written by Muhammad Hanif.[16] One song of the film, sung by Ustad Salamt Ali Nazar, was neither revealed nor announced at the launch.[15] The soundtrack was praised for its classical genre, strong lyrics and soulful music composition.[17]

Track listing

No. TitleLyricsSinger(s) Length
1. "Kaun Hai Yeh Gustakh"  Majeed AmjadJaved Bashir 2:46
2. "Aah Ko Chahiye"  Mirza GhalibAli Sethi 4:12
3. "Kya Hoga"  Muhammad HanifZeb Bangash, Ali Sethi 3:44
4. "Mehram Dilaan De Mahi"  Shiv Kumar BatalviMeesha Shafi 3:54

Release

Initially the film was scheduled to release in late 2014 but was postponed due to delays in post-production.[18] The first teaser trailer was released on August 6, 2015,[19] for limited special screening.[20] The official trailer was released online on August 29, 2015.[21] Manto was released on September 11, 2015 in Pakistan under the banners of Geo Films.[22] Before theatrical release in the US, the film was screened at three of eight Ivy League institutions, including Harvard University, Columbia University, Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley between October 16 and 25.[23]

Critical reception

The film has been positively received by critics, with Dawn's Mehreen Hasan calling it "A darkly perfect biopic".[24] Blasting News' Adnan Murad stated, "With an interestingly intricate premise, 'Manto' depicts the life of an accomplished writer of the subcontinent. The movie clearly rests on the shoulders of supremely talented Sarmad, who eloquently plays Manto."[25] Galaxy Lollywood gave it 4.4 out of 5 stars, calling it "As big of a must watch for every Pakistani as perhaps Jamil Dehlavi's Jinnah was."[26] Films with Rubban labeled the film as a 'Cinematic Masterpiece'.[27]

TV series

In 2012, before developing the film, a TV series based on the life and literary work of Saadat Hassan Manto, titled Main Manto, was made. It had a total of 22 episodes and was made with the same cast and production as the film. Both the film and the television series were directed by Sarmad Khoosat, who also played the title character.[28] Playwrighter Shahid Nadeem served as a screenwriter and Babar Javed produced the serial and film under A & B Entertainment at Geo Films. The series was scheduled to release in 2012, but was put on hold for the film production.[29] The drama serial was expected to be aired in December 2017 after the release of the film.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The biopic "Manto" is releasing on 11 September". Zeeshan Mahmood. Galaxy Lollywood. August 8, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.boxofficedetail.com/view_post.php?value=5945
  3. ↑ "Manto, a film on the iconic writer". The Express Tribune. June 17, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Saadat Manto comes to life in biopic 'Manto'". The Express Tribune. June 9, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "See the literary genius brought to life in the first look of Pakistani film on Manto". Scroll.in. Aug 18, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Manto everywhere but what manto is all abou". Geo TV. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Must watch: Literary genius Manto comes to life in much-awaited biopic". Mehreen Hassan. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  8. ↑ "'Manto' trailer: The story of Pakistan's most iconic writer comes on big screen". IBN Live. September 1, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Most awaited film of the year Manto's releasing on 11th September". Geo TV. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Manto, the Film". Shabnama. November 8, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Mahira Khan in a never-seen-before avatar in Manto". The Express Tribune. August 4, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ ""Manto" features soulful songs, packing all the ingredients to be described as classic". Aag TV. August 10, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Music launch of Manto the Film". Wordpress.com. August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  14. ↑ "True Brew Records Score Sarmad Khoosat Film, 'Manto'-Soundtrack Features Meesha Shafi". Kool Mu. Zone. August 28, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  15. 1 2 "Manto's soundtrack: Weird, dark and expressionist". The Express Tribune. September 5, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Celebs at First Look Launch Event of Film 'Manto' (Pictures)". viewscraze. August 10, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Manto packs soulful soundtrack". Geo Music. April 20, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Manto' release pushed until after World Cup". Dawn news. January 14, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  19. ↑ "'Manto' set to release on Sept 11". The News. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Raising the curtain on a reclusive Manto". Tribune.pk. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Manto trailer: The biopic of Pakistani author looks as intriguing as the subject". First Post (India). September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Movie "Manto" by Geo Films to be Released in September 2015". Brand Synario. July 25, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Manto goes Ivy League". The Express Tribune. October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  24. ↑ "manto-lives-in-sarmad-khoosats-darkly-perfect-biopic-a-great-writer-gets-his-due". Dawn News. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  25. ↑ "manto-movie-review-an-upsettingly-accomplished-piece-of-art-00554455.html". Blasting News. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  26. ↑ "manto review a feather in sarmad khoosats cap a success at making him peoples manto". Galaxy Lollywood. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  27. ↑ https://filmswithrubban.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/manto-film-review/
  28. ↑ "Sarmad Sultan Khoosat is directing a new drama serial Manto". beingpakistani.com. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  29. ↑ ""Mein Manto" – a drama on Saadat Hasan Manto's life". The Express Tribune. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
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