Na Maloom Afraad 2 is a 2017 Pakistani action comedy film, co-written and directed by Nabeel Qureshi and produced by Fizza Ali Meerza and Mehdi Ali. It is a sequel to Na Maloom Afraad (2014). The film stars Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane reprising their roles from the previous film. New additions to the cast include Marina Khan and Hania Amir. While Nayyar Ejaz, Saleem Meraj and Nazr-ul-Hassan played the main antagonists.[4]

Na Maloom Afraad 2
Theatrical release poster
Urduنا معلوم افراد 2
Directed byNabeel Qureshi
Written byNabeel Qureshi
Fizza Ali Meerza
Produced byFizza Ali Meerza
Mehdi Ali
Starring
Narrated byFahad Mustafa
CinematographyRana Kamran
Edited byAsif Mumtaz
Music byShani Arshad
Production
companies
Filmwala Pictures
Excellency Films
Distributed byUrdu1 Pictures
Overseas
Fox Star Studios
Release date
  • 2 September 2017 (2017-09-02)
Running time
125 minutes[1]
CountryPakistan
LanguageUrdu
BudgetRs. 150 million (US$520,000)[2]
Box officeRs. 210 million (US$730,000)[3]

Principal photography began in March 2017 in Karachi, and completed in May, while most shots are filmed in Cape Town.[5] Shani Arshad has composed the film score and soundtrack.[6] The film released on Eid al-Adha, 2 September 2017, under the banners of Filmwala Pictures and Excellency Films, and was distributed by Urdu 1.

Plot

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Na Maloom Afraad 2 takes place a few years after its prequel, Farhan (Fahad Mustafa), and Shakeel bhai (Jawed Sheikh) become more destitute than they were before as they lose their multinational business. The two, along with Naina (Urwa Hocane), who is now married to Farhan, are living at a construction site and just scraping by. It's when their pal Moon (Mohsin Abbas Haider) calls to announce his wedding and brings them to South Africa that the three are united. The story kicks off when a Sheikh (Nayyar Ejaz) also arrives in Cape Town with his gold commode. The Sheikh stays at a grand hotel where Moon's fiance Parri (Hania Amir) works. A criminal duo Iqbal and Thaakrey (Saleem Mairaj and Nazr ul Hassan) decide to steal the gold pot and blackmail the Sheikh but when the toilet is mixed up with Parri's wedding paraphernalia, the commode ends up in Moon's house, where the trio was staying. They plan to drop it in a street and inform police to take it, but then Farhan and Shakeel takes it and install it in their house. However, while bringing it to their house, a local criminal gang of Cape Town sees them and decide to work under Iqbal and Thaakrey. While using the toilet, Shakeel discovers that there also gems in the toilet, which they collect and hide in a jewellery set. Meanwhile, the local gang enters Moon's house and steal the toilet, but are killed by police and the pot comes in custody of police, which they later return it back to Sheikh. Iqbal and Thaakrey invade the house and stays there as they thought that the trio would return, and they will take the gems from them. However, they stayed at Parri's parents' house as they knew the criminals would come at their house. The jewellery set which contained the gems was given to Parri's mother by Moon, which they thought were kept in a safe whose code was only known to Parri's mother. Meanwhile, Parri and Naina pull up to Moon's house to get Parri's wedding dress, however, they get kidnapped by the criminal duo. The trio gets access of Sheikh's phone and keep it in car which gets traced by the police. In an attempt to save the girls, Farhan, Shakeel and Moon robs the safe and brings it to the criminal duo. However, the car was outside their base and Sheikh's phone was in the car, Sheikh traces it and reaches at their base. A massive shooting breaks out between police and gangs, in which safe gets thrown of the cliff in an ocean and the girls are rescued by the trio. After few days, Iqbal and Thaakrey are hospitalized and Sheikh gets imprisoned after his reality in revealed to police. Shakeel becomes deaf during the shooting and Moon is married to Parri. During the wedding, Parri's mother tells the couple that she forgot to put the jewellery set in the safe and it was with her whole the time. This jewellery safe contained the same gems that Sheikh was looking for. She hands them the set after which the trio gets joyed.

Cast

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Special appearance

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Production

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Development

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"We'd hopefully like to start working on a NMA sequel, but don't have a timeline in mind at present," producer Fizza Ali Meerza said after nine months of success of NMA in an interview with The Express Tribune, "We don't know if it's going to be a proper sequel or a spiritual successor through which we'll tell a different story this time".[8] At the trailer launch of the film on 21 June 2017, producer said, "NMA2 is different from NMA because it's another film altogether. It's a new film that features the same characters."[5] "Despite its connection to the previous one, NMA2 acts as a standalone film too", she added.[9] It is director-producer-duo's third film after Na Maloom Afraad (2014) and Actor in Law (2016).

Casting

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Before he flew Dubai to host PSL 2017's opening ceremony in February, Fahad Mustafa revealed to The News, "I'm working on NMA's sequel, which will be shot in South Africa".[10] Soon, Jawed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Nayyar Ejaz, Saleem Meraj and Nazr-ul-Hassan joined in too.[4] Urwa Hocane revealed in March that she has signed NMA2 as her one of the four films in the year;[11] thus making the cast similar as was in NMA.[12][13]

Hania Amir's name was revealed in April,[14] "Ever since I saw Actor in Law I became a huge Nabeel Qureshi fan [… that] I'd love to work with this director and then a week after that I was being asked to come for NMA2." she revealed about her role in interviews with Brandsynario, The Express Tribune and Dawn Images, "[… When] I got to know that they were trying to get in touch with me so, I instantly replied and said yes to the project."[15][16]

After completing the filming, the director revealed to Dawn Images that Marina Khan is also making her film debut, "she has already shot her scenes in the film, the mother of Hania Amir's character."[17] Khan commented, "Parwaaz Hai Junoon was supposed to be my first film, since I signed it first, but NMA2 is releasing earlier so I guess this is my debut".[18]

Sheikh shared with The News, "I absolutely love traveling", as he had to work in many films that required travelling including this film.[19] Also, Haider told Dawn Images that he transformed his body in a six-pack look within just one-and-a-half-month for the film.[20]

Filming

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Filming began in March 2017 in Karachi.[21][22] "We've shot nearly the whole film in Cape Town, South Africa, so it will be visually very interesting."[5] said the director Nabeel Qureshi at trailer launch, "Everything you see on screen has been done by a Pakistani." He further said, "We purchased a new Alexa camera for the film; this is the first Pakistani film to have been shot on it. We just got our sound engineering done from India, but everything else has been done by us".[18] Filming wrapped up in May 2017.[23][24] "We spent close to [Rs. 15 crore]", the director revealed at a blogger's meeting, "film's budget is also a lot bigger than the market but we are trying to make big films, to keep increasing the benchmark."[2]

Release

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The film had a premiere event on 26 August in The O2 Arena, UK; where it released on 31 August.[25] It then also premiered in Karachi Nuplex Cinema on 31 August. The film released on the festival of Eid al-Adha, 2 September 2017.[26][27][28][29]

Box office

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The film crossed Rs. 10 crore gross mark within a week of its release,[30] and collected about Rs. 16 crore in ten days of its run.[31] In its fifth weekend, the film collected Rs. 20 crore.[3] As of December 2017 The film collected has Rs 210 crores locally.

Critical response

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Rahul Aijaz of The Express Tribune rated the film 3 out of 5 stars as he felt he had seen the "film a hundred times already", commenting "no matter how funny it is, that edge is lost".[32]

Omair Alavi of Samaa TV said that the similar "may have happened before on screen but not in Pakistan". According to him, its "full-of-pun script" is the best part, while the negative part is that the plot "revolves around the commode". He felt that role of Urwa Hocane, Hania Amir and Marina Khan didn't manage to impress.[6]

Sonia Ashraf of Dawn Images praised the cinematography, but thought that the "script was the film's weakest link". She said, "The film could have easily been made in Pakistan… Despite it needing to be shorter, it was enjoyable."[33]

Khurram Zaidi of Dunya News commented, "a combination of solid comedy, fine action sequences and firm enough story to take it forward".[34]

Accolades

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Ceremony Won Nominated
17th Lux Style Awards
[35][36]
  • Jawed Sheikh – Best Supporting Actor
  • Fizza Ali Meerza – Best Film
  • Fahad Mustafa – Best Actor
  • Mohsin Abbas Haider – Best Actor
  • Nabeel Qureshi – Best Director
  • Mohsin Abbas Haider – Best Male Singer for "Heerey"
  • Aima Baig – Best Female Singer for "Kaif o Suroor"
4th Galaxy Lollywood Awards[37]
  • Mohsin Abbas Haider – Best Actor in a Supporting Role Male
  • Jawed Sheikh – Best Performance in a Comic Role
  • Aima Baig – Best Playback Singer Female for "Kaif o Suroor"
  • Sadaf Kanwal – Best Dance Performance for "Kaif o Suroor"
  • Fizza Ali Meerza – Best Film
  • Fahad Mustafa – Best Actor in a Leading Role Male
  • Nabeel Qureshi – Best Director
  • Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza – Best Story
  • "Kaif o Suroor" – Song of the Year
  • Nigah Hussain – Best Choreography for "Kaif o Suroor"

Broadcast rights

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The broadcast rights of the film were sold to Urdu1 & Star Gold Middle East .

Online streaming

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The streaming rights of the movie were sold to Amazon Prime Video.

Controversy

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The film was also scheduled to release in UAE on 31 August, but it was banned by UAE film censor board.[38][39] Producer Fizza Ali Meerza said to Dawn Images that this ban "will not affect [their] ways of saying things". She added, "We believe in commenting on social issues in our films".[40]

After a month of run, Punjab Film Censor Board too issued a notification against the film, that calls for its suspension in Punjab theatres, citing "persistent complaints from different quarters" as its reason. Director Nabeel Qureshi commented on this matter to Dawn Images, saying the film "already received clearance by the censor board and" released with no issues, "then ban it a month later sets a really bad precedent." "Also, the censor board issued the notification on a weekend so I couldn't even go to court to challenge immediately," he added, saying he will take the matter to the court anyway.[41] However, the film was reviewed again and ban was lifted shortly on 7 October with no issues. Producer said in a press, "we have suffered losses because of this sudden ban." She added, "If they are going to ban films without solid justification, it's going to affect everyone involved in Pakistani cinema."[3]

Soundtrack

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Na Maloom Afraad 2
Soundtrack album by
Released7 August 2017
Recorded2016–2017
GenreFilmi Soundtrack
Length14:12
LabelSony BMG Music Entertainment
ProducerFizza Ali Meerza
Mehdi Ali
Shani Arshad chronology
Actor in Law
(2016)
Na Maloom Afraad 2
(2017)
Singles from Na Maloom Afraad 2
  1. "Heerey"
    Released: 16 September 2017

A promotional music video "Heerey", starring Mohsin Abbas Haider, was released on 16 September. It was directed by Kamran Lodhi, while videography was done by Faraz Ahmed Sheikh.[42] The soundtrack album was released by Filmwala Pictures on 7 August 2017 via online musical platform Taazi.[43]

All music is composed by Shani Arshad

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Kaif o Suroor"Sabir ZafarAima Baig[44]4:14
2."Chal Hug Ley"Shani Arshad, Nabeel Qureshi, Fizza Ali MeerzaJabar Abbas, Shani Arshad4:09
3."Nach Nach"Mohsin Abbas HaiderShani Arshad3:05
4."Heerey"Mohsin Abbas HaiderMohsin Abbas Haider2:44
Total length:14:12

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Na Maloom Afraad 2 (ME Cinemas)". Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b Manal Faheem Khan (10 August 2017). "Talking money with Nabeel Qureshi". The News. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Rahul Aijaz (7 October 2017). "'Na Maloom Afraad 2' banned, previewed and cleared again in Punjab". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b "'Na Maloom Afraad 2' to release on Eid-ul-Azha". Dunya News. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Irfan ul Haq (22 June 2017). "Na Maloom Afraad 2 trailer is out now". Dawn Images. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b Omair Alavi (1 September 2017). "Na Maloom Afraad return with a bang". Samaa TV. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  7. ^ "Sadaf Kanwal is performing a dance number in Na Maloom Afraad 2". Dawn Images. 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  8. ^ Hasan Ansari (4 July 2015). "Na Maloom Afraad to hit the road again". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  9. ^ Rahul Aijaz (23 June 2017). "Na Maloom Afraad 2: The sequel we've been waiting for". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  10. ^ Manal Faheem Khan (12 February 2017). "Fahad Mustafa talks, honestly". The News on Sunday. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Urwa Hocane signs Na Maloom Afraad sequel". Dawn Images. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Urwa Hocane's new look for 'Na Maloom Afraad 2' goes viral on internet". Dunya News. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Urwa Hocane's new look for Na Maloom Afraad sequel unveiled". Samaa TV. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  14. ^ Ghazala Sulaiman (5 April 2017). "Hania Amir Joins the Lead Cast of Na Maloom Afraad 2 ft. Fahad Mustafa & Urwa Hocane!". Brandsynario. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  15. ^ Rahul Ijaz (6 April 2017). "It was my dream just to work at McDonald's: Hania Aamir". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
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  22. ^ Bismah Ahmed (27 March 2017). "Pakistani Movie Na Maloom Afraad 2 Begins Filming in Karachi". Very Filmi. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  23. ^ Ghazala Sulaiman (20 June 2017). "Na Maloom Afraad 2: Cast, Trailer, Release Date & Poster". Brandsynario. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  24. ^ Madiha Yameen (13 May 2017). "Mohsin Abbas Haider Discusses 'Na Maloom Afraad 2'". Hip in Pakistan. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  25. ^ Raj Baddhan (12 August 2017). "'Na Maloom Afraad 2' set for UK premiere & release this month". BizAsia. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
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