After a long four years of hard work, the first feature film in the Balochi language, “Doda,” is scheduled to hit theatres this year. The unforeseen Covid-19 caused a delay in the release of the film, which was set to be screened earlier in theatres on April 10th, 2020.

As part of Sidra Iqbal’s special Eid Show on Aaj Pakistan, the movie stars Shoaib Hassan and Abila Kurd honored us with their presence. They promoted their film, which is going to be seen in Pakistani theatres in the fall. They emphasized how significant this release is because Balochi culture is frequently overlooked in the nation and that it is an honor to be able to represent it in this way. Hassan said “the fact that our language is being represented is a huge respect for us, this has never happened, its the first time. I pray this film is a hit, I hope people go watch it, it’s a great story.”

Hassan, who portrays the male lead and protagonist, has previously worked on several local web series and will shortly release a music video. Abila has worked in theatre extensively around Sindh and has recorded a few voiceovers with Doda director Adil Bazanjo.

The Layari and Gadani neighborhoods of Karachi are where the movie was filmed. The story follows Doda’s journey, a former boxer from a tiny town as he attempts to learn from his past mistakes and retrace his steps. Sidra said “it’s a contemporary movie, and if you go to Layari, people over there are extremely passionate about boxing and football and have a lot of talent” this film plays a huge role in capturing that.

Hassan went on to say “there are a lot of boxers, footballers, and other sports players with a lot of talent but they do not have resources or sponsors that can bring them forward and highlight them” All in all, the movie tries to give a message by saying that despite having a strong passion for something, it can occasionally fall short owing to other obligations and a lack of opportunities, but that there is always a way to turn hardship into possibility. Sidra also commented on the stars’ on-screen chemistry saying “it didn’t seem like it was your first feature film”

Hassan then talked about the physical changes he had to make in order to maintain his character. He said “when you take training for boxing then dieting is out of the question because the training is very hard” “I remember losing around six kg in three months whilst training” He talked about how challenging it was, “ it was very difficult for me to do it, but I had to because it was my character“.

When asked how difficult it was for Abila to pursue her passion for acting while growing up in Layari, Abila responded by saying “it was very easy for me, I had my family’s support”. She also talked a little about her experience as a child growing up in Layari and spoke about how she enjoyed sports. “ When I was growing up, there weren’t many women athletes like there are now. I have been passionate about sports since my childhood so I would go from Layari to Nizamabad“

Additionally, a fan who had just viewed the trailer called the stars. He stated that he wanted to convey his appreciation to the stars for taking such an initiative and how pleased he is that his culture is being represented to everyone in the nation. when asked what he would want to say to everyone watching this, the caller responded by saying “a lot of talents are represented, however, Pashto and Baloch talents rarely get the chance to be promoted and they should be pushed forward and recognized” “Thank you to our stars and your channel for promoting our culture and our boxing through your show and this movie. I’ve watched the trailer countless times and I appreciate the hard work that has been put into this”

The film has been written and directed by Adil Bizanjo and produced by Habib Hasan and Imran Saqib. The film is shot in Balochi but is also expected to be dubbed in Urdu. Watch the trailer for the upcoming movie below.

We are extremely proud of the direction Pakistani cinema is taking. Giving attention to other cultures, social problems, and individuals is a promising start. Great examples of movies that have given the center stage to these include Doda, Kamli, and Joyland. More than what meets the eye, each of these films has a lot to offer the country. They tell important stories that are frequently overlooked and neglected in favor of making popular movies that appeal to the masses. We hope to see more diversity in the film industry soon.

Watch the interview below