As the star cast heads down to Dubai tonight for the movie premiere, Dubaibliss.com bring you the first look of “Main Hoon Shahid Afridi”.
Cast: Humayun Saeed, Noman Habib, Javed Shaikh, Nadeem Baig, Ismail Tara, Shafqat Cheema,
Director: Syed Ali Raza Usama
Genre(s): Drama, Sport
Run Time: 156 Minutes
Rating: 3.4/5
A huge star cast assembled for Main Hoon Shahid Afridi; a story of a young man’s (Noman Habib) quest of becoming the next Shahid Afridi rests on the shoulder’s of an experienced cricketer (Humayun Saeed), who is needed to coach a team of amateurs in a major cricket tournament. The technical aspects of the film leave room for improvement, but on the whole, an enjoyable film with plenty of twists and turns.
Humayun Saeed is a respected cricketer and pride of the family. His life changes dramatically when he is arrested by Dubai police, who raid his hotel room to find him drunk and in possession of illegal drugs. The incident brings an end to his cricketing career and shuts him out from the lives of his family. Elsewhere, in his hometown of Sialkot, Noman Habib, a young man with passion for cricket, has a dream of becoming the next cricketing superstar – Shahid Afridi.
Ismail Tara, owner of an amateur cricket club for who Habib plays, approaches Saeed with an offer to coach his cricket club in a prestigious cricket tournament. Will Saeed accept the invitation? Will Habib go on to become the next Afridi?
The film nicely executes the adrenaline packed cricket game: the dressing room bust-ups, the sledging, the handbags in the press conference, and the passion of the cricketing fans. Luckily, the film takes you swiftly through the cricket games, without dragging or boring the audience. Javed Shaikh gives a brief but exceptional performance, along with Shafqat Cheema and Nadeem Baig. Ismail Tara is hilarious and his performance is sure likely to standout, while Humayun Saeed appears comfortable in his role. Noman Habib’s naivety is visible, but he manages to convey the director’s vision really well. There are some noticeable glitches in the lighting and editing department. And the ambiguities in the subplots may baffle the audience.
Three-point-four out of five rating for a good effort. Main Hoon Shahid Afridi is different from mainstream cinema. Don’t be in a hurry to rush off your seats and head for the exit, the climax has a surprise guest appearance in store. A good entertainer with a good narrative.
Release Date: 20 February 2014 (UAE) – Attique Rehman (DubaiBliss.com)