BinRoye DT; Media Screening Reviews pg.34 onward! - Page 29

Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed starrer Bin Roye' offers a lot of glamour but very little substance.

In the case of Bin Roye " a feature film made by producers renowned for their timeless television scripts " the writer, Farhat Ishtiaque, does manage to extract a wholesome plot out of her novel. Unfortunately, she doesn't give us reason enough to stay through the film.

Saba, played by the lovely Mahira Khan, sights an Eid ka chaand and makes a wish. Her elaborately-decorated house comes off as one hosting a wedding rather than the pre-Eid setting written in the script and it is here that we first see Humayun Saeed, in the role of Irtiza. Saba and Irtiza are first cousins who moonlight as best friends. To make her wishes come true, boy takes girl out for some shopping and from thenceforth, their chemistry evolves in a series of montages and songs culminating in Irtiza shifting to the US. And so, the plot begins to unravel in true Momina Duraid fashion: an excess of close-ups and beauty shots.

Right at the start, we are introduced to too much in too short a time and sometimes too less for too long. This uneven pace grants viewers little space to breathe and by the time one acclamitises to the budding romance between Saba and Irtiza, they are already focused on the latter's impending exit. In contrast, some powerful scenes " such as the one where Saba takes off her jewelry and curses God for her ill-fate " are stretched beyond limits.

Arguably, the editor is partly at fault here but much of the blame lies with the writer. The script is weak, with few clear motivations for the characters and their actions. It seems to throw around the idea of death casually, considering that three significant characters are killed off without much ado. Furthermore, apart from Irtiza, who is repeatedly addressed as a man above 30, the age of the rest of the cast remains indeterminate.

Nonetheless, the actors deserve a great round of applause for churning out their very best with what they have been given " which is barely anything. After all, one can't expect much from even the dialogues of a film where the ice-breaker lines include "Yeh tumhari billi hai?" Mahira, in particular, adds much-needed zeal and symmetry to a character with only one ambition in life: to fulfill the dreams of her love interest. Where there is room, she breaks out from an otherwise hollow character and gives tangent to Saba's journey, making her agony felt on the screen. We anxiously await the day Pakistani actors are given something more impactful to play with. For Mahira, it happened neither in Bol, nor in Bin Roye and we can only hope her next release, Ho Man Jahan, gets it right.

Javed Sheikh is effervescent in his hackneyed role of the wise, old father figure but his better half, played by the graceful Zeba Bakhtiar, is a tad bit rusty. Junaid Khan must be given due recognition for his powerful cameo. Humayun, on the other hand, puts a huge damper on things. Only the Almighty can help him learn how to cuddle a baby on screen! His bland performance elicits little more than exasperated sighs from the audience, despite 20 years of experience in the industry. Similarly, the sundry dance sequences are ambitious but stiff as well.

All in all, Bin Roye is Pakistan's rendition of a masala film sans any great strokes of genius. A direct evolution of our seriels, the film will be consumed much like fast food: you will fill up inside, only to realise later you didn't eat anything healthy. Also don't buy the title; the film has too much rona dhona for it to be called Bin Roye'.

Verdict: Bin Roye can vary between being a cringe-worthy experience to a paisa vasool film. If you enjoy Pakistan drama then watch the film or just go see your extended family this Eid.

5/2.5

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2015.

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Bin Roye's premiere held last night (July 13th, 2015) at Nueplex Cinemas. The entire setup was done very beautifully with my favorite motiyas and pretty backdrops. The night was star studded. Along with the star cast of Bin Roye; Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed & Armeena Khan, different celebrities were spotted. Behroz Subzwari with son Shahroze Subzwari and daughter-in-law Syra Shahroze were also there to support brother (and uncle) Javed Shaikh. Bushra Ansari, Imran Abbas, Angelina Malik also dropped by to show support for the cast and the movie.

Mahira Khan is playing the lead role as Saba, while Humayun Saaed is playing her cousin's role (as Irtiza). Javed Shaikh and Zeba Bakhtiar plays Mahira's (Saba's) parents role. Armeena Khan is playing Saman (sister of Mahira Khan).

Here are the reasons why I think you should watch Bin Roye:

1) Mahira Khan

If you have missed out some Mahira Khan's dose post-Humsafar, then you'll surely love this movie. A huge chunk of the movie is focused on Mahira Khan (Saba) who is a very happy soul and she's lovestruck!

2) Locations and breathtaking Scenic views

From what I have heard, a major part of the movie was shot in Pakistan (Karachi), some of the scenes were also shot in San Francisco. So if you've a wanderlust romantic soul, you'd love the movie just for the locations and those mersmerizing views!

3) Balle Balle is the new London Thumukda!

Okay, i know that's a little exaggeration. But the songs unexpectedly were pretty good. Balle balle stole the show for me (out of all the numbers). While Maula Maula remained the second favorite because.. Abida Parveen. No questions asked!

4) Support #PakistaniCinema

Let's be honest. We all want our Entertainment industry to grow and flourish. From last 2 years, there has been a changing trend in the movies being produced in Pakistan. Starting from Khuda Ke Liye, we have been gifted a new era which will definitely bring the doomed film industry back to it's glory. So if you're not a fan of either of the star casts, I'd still urge you to go and watch the movie because we should support Pakistani cinema!

5) Upcoming Drama Series?

Some of you would already know that Bin Roye is movie adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's novel Bin Roye Aansoo. So if you're an avid reader and you always prefer books over movies and yet end up watching movie adaptations of your favorite picks (because you can't help it), then you should get yourself a ticket. Also, did i mention that HUM TV is soon going to do a Drama series on the same novel? Yes. You heard that right!

Did i mention apart from the locations, what i LOVED most about the movie was the dresses? Designers who did dresses for the movie are: Sania Maskatiya, Feeha Jamshed, Elan, Deepak Perwani, Jazib Qamar, Labels & Bonanza.

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There are a few things which you will obviously notice while watching the movie. Bin Roye like any other movie comes with loopholes and imperfections. Let's talk about a few, shall we?

1) We all know how difficult it is to do justice to the books but here we are facing a totally different story. There was a lack of harmony in the scenes. Everything was happening very abruptly. I like my mango shake and my movies quite blended.

2) Everyone will be confused in the first half of the movie. 50 minutes in the movie and you'd still be watching Mahira going gaga over her cousin brother (who she's in love with).

3) Humayun Saeed is no doubt a brilliant actor but I believe he should have been given more attention in the movie. Also, Humayun goes abroad for 2 years (It is still not clear why he actually went there. "It's good for his career" is all he said in the movie). No other relevance was shown when he flew abroad. Job? Study? What exactly were you there for?

4) As i mentioned earlier, a little more detail and focus on the characters would have helped in character development properly. Supporting casts were also given very few dialogues. Oh and who is that guy who is always accompanying Irtiza to and back from the airport? Still unknown.

5) First half was a little slow. However, second half put up the pace and while some scenes were shot brilliantly, there were some hazy/blurry details too.

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Ratings:

Music 4/5

Eye Candy 4/5

Direction 3/5

Overall 3/5

If you are looking to take out your family on Eid somewhere, this movie could do the trick. So If you have watched the movie or planning to watch it, do share your feedback. :)

For updates regarding pictures, stay tuned (I'll update this space soon).

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Bin Roye cast at the premiere of the film

KARACHI: What an emotional roller coaster ride! Bin Royechurns out pure, raw emotions of love, hate, anger and passion onscreen - owing purely to the brilliant performance of the cast.

The premiere of the film was held on Monday amid much fanfare and was attended by the who's who of the Pakistani entertainment industry. Everyone seemed to be having a good time which only means one thing: Bin Roye is set to take the box office by storm.

Mahira Khan is a powerhouse of talent, there's no doubt about that. Her acting brought the audience to tears. She was brilliant. And portrays her character with great panache. From Humsafar to Bin Roye, Mahira has come a long way and it was evident from the level of applaud and cheers heard in the cinema that she has captured the hearts of the audience.

"Mahira looks amazing and acts brilliantly. You can tell she is ready to take on Bollywood. She is the saving grace of the movie even though the storyline of the film suffered from too many loopholes," said Ali Najib, a movie enthusiast present at the premiere.

Humayun Saeed's role is a little awkward to say the least. But there's no doubt that he acts well in the film and swept the audience off their feet with his charm.

The film touches upon love but never spurs emotions or scenes which leave you feeling uncomfortable or at unease.

But let's get to the crux of the story; the plot lacks depth. Although the storyline is not unheard of in our part of the world, it is a bit cringe-worthy. Good storylines are usually woven together with one thread, however Bin Roye lacks that common thread for a number of reasons.

"Bin Roye certainly had its weak moments but its catchy music and Mahira Khan's stellar performance undeniably made up for most, if not all of them. Even a guy could relate to Saba's internal conflicts and despair," said one movie buff.

Two redeeming factors of this romantic drama are the music and acting which were outclass. Everybody left the cinema humming tunes to their favourite songs in the film.

"Chan Chariye was a good, catchy song," said Hassan Ansari, an avid moviegoer.

After the premiere was over the makers of the film jokingly apologised about there being no item song in the film, however an item song does not break or make the film, in fact Bin Roye does not need an item song, it doesn't need distractions like item numbers to destroy the appeal of the film.

As one movie lover aptly put it "it's a good film but Mahira stole the show".

BIN ROYE was premiered in Karachi last night at Neuplex. Good to see the revival of Pakistani cinema. Mahira khan is not only blessed with beauty but also is an extremely talanted actress. Her preformance in the movie is outstanding. Congratulations HUM Network

Bin Roye Movie Review: A Pure Family Drama

HUM TV has finally premiered its most awaited movie Bin Roye, featuring the gorgeous Mahira Khan as Saba, Humayun Saeed as Irtiza and Pakistani-Canadian actress Armeena Rana Khan as Saman. Mahira, who had given two years of her life to this movie, has shown great acting skills, especially during emotional scenes after the interval. Humayun, though looks a little older, but is not a bad choice for those who have read Farhat Istiaq's novel. As for new-comer Armeena Rana, she did justice with her supporting role in the movie. The movie is a pure family drama with romance, some suspense and many emotions. It is about Saba's lost love, regrets, and reunion with Irtiza.

The movie is a pure family drama with romance, some suspense and many emotions. It is about Saba's lost love, regrets, and reunion with Irtiza.

Bin Roye cast along with Producer/Director Momina Duraid at the Premier in Karachi

Kehtey Hain Eid Ka Chand Dekh Kar Jo Dua Mango, Wo Puri Hojati Hai,' says Saba. Bus Jo Mera Hai, Wo Mera Hi Rahey,' she wishes. The very first scene of the movie depicts Chand Raat in Pakistan, a night with lots of colors and happenings around Saba and Irtiza. With this part, the movie beautifully portrays the colourful culture of Pakistan.

Saba is still a teenager while Irtiza is stepping into his thirties. Despite of their age difference, they share strong chemistry. But, this chemistry does not turn into a love story as Bin Roye takes its first twist and Irtiza goes abroad and falls in love with Saman, the elder sister of Saba. The rest of the story is about Saba's lost love, her obsession, hopelessness and regrets.

"Bin roye is a romantic emotional roller coaster which takes much time to reach its destination," writes Danish Mughal, a veteran blogger & founder of Pakium.com . "Mahira Khan stands out with her stunning performance..." he adds.

"Bin roye is a romantic emotional roller coaster which takes much time to reach its destination," writes Danish Mughal, a veteran blogger.

"We all know how difficult it is to do justice to the books but here we are facing a totally different story. There was a lack of harmony in the scenes. Everything was happening very abruptly. I like my mango shake and my movies quite blended," Sadiya Azhar, another blogger from Karachi writes in her blog.

Watch: Ballay Ballay OST Bin Roye By Shiraz Uppal and Harshdeep Kaur

The reason behind things happening abruptly seems the number of directors. Reportedly, Bin Roye is directed by as many as 6 directors at different stages. But, despite this transitional issue, it succeeds to catch the attention of viewers because of Mahira Khan, strong music and breathtaking locations and shots.

Also watch: Teray Bina Jeena song OST Bin Roye featuring Mahira Khan and Humayoun Saeed

A strange yet very interesting thing about Bin Roye music is that despite of big names like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Sheeraz Uppal and Zeb Bangush, Ankit Tiwari's O Yara' stands out. A good number of viewers were heard singing O Yara after the premier in Karachi. Balle Balle, Tere Bin Jeena and Maula Maula were also being discussed after the first show.

Bin Roye is releasing on this Eid ul Fitr in Pakistan and on 17th July in India. We highly recommend our visitors to watch it once in Cinema.

Movie Rating:

Acting 4/5 (0.5 extra because of Mahira Khan)

Direction 3/5

Music 4/5

Overall 3.5/5