Dukhtar

Plot

At the age of fifteen, Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz) was given in marriage to the much older tribal chieftain Daulat Khan (Asif Khan), who took her from her family in Lahore to live with him in the mountains. Now, two decades later, Daulat Khan is presented with the opportunity to make peace with rival tribe leader Tor Gul (Abdullah Jaan), and the deal is to be sealed by Tor Gul's marriage to Daulat Kahn's ten-year-old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref) in marriage. Tormented at the prospect that her daughter's life might be a repetition of her own, Allah Rakhi flees with the oblivious young girl in tow. Pursued by Daulat Khan and Tor Gul's henchmen, and knowing that she is highly conspicuous as an unaccompanied woman on a mountain road, Allah Rakhi sneaks on board a truck. When discovered she manages to get a lift for her and Zainab by initially lying to a sympathetic truck driver, Sohail (Mohib Mirza). When Sohail learns of the real reason for Allah Rakhi's flight, he is forced to decide whether he will endanger his own life to deliver mother and daughter to safety in Lahore.

Cast

Samiya Mumtaz as Allah Rakhi

Mohib Mirza as Sohail

Saleha Aref as Zainab

Asif Khan as Daulat Khan

Ajab Gul as Shehbaz Khan

Samina Ahmad as Rukhsana

Adnan Shah as Ghorzang Khan

Abdullah Jaan as Tor Gul / Hikmatullah

Omair Rana as Zarak Khan

Production

On 24 June 2014, it was announced that Geo Films had acquired the domestic distribution rights to the film. Norway's Sorfund provided the funds for the film after years of seeking funds, on which director said,

"Our local film industry is in shambles and financiers want to see masala films with women wearing almost nothing dancing and gyrating on the screen."

The film was shot entirely in Gilgit–Baltistan northern areas, included locations Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghizer and Kallar Kahar.

Marketing

On 26 June 2014, a teaser trailer was released on Vimeo by Zambeel Films.

Release

Dukhtar was premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival in Discovery section on 5 September 2014. Director Afia Nathaniel said,

The film was previously slated for 14 August 2014 release, but later Geo Films shifted the film's date back and released domestically on 18 September 2014 in 9 major cities i.e. Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot.

In October, Dukhtar was premiered in Busan Film Festival (South Korea), London Film Festival (European premiere), Films from the South (Scandinavian premiere) and São Paulo International Film Festival (Latin American premiere).

The Mara Pictures has acquired to release Dukhtar theatrically in the U.K. in April 2015.

Critical response

The film received positive reviews from all over the world.

Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film glowingly, "The story has all the makings of a great against-all-odds adventure tale, abetted by spectacular location shooting and an outcome that is never a foregone conclusion...Afia Nathaniel’s feature directing debut generates enough tension to fuel a harrowing real-life story while adding another unforgettable heroine to cinema from the region with Samiya Mumtaz’s measured portrayal of a Muslim woman taking charge of her life."

Theodora Munroe of The Upcoming gave it five stars and said, "Well-acted and beautifully written, Dukhtar thrills and stirs."

Writer Mohsin Hamid said, "Dukhtar is a wonderful, impressive film. It shows how quickly Pakistani cinema is progressing." Samina Peerzada said of young actress Saleha Aref, "The little girl in Dukhtar - a star is born." Academy award winner director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said, "Dukhtar has set a new precedent in filmmaking in Pakistan. The film's powerful narrative is met with equally strong visuals that collectively showcase what Pakistani talent is all about. I have no doubt that the story will resonate with people locally and internationally." Actress Meesha Shafi praised the film, actress and director, "Simple yet full of impact. Dukhtar highlights a subject that desperately needs attention. Sensitive yet spirited portrayal of Allah Rakkhi by Samia Mumtaz. The Pakistani landscape is shot with a beautiful eye. Afia Nathanial has arrived." Film producer Iram Parveen Bilal said, "Dukhtar is a story told with visually striking images, sensitive characters and most importantly, with a heart. I wish it all my best for its Oscar submission."

Maliha Rehman reviewed the film for "Dawn" newspaper, "Dukhtar or 'daughter' has a title that is self-explanatory to a large extent...What the title does not relay, though, are the subtle nuances that flow through the storyline, the direction that seamlessly traverses the breathtaking landscape of Northern Pakistan all the way down to urban Lahore and the acting that holds it all together. All this, coupled with a heartrending storyline, makes Dukhtar well worth the watch." She also said, "As a harbinger to the much-touted 'Revival of Pakistani Cinema', Dukhtar highlights the strengths of the industry. A strong plot, coupled with fabulous music, some very good actors and watertight direction – Dukhtar has no allusions towards Bollywood or Hollywood and it doesn't need to. With its highs and few lows, its stronger elements and faults, it's a completely Pakistani story, told from a completely Pakistani perspective; a story well-told."

Nicholas Bell of Ion Cinema reviewed the film, "Samiya Mumtaz manages to be rather mesmerizing as a soft-spoken wife that surprises herself with her own survival skills."

Dushka H Saiyid reviewed the film for Youlin Magazine, "From a country that is being swept by floods, and pushed towards anarchy, comes an indie film called Dukhtar, showcased at the International Toronto Film Festival. Making her debut with this creative offering, Afia Nathaniel has written, directed and produced Dukhtar. Like some of its recent predecessors, Khuda Kay Liye, Bol and Zinda Bhaag, it deals with a social issue. The underlying theme of this film is swara, a custom practiced in Pakistan’s northern areas, where a girl child is given away in marriage to settle a blood feud between families or tribes."

Salman Junejo reviewed the film for his The Express Tribune blog, "Rarely do movies of such calibre come along that transcend generations and provoke our greater thought process, not because of impressive visuals, A-list actors, extravagant set pieces and locales but because of its strong story-driven narrative – narrative that is deeply entrenched into the harsh realities of life, as opposed to a work of fiction." J Hurtado said that the film "finds peace and passion in the plight of the downtrodden in this remote part of the world. To reward that passion with attention and acknowledgement is the least we can do. Highly recommended."

Accolades

On 18 September the Pakistani Academy Selection committee selected Dukhtar for the Oscar consideration at 87th Academy Awards in the category Best Foreign Language Film. Nominees will be chosen on 8 January 2015, and the final list will be announced on 15 January. On being chosen as Pakistan's entry for the Academy Awards, director Nathaniel said,

"It's so overwhelming to hear about this news right after our world premiere at Toronto and during our theatrical release in Pakistan. My deep gratitude to the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee for their support and for our audiences everywhere who have embraced us so warmly."

Dukhtar was screened at the 11th South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF) on 22 November, won two awards at the festival, Best Director and Audience Award for Best Feature.

The film won Jury Special Award for Asian Cinema at Bengaluru International Film Festival.