Dukhtar

Last year's Waar made headlines everywhere because of the jingoistic message it brought. Dukhtar (Daughter) has so far been quite a mellow affair, partly because of its dealing with the poignant issue of child marriage in Pakistan's rural areas.

Shot absolutely beautifully in the North of the country, it is a story about the fierce love of a mother who is not about to give off her young daughter's hand in marriage to settle a tribal dispute.

One of the best things about this movie is that it doesn't get monotonous. The director, Afia, does an excellent job in keeping the story fast-paced with a load of twists and turns despite the relatively banal topic of the flick.

Acting-wise, I was impressed with all the performances except probably that of Mohib Mirza, the truck driver from Punjab. I think he wasn't the right-fit for the role because he visibly struggles to generate that Punjabi pang expected from him. However, this shouldn't be a hindrance in watching the film because the dialog is carried more than aptly by the rest of the cast.

The songs are refreshing, which brings me to another good point about the film; they don't last for an eternity and just are fleeting occurrences during scenes to accentuate the emotions.

All in all, Dukhtar is easily the best film to come out of Pakistan in 2014. It might not see the commercial success of Waar but it's story is infinitely better. A must see.

"Can I walk on the rainbow? " Dukhtar in Urdu means Daughter.

This was a Pakistan's official entry to the 87th Oscar.

A mother's struggle to keep her daughter away from a life of pains and sufferings that she too has undergone and not to let anything impede her dreams ... although it fails to hold the pieces together and lacks the depth that the story demands, but the exquisite cinematography and acting esp by Mumtaz who plays the protagonist compensate for the cliche tropes and make this movie nearly a great watch...

I heard of this movie in 2014 and it has Thrown a decent trailer back then, As i know Dukhtar (Daughter) has not much publicity at the time. i didn't expect much from from it. So when it came out i haven't Go to theater to see this movie and i didn't heard of this movie from any friend, until i saw in the news paper that this movie gained such selection in several film festival also good ratings and positive reviews. by the time it was long gone from theater. so i waited for it come out on DVD/Blu-ray and finally it has arrived. and when i saw it I just really surprised that they made such movie with magnificent Performance by actors/Actress and an amazing soundtrack with excellent Direction. I mean the shooting angle and screenplay are really impressive. I know Most of the people doesn't know about it or they just simply don't wanna see a Drama movie. This movie is really a good one!

Dukhtar (دختر) "Daughter" is a new entry in emerging independent Pakistani Cinema. I was expecting it would be 3 hrs flick and first half of the movie will be based on the issues of "Dushmani" and "Jirga" and second half 'll be about their escape.

But Director concluded the "Dushmani" issue in first 15/20 minutes. (Thank You Afia Nathaniel).

Then we came across the astonishing beauty of northern areas of Pakistan...the mountains...The Ford Truck...Karakorum Highway....Plateaus...great frames and great colors filled with thrill of situation...innocence of characters...reality based sounds....

Seems...you are enjoying....but suddenly it ended....means film ended in a very unclear way....Therefore I said plot is weak.

Acting of Samiya Mumtaz (اللہ رکھی) is really good. Supporting characters also played well (Ajab Gull, Mohib Mirza).

Overall a good effort and good movie for art lover and serious audience. (Not just for sake of entertainment)

Dukhtar (2014), directed by Afia Nathaniel, is a quiet but powerful feminist thriller that reveals the lengths a mother will go to protect her daughter from patriarchal violence. This film is set in the rugged mountains of Pakistan and follows Allah Rakhi and her daughter in their journey to escape from being forced into a child marriage. This film deals with generational trauma and shows Allah Rakhi's relentless attempt to prevent her daughter from enduring the same pain she suffered from as a child involved in child marriage.

One of the most compelling elements of Dukhtar is the way that the story unfolds with minimal dialogue and relies mainly on powerful visuals for storytelling. The Director Afia Nathaniel chooses to implement visuals like barren landscapes, vast skies, and barren landscapes to reflect Allah Rakhi's fierce will to break free from the patriarchal norms that oppress them. This film emphasizes female agency and sacrifice while keeping Allah Rakhi's resistance quite maternal, quiet, and deeply human.

While this film is steeped in tension as Allah Rakhi and her daughter's lives are in danger throughout the entire film, it never veers into melodrama. This properly highlights the very real danger that these women face in their journey to avoid the oppressive system they were involuntarily born into. Nathaniel lets the suspense build through long silences and urgent glances, giving viewers the chance to experience similar sensations as the women in the story and also women who go through this situation in real life.

Dukhtar's breathtaking cinematography and heart-wrenching performances make it a testament to love, courage, and the power of a woman determined to end the cycle of patriarchal oppression to rewrite her daughter's fate and disobey tradition.