Raat Chali Hai Jhoom Ke

The film is the only Pakistani film I have seen that attempts to portray the reality of modern-day urban life in that country. A study of urban alienation and the reality of the city of Karachi, the film is a homage to Scorsese's After Hours rather than a rip-off. In fact, Scorsese gets a thank you credit as well. A truly biting script captures the flavor of the spoken language and of politics in Pakistan, and the performances (esp of the lead actor and actress) are refreshingly free of the melodrama that characterize most films from the subcontinent. I saw the film with a mixed crowd of Pakistanis, Indians and Americans in New York and they all seemed to really enjoy the dark humor of the film. Apparently made on a shoestring budget by a first-time director, the technical quality of the film is still way above the usual quality of films from Pakistan's so-called "Lollywood." The aesthetics and sensibility of the film put it high on my list of recommended films. Definitely required viewing for anyone wishing to see Pakistan and Karachi in a new perspective!