Manto

I must applaud the producers for investing in a project like MANTO, for giving Sarmad Sultan Khoosat the time he needed to finalize this masterpiece.

Manto is intense, gripping, sincere, soul-stirring, deep and unforgettable. Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and Shahid Nadeem have pleaded Manto's case with the utmost clarity and honesty. Sarmad Sultan Khoosat wanted this film to 'disturb' the audience and I must say that those people who were not expecting this film to be this intense were truly disturbed by the experience. I, on the other hand did not expect a film based on Manto's life and work to be like any other commercial film therefore I was impressed to watch a very well put together introduction to Manto's writings, why he was not like many other people and writers of his time, an insightful glimpse into his family life and also a deeper understanding of the main motivation behind Manto's writings. Sarmad Sultan Khoosat has definitely made me understand Manto and after watching the film I am convinced that Manto was just as flawed and as much of a human as anyone else but he was not a hypocrite.

All of Manto's stories which have been narrated in the film have been translated on screen in an impeccable manner. Every single narrative is touching and different from the other. Most of them focus on men and women's relationships with each other and how society perceives women. There is a good reason why it took Sarmad Khoosat two years to edit this film – Manto covers every aspect of Manto's life.

Overall Manto is pure genius; it deserves to be watched over and over again. All the songs in the film have been beautifully sung and composed and have some relevance or the other to the happenings in the film. All these songs are a tribute to some of the most admired poets in Urdu literature. This film was definitely worth the wait!

Manto the movie is a biography of the most controversial writer, for me he was a SLAP on the so called civilized society, which wears cloths but actually naked!!!!! As they are born. Sarmad Sultan Khosat who is he!!!!!! Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Amitab, Amir Khan , Peter Jackson, Karan Johar, no he is a Pakistani and he proves with a master stroke, and believe me the topic he chooses for his first movie was difficult, sensitive, controversial, addicted!!!!! It is very difficult to show someone half naked and yet to explain what you really want to tell. Sarmad has done it, just like 2 great deliveries of Sshoiab in Calcutta Test vs India, when he bowled Tendulker and Dravid , Stunned!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same is the case with Manto the movie. Oscar goes to Sarmad for his brilliant acting, in some scenes literally sarmad shakes you from toe to head. MANTO explains the short stories by the Manto, what ever Manto wrote was a hard bitter truth , Manto was confused, selfish, addicted but a man who exposed the real face of Civilized society. Sarmad has done his character with such a class that really overshadows all the other characters, in the movie. When movie starts you see Manto and when ends you remember Manto only. You will love Manto , you will hate Manto but you cannot ignore him. This is the beauty of the film. Pakistan cinema has definitely being turnaround and what a great come back it is, its getting better day by day, with Manto the bar has raised more higher. Sarmad graduated from NCA Lahore clearly depicts the brand name and the brilliant artistic value of NCA. So in nutshell it's a hard hitting movie, very complex and hard to digest, but in fact a naked reality which will remain in this universe till the universe remains. Tum kitna Manto maaro gay her ghar se Manto nikla ga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The movie portrays suffering, struggling for survival and the uncongenial circumstances faced by the writer during the post partition seven years.

Manto's life has been depicted in such a way that will make you feel the real color of his life descent into a dark pit hole of the irony of fate. The film features with drama, reflection of love, empathy and tragedy replete in a callous fabric of reality from the bygone days. The plot revolves around Manto's most controversial fictional works that caused him faced allegations of propagating obscenity.

The Babar Javed presentation 'Manto' has been directed by the versatile artist Sarmad Sultan Khosat also playing the central role as Manto. The way he adopted and portrayed the character of Manto will surely make the viewers forget that it is merely a movie. The dialogs of the movie are taken from Manto's short stories such as Thanda Gosht, License, Madari, Hatak, Peshawar se Lahore and these lines will give the story such strength sufficient to make it a super hot movie.

The songs of the movie recorded in utmost gloom will give you realization of atrocity and guilt.

As far the cast of the movie, experience and talent will add icing on the cake as it includes: Sania Saeed (Manto's wife Safiya), Saba Qamar (Noor Jehan), Mahira Khan (Madaran), Shamoon Abbasi (Talchan Singh), Faisal Qureshi, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Nimra Bucha, Savera Nadeem, Adnan Jaffar, Nadia Afghan, Irfan Khoosat, Afraz Rasool, Yasra Rizvi, Tipu Sharif, Muhammad Hanif (Guest Appearance as writer).

On the whole, although the movie might not be containing all the features necessary for making the masses love it, the movie will definitely show the real face of contemporary society via the eyes of Manto.

It started with a ride which took me to mesmerizing experience and i couldn't leave my seat evening after the movie ended hoping to see more if possible.Its been 5th day since i saw it and i am already itching to watch it again.cinematography was excellent and lighting was perfect changing with characters, ambiance and intensity . Editing was superb as i coudln't point out single lapse.Acting was out of the world specially Sarmad Sultan Khoosat played character of his lifetime,didn't tried more or less just a perfect blend.Saba Qamar did excellent show,Sania Saeed as always best among the ladies. The short stories of Manto were portrayed with such and ease and intensity at the same time that pelt hard against your aesthetics.

Manto deserves standing ovation. As its a rise of our industry from ashes, such an epic biopic has made its own spot in the genre of drama when it is the age of commercial movies.

Manto is Bold. It has drama, love, empathy and tragedy wrapped in a harsh dark realities of our society plus the artists, poets & writers & their financial, personal & professional issues when the work a little off stream in the subcontinent. Hats off to Sarmad. Sarmad Khosat reveals awesome acting abilities in portraying Manto. He did justice to some complicated character of a writer, alcoholic, smoker & a liver patient that could be a haunting job for some other performers. No one can spot that it was his debut on big screen. He made Manto's misery believable.

Other then Sarmad, the roles like Saba Qamar, Nadia Afghan, Sawaira Nadeem & Mahira khan showed a true potential that u can show even when the role is short. The role of Sania Saeed as Manto's wife was the cherry on top.

U may not get masala ingredients and Item numbers to make it a blockbuster but Movies like MANTO restores your faith in Pakistani Cinema.

Yeah, we are rising.

A must must watch.