Dum Mastam: Tale of two dreamers

The larger than life world of cinema has always been associated with dreams, fantasies, and desires. So depicts Dum Mastam, a feature film, where both the leading characters strive to reach their imaginations, and to live their dreams.

The first timers Amar Khan and Imran Ashraf tell a tale of two young enthusiasts from a neighbourhood in old Lahore in one of the four releases on this eid, Dum Mastam. Penned by Amar Khan herself and directed by Muhammad Ehteshamuddin, Dum Mastam reminds one the romantic, musical times of Pakistan film industry somewhere between the golden era of 60s/70s and Lollywood of 90s.

Aliya Butt (Amar Khan) is highly ambitious to become a professional dance performer and has a dream to be known and famous all over the world. While daydreaming herself to be Madam Noor Jahan to Madonna, she also gets enrolled herself in dance classes after college, a secret from her family, as her father, who despite loving her daughter could not allow her to be a performer because of his religious and conservative views. Bao (Imran Ashraf), on the other hand is a carefree boy whose only aim in life is to get the love of Aliya and then marry her. He has no high ambition in his life and is happy and content in what he earns and where he lives.  Most of his time is spent in helping and pleasing Aliya in order to win her heart but on the other hand Aliya considers marriage an obstacle in achieving her goals. Though both are very good friends, Aliya never gives Bao hints of any affection, instead taunting him by comparing his looks with film heroes like Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Fawad Khan. The story unfolds and the lives of Aliya and Bao take a toll and both accidentally switch their roles in the uneven turns of events. Aliya’s dreams shatter when she falls down during a dance practice and is badly injured while Bao gets his luck when given a chance to perform at a concert.

As the tables are turned, do their feelings for each other also bow; tell the second half of Dum Mastam, a roller coaster ride, filled with emotions of love and hate, sense of betrayal, jealousy and recollection of trust.

The idea and catch line of Dum Mastam is somehow original and fascinating. It sometimes happens that despite having a perfect plot for screen, filmmakers get too much in love with their creation and imagination and as a result start missing the links to join all the threads together in the advances of the story. Dum Mastam, though spread for a good two and half hours, raises some questions regarding these missing links that are somehow resolved as the story progresses. The cinematography is filmic. The camera has beautifully penned around the walled city of Lahore.

No doubt, Dum Mastam is a super show by all the actors. Amar Khan has proved herself a good addition to the big screen. Her looks, getups, expressions and gestures all were going with the script and the role she was doing. Moreover, she seemed to be in a completely different approach from what we have seen her on television. It means she clearly knows the difference of acting techniques for film and drama. When it comes to acting with just standing idle and alone on screen, Imran Ashraf has no match. Many traits of the character of Bao were similar to his breakthrough role on television, Bhola in drama serial Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, but he tried his best to do it otherwise as Bhola and Bao were two different boys from the same neighbourhood. It is true that film goers would love to see Ashraf in more varied roles in future.

The other cast of Dum MAstam included Sohail Ahmed, Saifee Hasan, Saleem Meraj, Adnan Shah Tipu, Uzma Baig, Tahira Imam and Faiza Gillani. A surprise element was the introduction of British- Pakistani social worker Momin Saqib as a pop star in the film. Sohail Ahmed though had a shorter role, but whenever he came on screen proved his presence by his strong dialogue delivery and expressions.

Muhammad Ehteshmuddin is considered master of his work when it comes to direct dramas with deep plots and complex storylines. Dum Mastam is his second feature film after Superstar in 2019.  He is a storyteller, whether he writes it with a pen or sits behind the camera on a high wooden chair of director with clapperboard and speaker.

As Dum Mustam is a brainchild of Amar Kahn which she started to conceive almost six years ago, but the one who protected and carried it out was Adnan Siddiqui. A veteran and an internationally acclaimed actor, Adnan has wisely chosen to be just playing as a producer of film except for a powerful cameo.

After a long Time, cinema goers are enjoying a musical film. DM has altogether 11 songs (with performance or as background scores) composed by musicians like Shani Arshad, Shiraz Uppal, Naveed Nashad, Bilal Saeed and Azaan Sami Khan.

Dum Mastam is an intelligent decision to be released on Eid when most of the crowd come to the cinema to watch films filled with romance, light comedy and music.