Ho Mann Jahaan (Urdu: ہو من جہاں 'What the Heart Wills') is a 2015 Pakistani coming of age musical drama film, written and directed by Asim Raza in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Rashna Abdi, Imtisal Abbasi and Asim Raza, while dialogues were written by Asim Raza, Imtisal Abbasi, Rashna Abdi and Yasir Hussain. The film stars Adeel Hussain, Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar and Sonya Jehan, along with veterans Bushra Ansari, Arshad Mahmud, Jamal Shah and Munawar Siddiqui as part of the cast. It is produced in Urdu.
The film was released in the Middle East on 31 December 2015 by ARY Films and in Pakistan on 1 January 2016.
Contents
Plot
Ho Mann Jahaan is a coming of age urban story set in present-day Karachi, revolving around three friends, Arhan (Sheheryar Munawar), Manizeh (Mahira Khan), and Nadir (Adeel Hussain) whose friendship is born out of shared experiences, a passion for music, and an aspiration for fame. The film reflects the dichotomy in society where individuals seek to exercise free will but are readily drawn to conformity, with parents imposing restrictions because they love their children but at times do not understand them. Arhan comes from a lower-middle-class family and has a strained relationship with his retired government servant father, while Nadir is from a privileged background and is an obedient son and good student. Manizeh lives with her artist mother, as her father once a musician left them and music for religious reasons. The narrative charts their trials and triumphs as they transition from college life to the daunting world of adulthood and its inherent responsibilities, with Sonya Jehan playing Sabina, a powerful independent character symbolising strength and wisdom.
Cast
Mahira Khan as Manizeh
Adeel Hussain as Nadir
Sheheryar Munawar as Arhan
Sonya Jehan as Sabina
Bushra Ansari as Nadir's mother
Arshad Mehmood as Nadir's father
Nimra Bucha as Shahida
Jamal Shah as Manizeh's father
Munawar Siddiqui as Arhan's father
Fawad Khan (cameo appearance) as Rafael
Zeb Bangash (cameo appearance) as Xenovia
Hamza Ali Abbasi (cameo appearance) as Malang Baba
Syra Yousuf (cameo appearance) in the "Shakar Wandaan" Song
Bilal Maqsood (cameo appearance)
Faisal Kapadia (cameo appearance)
Zoheb Hassan (cameo appearance)
Ahmed Ali Akbar (extended cameo)
Ali Zia Naqvi (cameo appearance)
Syed Faizan Ali (cameo appearance)
Production
The film was primarily shot in Karachi, and some parts were shot in the northern areas of Pakistan. The film was shot using two Alexa cameras with two camera units. The film's first teaser was released on 25 March 2015 where the cast and crew got together for a press event at the film's largest and one of the industry's most expensive sets.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was digitally released on 1 November 2015. It comprises a total of ten songs by various artists. The album contains only three original tracks, written by Asim Raza; the rest of the songs were re-recorded by artists who had previously performed them. The album was produced by Faakhir and Ehtisham Malick at ET studios. The song "Khush Piya" was dedicated to Malika Pukhraj by Tina Sani.
Release
The film was originally scheduled to be released on the holiday of Eid al-Azha on 25 September 2015, but was rescheduled for release on 1 January 2016.
It was also screened at the first-ever Pakistan Film Festival in New York City, held from December 3–4, 2016, at the Asia Society.
Reception
Critical reception
The film generally received mixed reviews. Rafay Mahmood of The Express Tribune rated it 2 out of 5 stars and criticised its script and camera work, saying: "Ho Mann Jahaan is a failed marriage between advertisement and film, and the rest is just too long to sit and absorb." Hamna Zubair of Dawn News praised its well-selected cast and their acting. She also praised its strong-hitting social message and wrote: "Ho Mann Jahaan succeeds in its aim to entertain, and I'm happy for everyone involved. Go watch the film, you'll like it." Fatima Aleem of The Nation gave it a rating of 7 out of 10 and praised the film's content, marking that: "Movie had a good lesson for parents to let their children choose the career line they want to opt rather than compelling them to fulfill their dreams and live a life they never wished for." The editor of Dunya News praised the direction but criticised its predictable storyline and mainly praised Sheheryar Munawar's acting, but pointed out more negatives than positives. Ujala Ali Khan of The National highly praised the film, writing: "A highly relatable story featuring likeable characters, teamed with great performances by both the lead and supporting actors, makes for an easy, pleasant viewing experience." Galaxy Lollywood rated it 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "Good performances by the lead actors, great music, some special guest appearances and a slowly moving plot await you. It's not the best that Pakistani Cinema has offered, but then it's not the worst either." The Friday Times criticised the film as part of a category of films that "arrives with a loud roll of drums, promises a lot and delivers nothing but the ordinary," noting that "the movie which lasted for 2 hours and 50 minutes seemed to drag on forever."