Dukhtar

''Dukhtar'' (; ) is a 2014 Pakistani drama-thriller film directed by Afia Nathaniel. The film stars Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleha Aref, Asif Khan, Ajab Gul and Samina Ahmad. The film is Afia Nathaniel's feature directorial debut; she also wrote and produced the film. It is the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.

The film was premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September. Geo Films released the film in Pakistan on 18 September 2014. It was selected as Pakistan's Official entry in the category Best Foreign Language Film for the 87th Academy Awards, but was not nominated. It becomes Pakistan's second consecutive submission to Oscars and accepted as per the first one was ''Zinda Bhaag'' in same category.

Plot

At the age of fifteen, Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz) was given in marriage to the much older tribal chieftain Daulat Khan (Asif Khan), who took her from her family in Lahore to live with him in the mountains. Now, two decades later, Daulat Khan is presented with the opportunity to make peace with rival tribe leader Tor Gul (Abdullah Jaan), and the deal is to be sealed by a deal for Tor Gul's marriage to Daulat Khan's ten-year-old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref). Tormented at the prospect that her daughter's life might be a repetition of her own, Allah Rakhi flees with the oblivious young girl in tow. Pursued by Daulat Khan and Tor Gul's henchmen, and knowing that she is highly conspicuous as an unaccompanied woman on a mountain road, Allah Rakhi sneaks on board a truck. When discovered she manages to get a lift for her and Zainab by initially lying to a sympathetic truck driver, Sohail (Mohib Mirza). When Sohail learns of the real reason for Allah Rakhi's flight, he is forced to decide whether he will endanger his own life to deliver mother and daughter to safety in Lahore.

Cast

* Samiya Mumtaz as Allah Rakhi
* Mohib Mirza as Sohail
* Saleha Aref as Zainab
* Asif Khan as Daulat Khan
* Ajab Gul as Shehbaz Khan
* Samina Ahmad as Rukhsana
* Adnan Shah as Ghorzang Khan
* Abdullah Jaan as Tor Gul / Hikmatullah
* Omair Rana as Zarak Khan

Production

On 24 June 2014, it was announced that Geo Films had acquired the domestic distribution rights to the film. Norway's ''Sorfund'' provided the funds for the film after years of seeking funds, on which director said,
:"Our local film industry is in shambles and financiers want to see Masala films with women wearing almost nothing dancing and gyrating on the screen."

The film was shot entirely in Gilgit–Baltistan northern areas, included locations Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghizer and Kallar Kahar Toronto International Film Festival in Discovery section on 5 September 2014. Director Afia Nathaniel said,
::"It's a great honour for a Pakistani film to be selected for Toronto. We hope audiences all over the world get to enjoy this beautiful film with a beautiful heart. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It will make you sit on the edge of the seat until the very last scene of the film. I am so looking forward to bringing Dukhtar home right after Toronto,"

The film was previously slated for 14 August 2014 release, but later Geo Films shifted the film's date back and released domestically on 18 September 2014 in 9 major cities i.e. Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot.

In October, ''Dukhtar'' was premiered in Busan Film Festival (South Korea), London Film Festival (European premiere), Films from the South (Scandinavian premiere) and São Paulo International Film Festival (Latin American premiere).

Mara Pictures, a distributor of South Asian cinema in the United Kingdom, acquired the British distribution rights to the film and released it in British cinemas in April 2015.

Reception

Critical response

The film received positive reviews from all over the world.

Deborah Young of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' reviewed the film glowingly, "The story has all the makings of a great against-all-odds adventure tale, abetted by spectacular location shooting and an outcome that is never a foregone conclusion...Afia Nathaniel's feature directing debut generates enough tension to fuel a harrowing real-life story while adding another unforgettable heroine to cinema from the region with Samiya Mumtaz's measured portrayal of a Muslim woman taking charge of her life."

Theodora Munroe of ''The Upcoming'' gave it five stars and said, "Well-acted and beautifully written, Dukhtar thrills and stirs."

Writer Mohsin Hamid said, "Dukhtar is a wonderful, impressive film. It shows how quickly Pakistani cinema is progressing." Samina Peerzada said of young actress Saleha Aref, "The little girl in Dukhtar – a star is born." Academy award winner director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said, "Dukhtar has set a new precedent in filmmaking in Pakistan. The film's powerful narrative is met with equally strong visuals that collectively showcase what Pakistani talent is all about. I have no doubt that the story will resonate with people locally and internationally." Actress Meesha Shafi

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