Manto (2015 film)

Manto (Urdu: منٹو‎) is a 2015 Pakistani biographical drama film based on the life of Pakistani short-story writer Sadat Hassan Manto, starring Sarmad Khoosat in the title role.[3] It was directed by Khoosat himself, produced by Babar Javed, and written by Shahid Nadeem, whose screenplay was adapted from Manto's short stories,[4] particularly "Thanda Gosht", "Madari", "License", "Hatak" and "Peshawar Se Lahore".[5] It also depicts his relationship with singer-actress Noor Jehan.[6] The film was released on 11 September 2015, sixty years after Manto's death.[7]

Manto
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySarmad Khoosat
Produced byBabar Javed
Screenplay byShahid Nadeem
Starring
Music byJamal Rahman
CinematographyKhizer Idrees
Edited byKashif Nawazish Kashif
Sarmad Khoosat
Production
company
A & B Entertainment
Distributed byGeo Films
Release date
  • 11 September 2015 (2015-09-11)[1]
Running time
127 minutes
CountryPakistan
LanguageUrdu
Box officeRs5.05 crore (US$500,000) [2]

The full-length official trailer was released on 29 August 2015.[8] The motion trailer along with film music was released on 6 August 2015.[9] The TV series on the life of writer entitled Main Manto with the same cast and production, initially made in 2012, was aired in December 2015.

Plot outline

The story is about a 20th-century writer, Manto (Sarmad Khoosat), who grew up in the showbiz industry of Bombay (now Mumbai) and Lahore. It focuses the last seven years of the writer's life, during which he wrote some of his most controversial stories, such as "Thanda Gosht", "Toba Tek Singh", "License", "Upar, Neechay aur Darmiyan" and "Peshawar Se Lahore". For these, Manto had to face charges of obscenity thrice.[10]

Cast

Soundtrack

The music album was released on 6 August 2015, at a Blue Carpet event held at Nueplex Cinema, Karachi by distributors Geo Entertainment and Geo Films.[12] The soundtrack, including background score, sound mixing, editing and original songs, was composed by Jamal Rahman of True Brew Records.[13] Khoosat, who hired Rahman after hearing his work for Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, said, "I want to make it yours and run with it."[14] Three of the four songs are taken from famous poets, including Majeed Amjad, Mirza Ghalib and Indian Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi. One song was written by Muhammad Hanif. One song of the film, sung by Ustad Salamt Ali Nazar, was neither revealed nor announced at the launch.[14] The soundtrack was praised for its classical genre, strong lyrics and soulful music composition.[15]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Kaun Hai Yeh Gustakh"Majeed AmjadJaved Bashir2:46
2."Aah Ko Chahiye"Mirza GhalibAli Sethi4:12
3."Kya Hoga"Muhammad HanifZeb Bangash, Ali Sethi3:44
4."Mehram Dilaan De Mahi"Shiv Kumar BatalviMeesha Shafi3:54

Release

Initially the film was scheduled to release in late 2014 but was postponed due to delays in post-production.[16] The first teaser trailer was released on 6 August 2015,[17] for limited special screening.[18] The official trailer was released online on 29 August 2015.[19] Manto was released on 11 September 2015 in Pakistan under the banners of Geo Films.[20] Before theatrical release in the US, the film was screened at three of eight Ivy League institutions, including Harvard University, Columbia University, Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley between 16 and 25 October.[21]

Box Office

Below is the film’s Weekly breakdown..

Week One.. 1.58cr

Week Two.. 1.77cr

Week Three.. 67lacs

Week Four + Week Five.. 57lacs

Week Six.. 20lacs

Week Seven*.. 11lacs

Week Eight Onward.. 15lacs

Total.. 5.03cr [22]

Critical reception

The film has been positively received by critics, with Dawn's Mehreen Hasan calling it "A darkly perfect biopic".[23] Blasting News' Adnan Murad stated, "With an interestingly intricate premise, 'Manto' depicts the life of an accomplished writer of the subcontinent. The movie clearly rests on the shoulders of supremely talented Sarmad, who eloquently plays Manto."[24] Galaxy Lollywood gave it 4.4 out of 5 stars, calling it "As big of a must watch for every Pakistani as perhaps Jamil Dehlavi's Jinnah was."[25]

Accolades
Ceremony Won Nominated
15th Lux Style Awards
[26]
  • Babar Javed – Best Film
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Director
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Actor
  • Sania Saeed – Best Actress
  • Nimra Bucha – Best Supporting Actress
  • Ali Sethi – Best Male Singer for "Ah Ko Chaheye"
  • Zebunnisa Bangash – Best Female Singer for "Kya Hoga"
2nd Galaxy Lollywood Awards[27]
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Actor in a Leading Role Male
  • Saba Qamar – Best Actor in a Supporting Role Female
  • Babar Javed – Best Film
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Director
  • Sania Saeed – Best Actor in a Supporting Role Female
  • Shaz Khan – Best Male Debut
  • Ali Sethi – Best Playback Singer Male for "Ah Ko Chaheye"
  • Meesha Shafi – Best Playback Singer Female for "Mehram"
  • Jamal Rehman – Best Music
  • Mehram Dile Da Mahi – Song Of The Year
  • Faisal Qureishi Scene – Cinematic Moment Of The Year
2nd ARY Film Awards
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Actor Jury
  • Sania Saeed – Best Actress Jury
  • Babar Javed – Best Film
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Director
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Actor
  • Sania Saeed – Best Actress
  • Saba Qamar – Best Supporting Actress
  • Akbar Subhani – Best Actor in a Negative Role
  • Ali Sethi – Best Male Playback Singer for "Ah Ko Chaheye"
  • Meesha Shafi – Best Female Playback Singer for "Mehram Dile Da Mahi"
Ceremony Won
Jaipur International Film Festival
  • Sarmad Sultan Khoosat – Best Actor
  • – Best Sound
  • – Best Editing

TV series

In 2012, before developing the film, a TV series based on the life and literary work of Saadat Hassan Manto, titled Main Manto, was made. It had a total of 20 episodes and was made with the same cast and production as the film. Both the film and the television series were directed by Sarmad Khoosat, who also played the title character.[28] Playwrighter Shahid Nadeem served as a screenwriter and Babar Javed produced the serial and film under A & B Entertainment at Geo Films. The series was scheduled to release in 2012, but was put on hold for the film production.[29] Later it aired in November 2017 on Geo Entertainment with 18 episodes.

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See also

References
  1. "The biopic "Manto" is releasing on 11 September". Zeeshan Mahmood. Galaxy Lollywood. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  2. "Home - Box Office Detail". Box Office Detail.
  3. "Manto, a film on the iconic writer". The Express Tribune. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  4. "Saadat Manto comes to life in biopic 'Manto'". The Express Tribune. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  5. "See the literary genius brought to life in the first look of Pakistani film on Manto". Scroll.in. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  6. "Manto everywhere but what manto is all abou". Geo TV. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  7. "Must watch: Literary genius Manto comes to life in much-awaited biopic". Mehreen Hassan. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  8. "'Manto' trailer: The story of Pakistan's most iconic writer comes on big screen". IBN Live. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  9. "Most awaited film of the year Manto's releasing on 11th September". Geo TV. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  10. "Manto, the Film". Shabnama. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  11. "Mahira Khan in a never-seen-before avatar in Manto". The Express Tribune. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  12. ""Manto" features soulful songs, packing all the ingredients to be described as classic". Aag TV. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  13. "True Brew Records Score Sarmad Khoosat Film, 'Manto'-Soundtrack Features Meesha Shafi". Kool Mu. Zone. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  14. "Manto's soundtrack: Weird, dark and expressionist". The Express Tribune. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  15. "Manto packs soulful soundtrack". Geo Music. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  16. "Manto' release pushed until after World Cup". Dawn news. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  17. "'Manto' set to release on Sept 11". The News. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  18. "Raising the curtain on a reclusive Manto". Tribune.pk. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  19. "Manto trailer: The biopic of Pakistani author looks as intriguing as the subject". First Post (India). 3 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  20. "Movie "Manto" by Geo Films to be Released in September 2015". Brand Synario. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  21. "Manto goes Ivy League". The Express Tribune. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  22. "Analyzing Manto Business in Pakistan :: Super Success - Box Office Detail". 23 November 2015.
  23. "manto-lives-in-sarmad-khoosats-darkly-perfect-biopic-a-great-writer-gets-his-due". Dawn News. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  24. "manto-movie-review-an-upsettingly-accomplished-piece-of-art-00554455.html". Blasting News. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  25. "manto review a feather in sarmad khoosats cap a success at making him peoples manto". Galaxy Lollywood. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  26. "Complete list of winners of 15th LUX Style Awards 2016".
  27. Lollywood, Galaxy (13 February 2016). "Galaxy Lollywood Awards 2016 (Winners)".
  28. "Sarmad Sultan Khoosat is directing a new drama serial Manto". beingpakistani.com. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  29. ""Mein Manto" – a drama on Saadat Hasan Manto's life". The Express Tribune. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
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