Pakistan produces first ever animated feature ‘3 Bahadur’

作者: The AsiaN Editor on 22 May , 2015.
类别: Asia, Culture, South Asia, Video

‘3 bahadur’ movie poster
The film is directed by Pakistan’s first Oscar winner, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Pakistani film industry has been steadily growing in the past few years. With numerous films gaining attention and (some) appreciation from local moviegoers, those films had one thing going against them: English language. While the films switched between English and Urdu (Pakistan’s national language), it made it difficult for the audience, who do not understand English, to comprehend and enjoy the films. And even those who made films in Urdu, the quality and the ‘vernacular’ of the language was compromised, as the filmmakers themselves were not as good at it as they thought.

Enter ‘3 Bahadur’. The Pakistani film holds importance for two facts: It is Pakistan’s first ever animated feature film and it uses Urdu in a way that does not feel unnatural.

‘3 Bahadur’ revolves around three brave children, Kamil, Saadi and Amna, who decide to stand up against the evil ‘Mangu’, who possesses evil powers and is aided by a group of no-good mobsters. The three kids gain superpowers to kick out the evil ‘Mangu’ who has turned their city ‘Roshan Basti’ (bright abode) into ‘Andheri Nagri (dark borough).

While the story may not be completely original (is anything even original in today’s world?), the presentation and what makes it a ‘Pakistani’ film is. Fluent witty Urdu dialog, situations like mobile phone theft, money laundering and water shortage which Pakistanis are quite familiar with and the story wrapped in humor is what makes ‘3 Bahadur’ an entertaining watch.

Obviously, the animation cannot be compared to Hollywood animated features. Theirs have a long history of improving and refining the art and craft while Pakistanis have just stepped foot into the animation ventures.

Directed by Pakistan’s first Oscar winner, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy (who won the Oscar for Saving Face documentary in 2012), the animated film releases today, 22^nd May in Pakistan.

You can watch the trailer below: