Cast: Amna Ilyas, Beo Raana Zafar, Yasir Aqueel
Director: Sabiha Sumar
Country: Pakistan
Genre: Drama
Official Trailer: Here
Editor’s Notes: The following review is part of our coverage of the South Asian International Film Festival, which runs from December 3rd to December 8th. For more information visit saiff.org and follow SAIFF on Twitter at @SouthAsianFilms.
The Cinderella theme is a familiar and often poorly used storyline for many films. Oftentimes it becomes a saccharine sweet tale with ridiculously unbelievable plot twists and irritating, stereotyped characters. Good Morning Karachi however, with the exception of one curious misstep near the end, is a thoroughly enjoyable and pleasantly uplifting tale.
[Sumar] handles the story with a subtlety and deftness that has perhaps been honed in her documentary film background, never once slipping into indulgent, unnatural attempts to toy with her audience’s emotions.
Rafina (newcomer Amna Ilyas) is a beautiful young woman with a strong work ethic matched by real ambition. Her mother’s friend Rosie (Beo Raana Zafar) works as a beautician and for Rafina to emulate this would amount to great achievement. Against the wishes of her traditional and protective mother and her old fashioned and slightly jealous fiancé she persuades Rosie to take her along as an apprentice and it is on a visit to an advertising firm that her world changes. Forced to step in when a model is delayed Rafina is spotted and becomes the face of a new brand of tea. As her star rises she becomes an icon for Pakistani women but faces difficult choices in her private life.
The real strength of Good Morning Karachi is in its characterisation. The film is clearly centered on Rafina, with her being in virtually every scene, and the story is seen very much through her eyes, but the supporting cast are all given enough depth to warrant interest and offer at times a more serious balance to the redemptive central plot. The choices Rafina must make are based in a tougher reality that directly contrasts the more carefree elite world she has been drawn into, the traditional clashing head on with the westernised world of the rich and glamorous. Even when she perhaps makes a poor choice under pressure to develop her burgeoning career it is done so reluctantly and with regret rather than through selfishness and you feel her genuine struggle which in lesser hands than director Sabiha Sumar could become overwrought and sickly. She handles the story with a subtlety and deftness that has perhaps been honed in her documentary film background, never once slipping into indulgent, unnatural attempts to toy with her audience’s emotions.
In her first leading role Amna Ilyas is charming as the beautiful Rafina who is simply trying to better herself when the society she knows tries to hold her back. As a model herself she brings a warmth and sincerity to a role that could easily have descended into pantomime, and could be a real benchmark in her career.
In her first leading role Amna Ilyas is charming as the beautiful Rafina who is simply trying to better herself when the society she knows tries to hold her back. As a model herself she brings a warmth and sincerity to a role that could easily have descended into pantomime, and could be a real benchmark in her career.
As said there is one misstep towards the end of the film. It is fairly clear where the story is going from quite early on and while this is not a problem in enjoying what’s on screen, there is one scene that perhaps pushed the redemption a little too far. That said, this is the only real criticism in a film that really deserves as wide an audience as possible. It has every quality required in a film of this nature and successfully delivers its message without preaching. Good Morning Karachi clearly demonstrates that once again there are films and filmmakers outside of the westernised cinematic world that warrant more interest than they receive. The pity as always is that beyond festivals and art house theatres it will be almost impossible to track down screenings and this charming film may not reach enough people.
[notification type=”star”]75/100 ~ GOOD. With the exception of one curious misstep near the end, Good Morning Karachi a thoroughly enjoyable and pleasantly uplifting tale.[/notification]
