After screenings in India, UK and US, the much anticipated Indie film JOSH created by Pakistani director, producer and writer Iram Parveen Bilal, is set to premiere in Karachi end of July. Boasting an all-star cast, ‘JOSH’ is set to screen at all major cinemas and movie theaters across Pakistan this Eid-Ul-Fitr.
Written, directed and produced by Iram Parveen Bilal, co-produced by Saad Bin Mujeeb and Kelly Thomas, the mystery thriller JOSH is based on an original script which is inspired by several real life events, including Parveen Saeed’s Khana Ghar (www.khanaghar.org) and the concept of “erasing hunger to erase crime” which provides affordable meals to the underprivileged in and around Karachi’s slums.
The film tells the story of protagonist Fatima, played by Aamina Sheikh, a committed schoolteacher living the cosmopolitan high life in Karachi, who as her life shattered when her nanny Nusrat, played by Nyla Jaffri, inexplicably disappears. JOSH is the story of Fatima’s search, despite warnings from friends and family, for a dangerous truth which lies in Nusrat’s feudal village. The tagline of JOSH is Independence through Unity accompanied with the already famous dialogue “Azaadi manao 2 rupay main!”.
With a star-studded award-winning cast featuring Aamina Sheikh, Mohib Mirza, Khalid Malik, Navin Waqar, Khalid Ahmed, Parveen Akber, Nyla Jafri, 
Kaiser Khan Nizamani, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu, Ali Rizvi, Faizan Haqquee, and more, JOSH tackles socio-political issues of class separation, feudalism, poverty, individual empowerment and women’s rights. It is a story of hope, of trying, of redemption. It is a story of the youth of Pakistan, of the pain, the pleasure and the spirit of unity and independence.
Speaking of JOSH, first time feature film director/writer and producer Iram Parveen Bilal said “From concept to production, it has been an amazing journey of 3 and a half years. This movie has been a passion project of ours and we are truly grateful for the time, resources and efforts put into the film by all individuals involved. JOSH celebrates the resolve of the human spirit; to never give up despite all odds. The movie depicts a story which is commonplace in Pakistan because it’s based on socio-political issues that are prevalent in rural areas. It also celebrates the empowered young generation of professionals that are increasingly playing an important role in the social and cultural dynamics of the country.”
An initiative by The Platform in Pakistan, JOSH is making waves in the international film community, being screened in the prestigious Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) in the World Cinema Category last year as the only fiction based Pakistani film to show at the festival in the last five years. JOSH was also one of only two narrative feature films picked for 2012’s prestigious Women in Film Finishing Fund. JOSH marks the feature film debut of Director Iram Parveen Bilal, who has achieved international recognition through several award-winning short films that she directed in the past.
JOSH Synopsis:
Fatima, a committed schoolteacher living the cosmopolitan high life in Karachi, has her life shattered when her nanny, Nusrat, inexplicably disappears. Josh is the story of Fatima’s search, despite the warning of her friends and family, for a dangerous truth in Nusrat’s feudal village.
JOSH- Independence through Unity.
About Iram Parveen Belal:
An Islamabad girl born to scientist parents, and a certified nerd from Froebel’s International School being the first girl in Pakistan to qualify for the Asian Physics Olympiads, Bilal went on to get a Bachelors in Science from the prestigious Cal Tech before her switch to behind the lens. With a fate of twists and turns and leaps, Bilal is now the CEO and Founder of Parveen Shah Productions, a film production company with offices in Pakistan and Los Angeles. Having made and distributed a few short films, she is currently touring with her noted first feature length film, JOSH (English title: Against the Grain). More on www.thefilmjosh.com.
Bilal is a Cal Tech grad, BS ’04 with honors, in Environmental Science Engineering and an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Film making. Recent awards and fellowships include the 2012 Women In Film Award, the USC Stark Special Project Award, the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, the Paul Studenski Fellowship, the Caltech Mabel Beckman Leadership Award and the Caltech Dean’s Cup. More on www.iramparveenbilal.com
Credits:
Cast:
Aamina Sheikh, Mohib Mirza, Khalid Malik, Navin Waqar, Faizan Haqquee, Khalid Ahmed, Parveen Akber, Nyla Jafri, Kaiser Khan Nizamani, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu, Ali Rizvi, & Many more.
Directed By:
Iram Parveen Bilal.
Written By:
Iram Parveen Bilal
Screenplay By:
Iram Parveen Bilal; Urdu dialogues and Translation: Farah Usman
Produced By:
Producer: Iram Parveen Bilal. Co-Producer by Saad Bin Mujeeb. US Producer. Kelly Thomas.
OST:
Music by Shahi Hasan, Manesh Judge & Noor Lodhi of Indus World Music.
