Home Cinema Bol (2011) Movie Review: Best Pakistani Movie on PAIMAN project

Bol (2011) Movie Review: Best Pakistani Movie on PAIMAN project

“Bol” – a highlight to the dark side of unplanned parenthood, an initiative by PAIMAN project (Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns). It is the story of the girl, Zainab who has been sentenced to death and is about to hang.

Before her life ends, she thrashes a question on the society’s face – ‘If killing is a sin, why is giving birth without family planning, not a sin?’

Cover Photo of Bol (2011) Movie
Cover Photo of Bol (2011) Movie

Contents

  1. Cast & Crew
  2. Bol’s Movie Review: An inspiration to those who have lost the hope of living
    1. Critic’s Rating
    2. Genres
    3. Bol Story
    4. Bol – My Review
  3. Awards Won
  4. More Cast Details 
  5. Audience Reviews

Cast & Crew:

Director/ Music Director / Lyricist Shoaib Mansoor
Music Director / SingerAtif Aslam
CinematographySalman Razzaq
Co-Producer Fatima Jilani
ProducerShoaib Mansoor
Screenwriter/ Dialogue WriterShoaib Mansoor
Crew Details
Name of the Actor/ ActressName of Character
Atif AslamDr Mustafa
Manzar SehbaiHakim Sahib
Shafqat CheemaShaq “Saqa” Kanjar (Panderer)
Iman AliSabina (Meena), a prostitute, Saqa’s daughter and second wife of Hakim Sahib
Humaima MalikZainab
Mahira KhanAyesha Mustafa
Zaib RehmanSuraiya
Amr Kashmiri Saifullah Khan /Saifi, intersex child of Hakim Sahib
Cast Details

Bol (2011) Movie Review – An initiative against Lack of Family Planning:

Critic’s Rating8.2/10

GenreDrama/ Thriller

Zainab meeting her Mother before being hanged
Zainab meeting her Mother before being hanged

Bol’ Story:

Bol, a movie by Shoaib Manzoor, released in 2011 attacks the domestic issues faced regularly by women, which has been silently accepted by the society as a fact or fate. On the other hand, after his masterpiece ‘Khuda ke liye’ dealing with the global issue of terrorism, shifts his focus to domestic concerns of families in Pakistan, their community, and largely hits the Humankind. 

In addition, as the name of the movie ‘Bol’ suggests which means the ability to speak. Formerly, the movie starts with Dr. Mustafa stating ‘In our world, most of the problems do not come to an end because we don’t speak.’ to Zainab, who has been sentenced to death and is imprisoned.

The entire movie unveils itself as a story by Zainab narrated a few hours before she is hanged in front of the media. She confronts in front of media that she has not appealed for revealing her story just before her death to prove that she is innocent, in fact, she confessed that she has committed a crime.

Furthermore, her words ‘Main ek kaatil hu par mai gunhegaar nahi’ (I might be a murderer but I am not the sinner), which dramatically reverses the idea of the media and the audience about her appeal for revealing her life story in front of the media.

Movie Insights:

Zainab, being the elder daughter of a patriarchal conservative Muslim family in Lahore understands the ups and downs in the family. However, her father Hakim Sahib’s burning desire for a male child who can contribute financially for the family, leads to giving birth to fourteen children.

Out of which only seven survived, and the rest were born dead. 

Above all, Hakim Sahib, being a very spiritual person believes contraception is ‘Allah ke kaam me dakhal dena’ (Interfering in God’s work). On the other hand, he becomes overwhelmed when he heard that finally, her wife gave birth to his son, the youngest child.

Zainab and Saifi
Zainab and Saifi

But, as soon as he comes to know that the newborn instead is an intersex (Saifi), he becomes grief-stricken and decides to kill the child at the very moment. Moreover, to justify this heinous act, he explains that he does not want this child’s life to be a burden. 

Also Shoaib Mansoor, without hitting on any community or any religion, highlights the darkness behind patriarchy and illiteracy. In fact, it throws a mirror in front of each of them who behind the curtain of spirituality fulfills their own greed, who accepts patriarchy as the law of nature.

Bol – My Review

Bol – is the movie that was a part of PAIMAN project (Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns). Especially, the objective of the project was to stand for women’s rights by bringing the focus of media and the elite of Pakistan to family planning and gender issues.

In particular, it was censored by the Central Board of Film Censors in Lahore on 8 November 2010 and received its approval on the very next day.

Moreover, this movie established a new Box Office record in the history of Pakistani Cinema by being the highest-earning film in the first week of its release.

Whereas, the previous record was held by Bollywood movie My Name Is Khan, which grossed PKR 13.417 million in its first week, whereas Bol did a business of PKR 62.792 million in six days.

Some glances from Bol
Some glances from Bol

Besides being such a huge success, it has also proved itself to be one of the best movies in 2011.

Although, throughout the movie, the audience is given a nervous tremor by showing them the cruelties like rape, murder, harassment, hatred for intersex, and many more. It is also true that the movie contains beautiful songs in the softening voice of Atif Aslam.

Atif Aslam as Mustafa
Atif Aslam as Mustafa

Awards Won:

RecipientCategoryRecipient
Lux Style AwardBest FilmBol
Lux Style AwardBest ActressHumaima Malik
Lux Style AwardBest ActorManzar Sehbai
Lux Style AwardBest Original SoundtrackAtif Aslam ft. Hadiqa Kiani
London Asian Film FestivalBest FilmBol
London Asian Film FestivalBest New TalentAmr Kashmiri
London Asian Film FestivalBest ActressHumaima Malik
Pakistan Media AwardsBest ActressHumaima Malik
Pakistan Media AwardsBest Film of the Year (2011)Bol
SAARC Film AwardsBest ActorManzar Sehbai
South Asian Rising Star Film AwardsBest Lead ActressHumaima Malick

More Cast Details:

Name of CharacterName of Character
Meher Sagaryoung Saifi
Irfan Khoosat Mustafa’s father
Rashid KhawajaPresident of Pakistan
Mahnoor KhanMahnoor
Gulfam RamayGuL G

Audience Reviews:

Review 1

I am 100% agree with the Main message of film and One of the Best Movies I have seen ever, One of my favorite movies, just tremendous.

Is movie ne “Shemales”  ki Buri image khatam kar di hai kay wo jan booj kar kaam nahi kartey bilkay pakistan main on ko kaam karney hi nahi diya jata. Seriously This Movie showed the ugliest side of religion.

Changes the mind of Most of the our Pakistani illiterate people that they look at women like every professional woman is a prostitute At the end made this movie made me cry

On Dialogues I am speechless they are just insane tremendous
Story, cast, dialogues, direction etc everything is just amazing

Best Regards
Rating: 5/5

Review 2

This is the movie that portrays the dark image of such people who thinks that girls are just a piece of flesh with whom men can behave like anything……I love this movie a lot…..

I don’t remember how many times I had watched this movie….but each and every time….this movie made me cry.

There are so many things in these films which I like most:
Girls are not a machine of giving birth to babies…..

Real knowledge is not just to learn about scriptures its only about to understand it too.
The narrator of this movie Zunaib Khan (Humaima Malik) acts very amazingly…..she performed very well. Thinking of Hakeem Saab is very conservative whose only demand is a boy.

To fulfill this demand….his wife give birth to 14 children. But still, his demands are not getting fulfilled.

This movie describes the culture, language, people, and surroundings of Pakistan very well which is the best part of the movie, and it’s very perfect. Atif Aslam’s acting is very great and the song “Hona Tha Pyaar” attracts everyone to the great music.

The ending of the movie is very awesome which made me cry every time.
Rating: 5/5

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