Ali Zafar dancing with Nargis Fakhri in a Mobilink Jazz ad; the one-and-only Nabila smiling in an Olpers ad; dhol waalas coming out of the gates of Lal Qila in Lahore to Morven Gold’s Rhythm Of Unity; and last but not least, the famous Don Carlos ad with actors in mime.
You will agree with me that those who have seen any of these advertisements, will not forget them. The Rhythm of Unity and Don Carlos ads were hugely successful simply because the concept, execution and direction was far beyond the standards of the time, making the team behind them a pioneer, a trendsetter in the industry. And the person behind that team is the season commercial director Asad ul Haq of Ambience Films.
Asad has worked with the top brands in Pakistan – Coa-Cola, Mobilink, Olpers, Telenor – just to name a few. He is known also for excellent cinematography in commercial films. With the recent revival of the Pakistani film industry, Asad decided to make an entry under the banner of Shiny Gun Toys, setting the industry abuzz with excitement and talk. Everyone is eager in anticipation to see what new trends he sets with Dekh Magar Pyaar Say, given his reputation of conceptual and executional excellence. Surely we were not about to let the chance by for a conversation with this cinematographic genius of a director
FUCHSIA: You have been directing advertisements for many years now. How has the Pakistani audience of advertisements evolved since then?
FUCHSIA: What would you say to the Asad who broke into the industry, if you had the chance to have a cup of coffee with him today?
FUCHSIA: What is the most important characteristic one needs to have, to survive in Pakistan’s television/film industry?
FUCHSIA: Why is DMPS going to succeed; what does it have going for it?
FUCHSIA: You were working with a new artiste (Sikander Rizvi), and a seasoned one (Humaima Malick). How did you balance directing the two?
FUCHSIA: Shiny Toy Guns claims that “DMPS will be a true manifestation of our culture and music captured in breathtaking visuals.” How does a film that only a portion of Pakistani society can truly relate to represent “our culture”?
FUCHSIA: 45 days of shoot – why this kind of tight strict timeline? How did you ensure you didn’t compromise quality in the process?
FUCHSIA: We heard you recently lost your father. Tell us how your personal, emotional and spiritual realms inspire/affect/influence your creative and artistic expression.
FUCHSIA: If you had the chance to go back and change one thing in DMPS, what would you?
And there you have it. Asad ul Haq, himself, inviting you to experience his latest creation, Dekh Magar Pyaar Say, with popcorn in your hand, spouse by your side and smile on your face.