The premiere of Ammar Lasani and Kanza Zia’s feature film Gumm, along with a star-studded red-carpet event, was held at the Neuplex Cinema at the Place, in Karachi, on January 10, 2019. Attended by a large number of film lovers, critics, and cinephiles, the glamourous event featured the first showing of the film in Pakistan and afforded attendees an opportunity to mingle with the crew and cast of the film. The center of attention, quite expectedly, was the film’s male lead actor, Sami Khan, who makes a comeback to cinema after more than a decade. The leading lady, Shameen Khan, charmed the attendees of her event and spent a lot of time with her large following of fans.
The film was praised enthusiastically by critics and viewers alike. Made to international standards, Gumm has received numerous awards at international film festivals and garnered positive reviews from celebrated journalists all over the world. Ally Adnan, who is a member of the International Federation of Film Critics, has called the film “bold, original and highly engaging,” and said that it is “one of the finest Pakistani films of all time” Film writer and director Rafay Rashidi has remarked that Gumm marks the arrival of the “slasher Genre, grind-house style” in Pakistan. Noor Akbar Chishti has classified Gumm as a “milestone in the annals of Pakistani cinema,” terming it “interesting, entertaining and thrilling.”
“Gumm belongs to a genre that has hardly ever been explored in Pakistani cinema,” says Ammar Lasani. “Kanza and I worked very hard to stay true to the genre and explore it in a manner that was original, honest and creative.” The two young filmmakers feel that Gumm is their “own masterpiece” and will always have a special place in their hearts. “A lot of blood and sweat went into the making of Gumm,” says Kanza Zia. “The positive audience reaction at the premiere has made it all worth its while.”
Gumm has been produced by veteran journalist and writer Shakeel Anjum and distributed by Distribution Club. It will be released in cinemas all over Pakistan on January 11, 2019.
