Na Maloom Afraad

Farhan (Fahad Mustafa), is a sales representative at IFU life insurance company in Karachi and is fired after he fails to materialize any deal in a year. Moon (Mohsin Abbas Haider), who hails from Punjab (Faisalabad), has a dream of going to Dubai, but ends up coming to Karachi while his family continues to believe he is living in Dubai. And Shakeel bhai (Javed Shaikh), an honest man who works as a government servant and owner of homemade pickle business 'Shama Achar' is under pressure to get his younger sister Naina (Urwa Hocane) married, but can't due to financial constraints. Farhan is a paying-guest of Shakeel and is in love with his sister. Moon becomes the new tenant of Shakeel, after being expelled by his landlady (Shehnaz Pervaiz) for not paying rent on time. Jobless, Farhan and Moon plan to take a life insurance to open an account in a bank and then burn it in Karachi strike, posing as 'Na Maloom Afraad', so that they claim desired amount of money in the claim from insurance company. Meanwhile, a proposal comes for Naina and they ask for a car as dowry; devastated with his situation Shakeel goes to break his fixed deposit, but realizes that he had already withdrawn it in 1998 for his mother's (Zaheen Tahira) operation. Thinking of mortgaging his home, it's revealed to Shakeel that the government has given them a one-month notice for leaving their houses due to bridge construction over the area. With all these difficulties, Shakeel tries to kill himself but is saved by the police. Both Moon and Farhan reveal their plan to Shakeel, of which first he refused to part of, but due to his problems he reluctantly agrees. Farhan goes to Gogi (Salman Shahid) a local mobster, to borrow money for their plan. Gogi gives him three lacs, which Farhan agrees to return with interest of six lacs. Shakeel and Farhan, posing as husband and wife, open an account with the bank and they get robbed. Moon falls in love with the bank worker Hina (Kubra Khan). All disguise themselves as a rich people and then get an insurance policy to own a fake claim. Moon, who has also borrowed money from Gogi earlier for going to Dubai, is running from him due to the drugs he saw in a doll which he gave him to transfer to another mobster in Dubai. After Jumma prayer, all three are jammed in a strike and try to burn the bank but they are caught on camera and merely escape from police. Looking at every plan going wrong, Shakeel borrows money from Gogi by giving his house on mortgage. Gogi reaches them and asks Moon for the drugs. Unable to get them, he gives them one week to give him a crore. All blame each other for their situation. Shakeel falls unconscious and on the way to the hospital they get stuck in the strike, however it is later revealed that it was a part of plan to escape from strikers. They provoke the strikers to burn the bank but only then they learn that bank is empty. Later an IFU insurance inspector Samuel (Nayyar Ejaz) came to give them claim of thirty lacs, and warns them that he knows about what they did. They go to Gogi to offer him thirty lacs and ask him for time, but then get into a fight with a Dubai mobster and Gogi. Both of them get killed and all of three come home shocked. They find a phone ringing in a suitcase containing money and jewellery. It is then revealed that Hina robbed the bank before the strike for them. With the money, all gets settled; Shakeel buys a new home and standardises his pickle business, Farhan happily marries Naina and Moon fulfils his dream of going to Dubai. == Cast ==

• Fahad Mustafa as Farhan Ahmed • Jawed Sheikh as Shakeel Ansari • Mohsin Abbas Haider as Moon • Urwa Hocane as Naina • Kubra Khan as Hina • Salman Shahid as Gogi • Amber Wajid as Shama • Irfan Motiwala as Polka • Masood Khan as Jango • Saleem Mairaj as Abdul Qadeer • Muhammad Abdullah as Abdullah • Nayyar Ejaz as Samuel (Special appearance) • Amanullah Khan as Moon's uncle (Special Appearance) • Mehwish Hayat as call girl as known as Billi (Special Appearance) • Zaheen Tahira as Shakeel's Mother (Cameo) • Shehnaz Pervaiz as Landlady • Ali Rizvi as Tea Owner • Paras Masroor as News Reporter == Production ==

Development In 2012, director of telefilms at a comedy-show Banana News Network Nabeel Qureshi had an idea of making a film with the producer and screenwriter Fizza Ali Meerza who was Qureshi's friend and colleague at National Academy of Performing Arts before dropping out. According to directors account the idea originates in a casual conversation with Fizza about banks, lockers and their insurance which ends up with the final name of 'Na Maloom Afraad', the director said, "within the next 24 hours, we had our story." In 2013 before Ramadan, Nabeel and Fizza co-write the film. Fizza and her brother financed the film with the initial budget of under the banners of their own production company Filmwala Pictures. To maintain the budget of film producer wanted to make a film in Canon EOS 5D without taking extra technicalities in shooting. But the final budget of film was closed around , becoming one of the biggest-budgeted films made in Pakistan. In early 2014, Hum TV came on board as media partner and by mid of year Eveready Pictures was in final negotiation for the Pakistan distribution rights. Award-winning cinematographer Rana Kamran (who previously work with Fizza on a film Armaan) was announced the director of the photography of the film. Casting In 2013, after the finishing work on script Nabeel and Fizza themselves chose the cast. Jawed Sheikh was the first person who was offered for the role of Shakeel Bhai, director recounts that "we had late Moeen Akhtar in our mind but after he passed away we for looked for the next best person and Jawed Sheikh came to mind". After reading the script sheikh accepted to do the film. For the role of Farhan, television actor Fahad Mustafa came on board marking his debut in the field, director said, "It was hard to convince him to do a film because he had rejected many offers but thankfully, he liked the story and agreed." Finally for the third main lead role of Moon was given to Mohsin Abbas Haider, who was a long time friend and colleague of director from Banana News Network, Nabeel emphasize that "Mohsin and I go a long way back and I always had him in mind for the role of Moon; there was no other person approached for the role." Mohsin also mark his debut as a film actor. Television actor Saleem Mairaj was offered a role of Abd-ul-Qadir a drug addict, for which he was reluctant at first but after briefing, he accepts the role and veteran PTV actor Nayyar Ejaz confirmed to play the role of insurance company agent Samuel. Irfan Motiwala and Masood Khan confirmed to play the roles of henchmen Polka and Jango respectively. Waseem Abbas was offered the role of Gogi a local mobster and a drug dealer, but he refused to do a small role. Director then approached Salman Shahid who was also less interested for the role but after knowing that Nabeel has directed BNN's telefilms, was then willing to listen to the script, he eventually ended up agreeing to do the role. A special character of Stray Dog was added, who was specially trained for the film by stunt director Mehboob Shah. In addition to the cast well known television starlets Shehnaz Pervez, Zaheen Tara, Ali Rizvi and Paras Masroor also play minor roles as a landlady of Moon, mother of Shakeel, tea restaurant owner and crime show host respectively. ==Music==

The music album was released on 5 September 2014 in a press conference held at Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi where the film's star cast along with production team was present. Lyrics are penned by Sabir Zafar & Mohsin Abbas Haider consisting of nine tracks, with Shani & Kami composing seven and Vicky Haider & Naqash Haider with one track. Film's lead actor Mohsin Abbas Haider also wrote and sung one track Sapno Ki Mala, which was the impromptu addition to film album. The film promotion started on 13 September, with release of its first video promo of song Darbaar. The item song of film Billi is filmed on Mehwish Hayat and is sung by Saima Iqbal while it is written by Fizza Ali Meerza and Nabeel Qureshi. Track listing == Release ==

The theatrical trailer was released on 27 June 2014 on social media and later on television. was announced at a press conference held in Karachi that the film will be distributed by Hum Films and Eveready Pictures in cinemas across Pakistan on Eid ul-Adha 2014 At box office film competed Shaan Shahid’s Operation 021 and Hrithik Roshan’s Bang Bang on their release in Eid days. On 23 November 2014 Na Maloom Afraad had its New York City premiere at South Asian International Film Festival. The film released on limited screens in U.K. on 22 May and in U.A.E. on 3 September 2015. The satellite rights if of the movie were syndicated between HUM TV and Sony Max Int. The film had its TV premiere on Hum TV as an Eid special on 19 July 2015. The film was released in DVD on 13 August 2015. The film has been made streaming available on Netflix. Box office Na Maloom Afraad opened on approx 78 screens, over first 3 Days of Eid which was slightly more than Bang bang but quite below O21. It collected on first day of release, competing O21 at box office it crossed the figure of on 9th day of release leaving all competitors behind and became the super hit of the time. Move held extremely well and went on to collect massive over Eid Week from Monday to Sunday. The film collected Rs 12.20 crores in Pakistan and Rs 1.80 crores in overseas for a worldwide total of Rs 140 crores. ==Reception==

Critical response The film got overall positive critical reviews, The film premiered on 29 September 2014 during a press event in Atrium Cinemas, Karachi. Film's lead cast along with film director and producer attended the screening event. Several journalists were also present to cover the story. Rafay Mahmood of The Express Tribune rated the movie 4/5 and wrote "Na Maloom Afraad is a smartly-crafted film, which guarantees a paisa-vasool (money earning) experience. From the item number to the one-liners, every scene has a purpose and reveals something about the ongoing social circus in the country." Samra Muslim of Sunday wrote "Na Maloom Afraad is an out-and-out entertainer, which due to the catchy promos, strong word of mouth and excited audiences, all which will surely have the producers laughing all the way to the bank. Just what the Pakistani film industry needs!" Maliha Rehman of DAWN.com rated 4.5/5 and –wrote "It’s an all-out, tongue-in-cheek, cleverly-crafted entertainer that leaves you pining for more movies of the same variety." Accolades In Online winning race, It collected 2,736 votes at Tribune's Film Awards 2014, winning in most of categories both by critics and readers. ==Sequel==

In an interview with The Express Tribune, film producer commented about sequel as, "We don't know if it's going to be a proper sequel or a spiritual successor through which we'll tell a different story this time." However, its filming took place in Cape Town, South Africa between February and May 2017. The film released on Eid al-Adha in September 2017. Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane returned to the sequel, joined by new members Hania Amir and Marina Khan; latter made her film debut. ==See also==