Pakistani cinema bets on zombies, horror and genre risks this Eid Al-Adha

KARACHI: As Pakistani audiences head to cinemas during the Eid Al-Adha holidays, actor Mehwish Hayat hopes her new zombie action-comedy “Zombeid” signals a broader shift in an industry long dominated by romantic dramas and formula films. The film, starring Hayat opposite leading actor Fahad Mustafa, is among several Pakistani releases competing for audiences during one of the country’s biggest cinema weekends, when families traditionally flock to theaters during the Eid holidays. Pakistan’s film industry, once home to a thriving cinema culture known as “Lollywood,” has struggled for years with shrinking cinema infrastructure, inconsistent film production and competition from Hollywood, Bollywood and streaming platforms. Industry figures have increasingly argued that Pakistani cinema needs stronger scripts, larger-scale productions and more experimental storytelling to rebuild audiences. Hayat, who also appeared in Marvel’s “Ms. Marvel,” said Pakistani filmmakers needed to invest more time in development and take greater creative risks if the industry hoped to evolve. “When it is an international project, a lot of work goes into development before going on the floor... Here we sometimes treat projects like a rushed exam, whereas filmmaking should be like architecture, where the foundation has to be strong,” she told Arab News in an interview ahead of the film’s release. The actor said Pakistan’s cinema industry often falls into repetitive storytelling patterns after a film succeeds commercially. “One successful romantic comedy should not mean everyone starts making the same kind of movies,” she said. “We need to experiment more and take risks with different genres.” Directed by Nabeel Qureshi and co-written with longtime collaborator Fizza Ali Meerza, “Zombeid” mixes comedy, horror and action in what filmmakers describe as one of Pakistan’s most ambitious attempts at a zombie thriller. The film also stars Dodi Khan, Irfan Motiwala, Javed Sheikh and Babar Ali. Hayat said the project immediately stood out because large-scale zombie thrillers had rarely been attempted in Pakistan. “We, in Pakistan, have never attempted a zombie thriller at this scale before,” she said. “It was risky but also very challenging. As an artist, I always like to attempt different genres and give audiences something fresh.” The actor said audiences would see a very different side of her performance compared to the emotional or romantic roles she has often played in commercially successful films. “In this movie, we have to react to danger and chaos,” she said. “Those reactions are very different from the kind of work we usually do.” To prepare for the role of a Zumba instructor in the film, Hayat said she attended fitness classes in the United States before production began. “I attended a few Zumba classes at LA Fitness to understand how a trainer behaves,” she said. “I also worked on my fitness because the role was physically demanding.” The film reunites Hayat with Qureshi and Meerza, the filmmaking duo behind commercially successful Pakistani films including “Na Maloom Afraad,” “Actor in Law” and “Load Wedding.” Hayat said she trusted the filmmakers’ creative vision despite the unconventional premise. She also argued that audiences across South Asia were increasingly rejecting simplistic or stereotypical storytelling because of wider exposure to global content online. While stereotypical portrayals of Muslims and Pakistanis still existed in some Bollywood films, Hayat said streaming platforms and younger filmmakers were gradually reshaping narratives in the region. “People can now see through stereotypes and propaganda much more easily,” she told Arab News. “You can love your country without demonizing another nation... Cinema is very powerful and it needs to be used carefully.”