Azaadi

{{Infobox film

| name = Azaadi

| native_name = {{Nq|آزادی}}

| image = Azaadi.jpeg

| caption = film poster

| director = Imran Malik

| producer = Irfan Malik
Imran Malik

| writer = Imran Malik

| screenplay = Wajid Zuberi

| starring = Moammar Rana
Sonya Hussain
Nadeem Baig

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2018|6|16|Eid al-Fitr|ref1={{cite news |url=https://arynews.tv/en/watch-azaadi-trailer-ary-films/ |title=WATCH: Trailer of Moammar Rana, Sonya Hussyn starrer 'Azaadi' released |date=14 June 2018 |access-date=14 June 2018 |publisher=ARY News}}}}

| music = Sahir Ali Bagga

| cinematography = Benjamin Jasper

| editing = M. Arif

| studio = Pervez Malik Films

| distributor = ARY Films

| runtime = 152 min

| country = Pakistan

| language = Urdu

| budget = {{PKRConvert|70|m}}{{cite news |author=Mohammad Kamran Jawaid |date=30 December 2018 |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1454402 |title=TRADE: SO, HOW DID THE BOX OFFICE DO? |work=Dawn |access-date=30 December 2018}}

| gross = {{PKRConvert|84|m}}{{cite news |url=https://galaxylollywood.com/2018/06/30/b |title=Box Office: '7 Din Mohabbat In' and 'Azaadi' fare well, others fail miserably |author=Zeeshan Mahmood |date=30 June 2018 |access-date=5 July 2018 |work=Galaxy Lollywood}}

}}

Azaadi ({{langx|ur|{{Nq|آزادی}}}}; {{translation|Freedom}}) is a 2018 Pakistani action thriller war film, that was released on 16 June 2018. It is written, directed and co-produced by Imran Malik with his brother Irfan Malik under the banner of their father Pervez Malik Films. Based on the issue of Kashmir conflict and freedom for Jammu and Kashmir, the film stars Moammar Rana, Sonya Hussain and Nadeem Baig in the leading roles. Dialogues for the film are written by Wajid Zuberi, and the film has been distributed by ARY Films.{{cite news |url=https://veryfilmi.com/moammar-rana-sonya-hussyns-movie-azaadi-teaser/ |title=Moammar Rana & Sonya Hussyn's Movie 'Azaadi' Teaser Is Out! |publisher=VeryFilmi |date=6 February 2017 |access-date=27 March 2018}}

Cast

Moammar Rana as Azaad, a character based on the Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani
Mariyam Khalif as Child artist
Sonya Hussain as Zara; a Pakistani-origin British journalist, Azaad's wife{{cite news |url=https://nation.com.pk/28-Mar-2018/azaadi-trailer-launched |title=Azaadi trailer launched |date=28 March 2018 |access-date=28 March 2018 |work=The Nation}}
Nadeem Baig as Azaad's father
Mariam Ansari
Ali Bilal
Erum Azam as Sheena
Ali Fateh
Samama Randhawa
Waseem
Zeeshan
Saddam ul Haque as Major Sunil
Omer Shahzad as Raj{{cite web |url=https://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1154984 |title=Exclusive: Omer Shahzad to do a cameo in Sonya Hussyn, Moammar Rana starrer Azaadi |work=www.hipinpakistan.com |access-date=30 July 2018}} (cameo)

Production

=Casting=

Danish Taimoor was originally cast opposite lead female Sonya Hussain, as the lead male character of the film. But due to the fallout with the makers of the film he was later replaced by Moammar.{{cite news |url=https://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1149728 |title=Danish Taimoor no longer part of Irfan Malik's film |date=22 May 2016 |publisher=HIP |access-date=27 March 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.arydigital.tv/moammar-rana-sonya-hussayn-geared-upcoming-film/ |title=Moammar Rana and Sonya Hussayn geared up for upcoming film |author=Kinza Piracha |date=1 February 2017 |publisher=ARY Digital |access-date=27 March 2018}} Pakistani television actress Sonya Hussain, plays the lead female role of a Pakistani-origin British journalist.{{cite news |url=http://scroll.in/reel/828574/ |title=There's a new movie about Kashmir – from Pakistan |date=5 February 2018 |access-date=27 March 2018 |website=Scroll.in}} Vetern Pakistani actor Nadeem Baig will essay the father figure role in the film who devotes his life to the Kashmir struggle and passes on his vision of struggle to the youth.{{cite news |url=https://galaxylollywood.com/2017/02/05/a |title=Teaser of upcoming film 'Azaadi' commemorating the struggle for Kashmir is out and it looks GREAT! |author=Zeeshan Mahmood |date=5 February 2017 |website=GalaxyLollywood.com |access-date=27 March 2018}}

=Development=

In an interview with DAWN Images, director Imran highlighted that a film of such a big canvas has never been attempted before in Pakistan, and that the film had elements of patriotism, action scenes and a very powerful love story.{{cite news |url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1177050 |title=Upcoming film Azaadi puts the struggle for Kashmir on the big screen |work=DAWN Images |date=5 February 2017 |access-date=27 March 2018}} The cinematography has been done by Ben Jasper.

=Filming=

The film has been shot in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Northern areas of Pakistan.{{cite news |url=https://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1150327 |title=The curious case of Sonya Hussyn's male lead is solved |date=27 July 2016 |publisher=HIP |access-date=27 March 2018}}

Music

The music of the film has been done by Sahir Ali Bagga, Jabar Abbas, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and Afshan Abbas. Singers Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch have also lent their voices for the soundtrack. Natasha Khan from Coke Studio was the audio engineer of the movie.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sae.edu/gbr/natasha-khan-talks-coke-studio-success |title=Natasha Khan talks Coke Studio success {{!}} SAE Institute UK – Creative Media Courses in Audio Production, Music Business, Animation, VFX, Film, Games and Web Design|website=www.sae.edu|access-date=22 October 2018}}

{{tracklist

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = {{Duration|m=|s=}}

| title1 = Mahiya Ve

| extra1 = Afshan Fawad, Jabbar Abbas

| music1 = Bobby Wazir

| title2 = Lagiyaan

| music2 = Sahir Ali Bagga

| extra2 = Sahir Ali Bagga

}}

Release

The Film was released on Eid-ul-Fitr in Pakistan.

Reception

=Box office=

The film collected 64 million in its first week despite having tough competition from Bollywood movie Race 3 and three other Pakistani films including 7 Din Mohabbat In, Wajood and Na Band Na Baraati.

= Critical reception =

Omair Alavi of Samaa TV praised the film for its worthy cause, excellent cinematography, and powerful performances from Nadeem Baig and Moammar Rana, but the film's weak action sequences, special effects, lengthy first half, which damaged the overall impact of the film, inaccurate portrayal of Kashmiri culture and some unrealistic elements in the storyline were critiqued.{{cite web|url=https://www.samaa.tv/opinion/2018/06/azaadi-worthy-cause-unworthy-execution/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618084619/https://www.samaa.tv/opinion/2018/06/azaadi-worthy-cause-unworthy-execution/ |title=Azaadi – worthy cause, unworthy execution |date=15 June 2018 |archive-date=18 June 2018 |work=Samaa TV |url-status=dead}}