Kamli (2022 film)

Hina lives alone with her visually impaired sister-in-law Sakina as her husband Saqlain had gone to Bahrain eight years ago for better prospects. She waits for his return for years but he did not come back. Along with some of other girls of the neighborhood, she goes to Zeenat's house who is a painter, and the girls work as a muse for her. Zeenat has somewhat disturbance and restlessness in her life as she has no child with her husband Malik Nadir.

One day on returning from her house, Hina slips into a lake, but is rescued out of the water by a man name Amaltas. The two connect instantly there, attract and develops a relationship over the span of days. They both fall for each other, and she starts spending her most of time with him.

One day, she goes to Zeenat's house with Sakina where an aalima tells the people there that a woman whose husband is unknown, could marry after four years after completing her Iddah. Sakina gets angry over it and forbids her to work in her house. After a few days, Zeenat comes to their house to with a marriage proposal of her husband for Hina. Sakina lashes out at Zeenat and later physically beats Hina, saying that she was already suspicious of her and Mr. Malik having an affair.

Sakina eventually decides to get Hina married to Mr. Malik, and reveals to her that Saqlain had died in an accident shortly after he left for Bahrain eight years ago, but she could never come to terms with the news. She locks Hina up to prevent her from leaving the house until her period of Iddah was over. Hina, frustrated, sets the room on fire using Kerosene, and Sakina is forced to open the lock. Hina runs away to elope with Amaltas, only to find his cabin empty. His painted handprints on the door from earlier are also no longer there, revealing that he had never been a real person.

She goes back home to Sakina, puts her head on her lap and asks her to tell the folk tale about Princess Harmala who was saved from . The house slowly burns down, and we see a shot of Zeenat burning polaroids, including those of Amaltas. As Sakina tells the story, Hina goes over to the small pool in their balcony slowly submersing herself in the water.

There are two interpretations of the ending. The first is that Hina imagined Amaltas, fantasizing of herself as the folk-tale character of Princess Harmala. She had imagined Amaltas based on photos she has seen at Zeenat's. As shown in the end, Hina knew how to swim all along and did not need to be rescued the day she met Amaltas. The second interpretation is that Amaltas is ghost who appears to desperate women, gives them hope and then abandons them. He must have appeared to Sakina, who recognized his smell on Hina. He must also have appeared to Zeenat, who sadly burns his photo in the end.

• Saba Qamar as Hina Saqlain
• Sania Saeed as Sakina
• Nimra Bucha as Zeenat
• Hamza Khawaja as Amaltas

• Omair Rana as Malik Nadir
• Iman Shahid as Noori
• Adeel Afzal as Usman
• Razia Malik as Khala Naseem
• Sarmad Khoosat as Sahir Beragi (voice only)
• Samiya Mumtaz as Aalima (cameo)

In September 2019, Saba Qamar signed up for Sarmad Khoosat's second feature film Kamli.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/527324-with-kamli-im-stepping-into-the-mainstream-sarmad-khoosat|title="With Kamli, I'm stepping into the mainstream." – Sarmad Khoosat|work=The News|date=16 September 2019|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1183664/saba-qamar-has-signed-her-next-movie|title=Saba Qamar has signed her next movie|date=14 September 2019|work=Images by Dawn|access-date=}} According to Qamar, Kamli is her fist project which she took on without reading the script, and decided to sign it just after hearing its song "Naina".{{cite web |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1693272/the-icon-interview-queen-of-the-jungle |title=THE ICON INTERVIEW: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE |date=5 June 2022 |access-date=22 June 2024 |work=Dawn (newspaper) |author=Maliha Rehman}} Besides Qamar, Sania Saeed and Nimra Bucha were also cast in this film; it was their second feature film collaboration with Khoosat after his directorial debut Manto (2015).{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/590495-sarmad-khoosat-discusses-kamli|title=Sarmad Khoosat discusses Kamli|date=30 December 2019|work=www.thenews.com.pk|access-date=6 May 2022}} Debutant Hamza Khawaja was selected to portray the male lead opposite Qamar. The principal photography began in the first week of October and lasted for two months.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/586103-its-a-wrap-for-kamli-announces-saba-qamar|title=It's a wrap for Kamli, announces Saba Qamar|date=20 December 2019|work=www.thenews.com.pk|access-date=6 May 2022}} Khoosat revealed that the film would be a tragic love story.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/asia/busan-pakistan-sarmad-sultan-khoosat-starts-kaml-1203362651/|title=Busan: Pakistan's Sarmad Sultan Khoosat Starts 'Kamli' (EXCLUSIVE)|work=Variety|date=2019-10-07|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1183814|work=Dawn Images|title=Saba Qamar's next film is a tragic love story at heart, reveals Sarmad Khoosat|date=9 October 2019|author=Images Staff|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2075673/kamli-tragic-love-story-sarmad-khoosat?|title='Kamli' is a tragic love story: Sarmad Khoosat|date=9 October 2019|work=Express Tribune|access-date=}}

The film is based on a short film by actress Mehar Bano, with additional story and dialogues by Khoosat himself and screenplay by NCA graduate Fatimah Sattar in her debut work as a screenwriter.{{cite web|url=https://www.somethinghaute.com/kamli-press-meet-a-night-of-music-dance-and-discussions-about-the-anticipated-movie/ |title=Kamli press meet: A night of music, dance and discussions about the anticipated movie |date=28 May 2022 |work=Something Haute |access-date=14 June 2023 |author=Syeda Zehra}} Saad Sultan composed the music of the film who earlier composed Laiyaan Laiyaan for Jackson Heights (2014). The film is edited by Saim Sadiq and Nadeem Abbas. Awais Gohar, who previously worked with Khoosat for Aakhri Station was the director of photography of the film.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/966689-all-about-kamli |title=All about Kamli |date=19 June 2022 |work=The News International |author=Maheen Sabeeh}}

The music of the film is composed and produced by Saad Sultan. Lyrics are written by Shakeel Sohail, Bulleh Shah, Izzat Majeed, Anjum Qureshi and Sohail Shahzad. Kamli's music tells a story of its own. It also pays homage to Reshma jee with Maina Tu, bringing back her melodious voice at a turning point in the film.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Manal |date=2022-06-07 |title=Haute Review: Kamli is one of Pakistan's most important films of the last few decades |url=https://www.somethinghaute.com/haute-review-kamli-is-one-of-pakistans-most-important-films-of-the-last-few-decades/ |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Something Haute |language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=https://www.somethinghaute.com/must-listen-the-soulful-melodious-profound-ost-of-kamli/ | title=Must listen: The soulful, melodious & profound OST of Kamli | date=25 May 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/421699-why-kamli-songs-are-named-after-elements-of-nature-sarmad-khoosat-explains | title=Why 'Kamli' songs are named after elements of nature? Sarmad Khoosat explains }}{{cite web | url=https://reviewit.pk/upcoming-film-kamlis-song-pani-featuring-saba-qamar-out-now/amp/ | title=Upcoming Film Kamli's Song "Pani" Featuring Saba Qamar - Out Now | date=16 May 2022 }}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

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

| title1 = Mukhra

| extra1 = Atif Aslam

| length1 = 3.39

| title2 = Aag

| extra2 = Amna Rahi, Farah Naz, Shamim Akhtar, ft. Zeb Bangash

| length2 = 3.16

| title3 = Kaash

| extra3 = Zeb Bangash, ft. Sohail Shahzad

| length3 = 4.28

| title4 = Naina

| extra4 = Sohail Shahzad

| length4 = 3.32

| title5 = Paani

| extra5 = Nimra Gilani, Zenab Fatimah

| length5 = 4.04

| title6 = Mainu Tu

| extra6 = Reshma

| length6 = 5.54

|all_writing=|title8=|length8=|title9=|length9=|title10=|length10=}}

Initially planned to release on Eid-ul-Fitr 2020, the theatrical release of the film was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on 3 June 2022.

The film was screened at Indus Valley International Film Festival (IVIFF) 2022 in Chandigarh where Saba Qamar won best actress award for her performance.{{cite web | url=https://www.easterneye.biz/pakistani-actor-saba-qamar-bags-an-award-at-indian-film-festival/ | title=Pakistani actor Saba Qamar bags an award at Indian film festival | date=25 November 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://pakistanbeat.com/trending/saba-qamar-awarded-at-indus-valley-international-film-festival-for-kamli/ | title=Saba Qamar wins award for Kamli across the border | date=22 November 2022 }} It was also screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) from 31 January to 2 February 2023.{{cite web | url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/14-Dec-2022/how-sarmad-khoosat-s-kamli-is-leading-the-way-for-pakistani-cinema | title=How Sarmad Khoosat's Kamli is leading the way for Pakistani cinema | date = 14 December 2022 | publisher = Daily Pakistan}}{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CnXIyysMPJl/ | title=Khoosat Films on Instagram | quote = We are happy to announce that Kamli will be screening at the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam @iffr in Europe. The shows are lined from 31st Jan to 2nd Feb. | date = 13 January 2023 | website = Instagram}}

The film had a Television Premier on 7 January 2023 on Hum TV.{{cite web | url=https://mmnews.tv/saba-qamar-starrer-kamli-to-get-a-tv-premiere-soon/amp/ | title=Saba Qamar starrer 'Kamli' to get a TV premiere soon | date=23 December 2022 }}

The film was lauded by critics and analysts across Pakistan. Something Haute’s Manal Khan wrote, "Kamli is an important achievement, for everyone." The Express Tribune's Simran Siraj wrote that the film would remind you of "the mirrored wall between your reality and desires."{{Cite web |date=2022-06-04 |title=Review: 'Kamli' pierces deep into your soul |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2359995/review-kamli-pierces-deep-into-your-soul-with-its-subtle-mocking-of-escape-within-tradition |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} Mohammad Kamran Jawaid of Dawn Images praised the acting performances of the actors especially of Qamar, Saeed and Bucha and termed it as a film that deserves The Oscar submission. While praising Saeed's performance he wrote, "Words fail to describe the understated detail she brings to Sakina".{{cite web|url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1190181 |title=Review: Kamli is a film that deserves an Oscar submission |date=30 May 2022 |access-date=14 June 2023 |author=Mohammad Kamran Jawaid |work=Images by Dawn}} Maheen Sabeeh of The News International especially praised the Khoosat's direction along with cinematography and music.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/963398-sarmad-khoosat-gives-pakistan-its-best-film-to-date |title=Sarmad Khoosat gives Pakistan its best film to date |author=Maheen Sabeeh |date= 5 June 2022 }} Saneela Jawad of Daily Times said it a cinematic masterpiece and praised the Khoosat's direction, his way of dealing with the taboo topics.{{cite web|url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/948428/kamli-a-journey-of-thought-and-emotions/ |title=‘Kamli’ — a journey of thought and emotions |date=8 June 2022 |work=Daily Times |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324230745/https://dailytimes.com.pk/948428/kamli-a-journey-of-thought-and-emotions/ |url-status=live}}

• List of Pakistani films of 2022

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Category:2022 films

Category:2020s Urdu-language films

Category:Pakistani drama films

Category:Urdu-language Pakistani films