Joyland

Joyland-360P

Joyland

This is one of the best dramas I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot). Its raw, its real and its hard to digest because it depicts a side of the Pakistani society that everyone knows exists but no one wants to admit. There has been a lot of baseless propaganda about this film just because it humanizes a trans person. That is it. There is literally nothing objectionable n this film. In a society that treats trans people worse than animals, it is very hard for people to watch it when this movie shows a glimpse of our everyday reality. Whatever is shown in the movie happens in Pakistan everyday, literally. It is not promoting or demonizing anything. It just shows who we really are. I feel sad for people who are rating it 1 star just because they heard somewhere that this movie promotes something againt their beliefs. What are your beliefs anyways? Almost all 'khwaja sara's in Pakistan are abandoned by their parents at birth or after a few years. Does anyone critise that? Have you criticised the kind of humiliation they face everyday forno reason? Have you ever wondered where do these people come from? Are they some aliens or just humans like us born a little differently? The violence these people face everyday is beyond imagination. And it is very sad to see that some people are trying to get this movie banned because its an attempt to humanize the most vulnerable segment of the society. I loved all the characters, loved the music, loved the setting and more than anything loved the acting. Everything together was a punch in the gut. It made me uncomfortable, it made me cry, it made me laugh outloud and beyond anything else, it made me think. I cant stop thinking about this movie since I watched it last night. Would happily watch it again over the weekend with my mother since I am in Pakistan only for a short while. Congratulations to the creators and actors in this film. You have created a masterpiece.

The word masterpiece is just not enough to define this movie. This is the first pakistani movie I am watching and I am sure this is definitely my most favorite movie of the year 2022. Each frame of the movie is like a painting. The cinematography is just so brilliant and marvelous. I am just out of words to define this movies beauty. The way they show the geography, the way the interior shots are staged and the lighting in thoes scenes, the scenes in the metro train, all are my favorite. There is nothing in this movie that i did not like or felt could have changed. The music is awsome, I mean such a groovy and nice music that just blends amazingly with the scenes. The writing of the characters is again something of a different level. Such amazing and compelling characters. Each character gets its complete expression in the movie. The dilouges are amazing, so natural. I seriously don't have words to describe the performances. Alina khan as Biba is the star of the movie, just so marvelous and beautiful. Ali junejo, rasti farooq, sarwat gilani, the father character and the kids, all give such natural and astonishing performances. The way this movie shows the intricacies and complications in a relationship is very rarely seen and shown in movies. I can just keep on praising the movie. So happy to have seen such a amazing movie.

This movie has definitely raised the bar for Pakistani cinema. The cinematography and acting was top-notch. The story was beautifully shown and often gave goosebumps. The film touches on important issues like patriarchy and succeeds in this. The transgender community of Pakistan is less often treated like other communities. There several deep moments in the film where the viewer is forced to question stereotypes. Great job by saim sadiq and sarmad khoosat. It is sad to see why this film became controversial. It genuinely and accurately depicts the "Lahori" people and mindset. Highly recommend this movie!

Beautifully written/direct tale of a family's misfortune. Joyland left me in tears. Great Job Pakistan for promoting pure art. Great storyline and delivery! Depiction of dance "mujraverse" was pretty nice. Hoping Joyland will pickup some major awards and open pathways for Pakistani art to become more mainstream. So much talent and cultural beauty that we can share with the world. Lastly, to all supporting movie ban: Please take a close look at your society. It is what it is. People live diverse lives and they aren't going to change. That's the beauty of being human. Nothing against islam or Pakistani culture in this movie.

There was much hue and cry about the movie citing it a movie about "LGBT's". Naturally I went expecting a movies centered around that but was pleasantly surprised with everything else the movie had to offer leaving the much talked about issue only secondary. It touched a lot of issues that are neither acknowledged or accepted in Pakistani society and hence no one addresses them. The protagonist is basically a beta male; Haider living in a patriarchal household where his (alpha) brother is the main breadwinner but has been unable to father a son (despite having 4 daughters) to continue family lineage. There is a Haider in every house in Pakistan who is not allowed to make his life decisions for himself; whether the girl he marries, having the option to "allow" her to work, he cant even have privacy with his wife as his nieces are made to sleep with his wife. AND he is supposed to be the breadwinner and not his wife no matter what profession choices he has to resort it. It is therefore natural for him to fall for a strong willed trans he starts working for at the theatre. The theatre culture in Pakistan is beautifully depicted. Some things that stood out for me; I really liked the scene where the family is having dinner and its decided that haider's wife will quit her job without her having a say in it. Everyone else getting excited about the baby boy to be born to carry the family name except the mother bearing the child; the inner turmoil of that mother resulting in drastic actions. The treatment of trans in public transport. The neighbor; an aged woman's having no right to make her life decisions. There are just so many relatable scenes in the movie bring so many shades of Pakistani culture to light that I can just keep going on and on about..... In the end I would like to commend the brilliant acting of Alina Khan as biba, she literally stole the show. Haider's role wasn't easy to play as well so kudos to Ali Junejo as well. I will be looking forward to more masterpieces by Saim Sadiq.

I was really mad due to the banning of this movie but at last it got released and it's worth every penny. Even though the movie was heavely censored and multiple scenes were cut i enjoyed it alot. If you are going to watch it be prepared for an emotional rooler coaster because you will be laughing once and then you'll cry. The story is about a family in lahore which goes through alot of loving as well as uncomfortable situations, there is alot about mental health and the casual transphobia of pakistani people. They also depicted the voilence against trans people, how they go through abuse from our society and they also depicted the high rates of killing of trans people in pakistan.

The prison you call home has let you go, exchanging places with your wife to earn some dough, leaves her trapped and isolated, while you become more animated, and discover what deep down, you've always known; as you fall for dancer Biba who you're supporting, on the stage but after hours you are cavorting, in a world that can be rigid, you find yourself no longer frigid, then you misjudge the whole vibe, with your contorting. It's a wonderful and brave piece of cinema that breaks boundaries by some measure (and quite rightly so), as Haider falls for the elegant transgender Biba, and his wife Mumtaz pays the penalty for his indiscretions.

Through the course of every year, there are a few movies which I mark as the most anticipated ones. Ever since I first watched the trailer for Joyland, I was intrigued and looking forward to experiencing it. Over the course of time, the film gathered accolades in the festival circuit and was banned in its home country of Pakistan. I finally had the opportunity to watch it last week and I was not disappointed. I do have an issue with the film but that is not regarding its quality . More on that later. This one is a bold film and the director Saim Safiq must be hailed to have the guts to make this film coming from where he is. The smart thing here is that he does not go about demonizing or critiquing something as sensitive as religion. Rather, he attacks the evil of patriarchy and the devastating effect it can have on a family breaking out from its core till nothing is left. While we mostly have films over here which shows how the women are affected by patriarchy, this film does a wonderful job in portraying that it is equally toxic for the men as it thursts unreal expectation of being a Man right from their birth. Joyland primarily deals with the joint family headed by the father Rana Amanullah and the family of his two sons - Haider and Salim. Each member of the family has their own dynamic. Everyone tries to fit in but each has their own unrequited wants which they are striving for. Haider is the black sheep of the family who, despite his best efforts, cannot live up to the expectations of his father or of the society. He finally finds his calling after he gets a job as a background dancer at a dance group led by Biba. Biba is a transgender in Pakistan trying to carve a place in the society but is not given a chance. Sparks immediately fly between them when the two misfits meet each other. This relation sets in motion a butterfly effect, the results of which are not pleasant. The acting is brilliant all across the board and the dialouges and screenplay are both commendable but mature. This film shows a mirror to the audience about the everyday casual wrong-doings happening all around us. We can either turn a blind eye to it or address it .The choice is ours as the audience. No one here is a villain, but just trying to live their life as per the standards set for them and trying to break the glass ceiling one step at a time. Now, coming to the issue of the film. I think the trailer for this film actually did the film a disservice. This film is no way only about the relation between Biba and Haider. People who have not watched the movie are protesting for all the wrong reasons. This is a far more mature film which addresses issues faced by everyone - right from the youngest member of the family to the eldest one. The best scene in this movie, for me,does not even involve Biba. It is the pre-climax scene which has to be the most tender yet the most telling scene in this movie. It packs a punch and by the time the credit rolls, you realise you just finished watching one of the top films of the year.