Finally, after years of hunting, I got my hand on a copy of Samina Peerzada's 'Inteha'. Though the bootleg print quality was quite bad, that didn't deter me from enjoying this movie, which to simply put is flawless.
Inteha basically is the story of Sara, played by the leading actress Meera - a young girl from a well off background, studying at an liberal arts college. Being quite the introverted sort and romantically inclined, she's a dreamer. With a dad who still dotes on her daughter, and a pacifist boyfriend (Zeeshan Sikanadar), life just couldn't get any better ofr her. This all is shattered when circumstances force her to marry her feudal cousin (Humayun Saeed as Zafar), and the guy being a total wacko, proceeds to extract his 'revenge' on her - watch the movie to find out what happens later.
I couldn't fault any aspect of the film. It's stunning visually - Lahore is depicted as what Lahore truly is - with its Mughal architecture, noisy traffic, laid back atmosphere and with it's rich cultural heritage. The director reportedly spent 2 years on the screenplay with the script writer - and the results are worth all the effort. There are no boring moments in the film, it keeps you glued right from word go.
At the risk of making this review sound like a eulogy,I WOULD say that the songs of Inteha are among the most beautiful I ever heard, and come fabulously on the screen. They are intrinsically woven into the film's script, and enhance the impact of the script. The pick of the lot are 'Aye Meri Aarzoo' and 'Rut Mastani Sama Suhana' - worth buying the soundtrack for.
The actors have done a wonderful job. The previously wooden Zeeshan Sikander proves that he actually has some acting talent in him, but it is really Humayun Saeed's show all the way - he does really well as the sadistic Zafar. Resham adds glamour to the proceedings, what with her playing the a high profile model which she actually is. And of course, Meera gives an unusually understated and subtle performance, which works very well for the film.
All in all a wonderful film - I couldn't fault it on any count. Wonder why it absolutely vanished after a highly successful (and rather eventful) cinematic run - neither was it released on video/DVD nor was it screened on television. If any of you guys associated with the film are reading this, release it on DVD, and do that FAST!!
Verdict: 10/10
