Following the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan in 2021, a 2018 Pakistani military action film, Parwaaz Hai Junoon, has been scheduled to hit Chinese theaters in November.
The Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahad Raza Mir and Hania Aamir starrer will be the first Pakistani production to release in Chinese mainland cinemas in over three decades.
“In a historic development for Pakistani films, Parwaaz Hai Junoon, starring Hamza Ali Abbasi, Hania Amir, and Ahad Raza Mir in lead roles is all set to release in China on November 13, 2020!” read an announcement on the film’s official Instagram account.
Amid the delayed releases and hopelessness surrounding Pakistani cinema, Parwaaz Hai Junoon's release in China provides some amount of relief. The film was earlier released in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 4th November, 2018. And the premiere was also attended by Abbasi and Aamir as well as the Ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia and Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan.
Abbasi took to Twitter to express his appreciation on Thursday. "Grateful to Allah that i got to be a part of the 1st Pakistani Film to be released in China after 40 years," he wrote.
Directed by Haseeb Hassan, Parwaaz Hai Junoon tells the story of a group of young patriotic cadets who become the best fighter pilots in Pakistan after experiencing various hardships. One of the highlights of the film is the JF-17, a fourth-generation fighter jointly developed by China and Pakistan. It makes a surprise appearance in the film, which has aroused the interest and expectations of military fans.
Parwaz Hai Junoon also focuses on the growth of female pilots, with Aamir's character giving up her life of luxury to focus on her dream to become a pilot. The film had a positive reception in Pakistan, with an 8.1/10 ratings on IMDb. It went on to become the fifth highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time.
The agreement to bring the film to the mainland was signed in April 2019 at a China-Pakistan economic and trade cooperation forum during the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. A film company from Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province is in charge of distribution, Sohu News reported.
