Pakistan’s film industry begins 2024 on a high with the release of sports film Nayab which proves to be a game changer in many ways. Not only it is the first major film to be announced and completed post-pandemic, it is also one of the few sports films produced in the country.

Releasing on 25th January 2024 in Pakistan and all set for a release on 2nd February across the globe, Nayab is not just Yumna Zaidi’s film debut, it is the story of all those talented women who want to pursue their dreams but don’t get the required support.

There are many reasons why one should go and watch Nayab in a cinema but we bring you five compelling reasons that will be enough for you to leave everything and cheer for Nayab, in a cinema near you!

Yumna Zaidi makes a smashing film debut

Had it been some other actress making her film debut with Nayab, the audience wouldn’t have cared much, but it’s Yumna Zaidi’s film debut, an actress who has been consecutively delivering hits on TV. Not only does she get to emote on the big screen but she also plays Cricket and bowls toe-crushing deliveries that might remind some of Wasim Akram, the greatest left-arm pacer Pakistan ever produced.

She dons many avatars in the film and each one is different from the other; in the beginning, she is shown as a cricket-loving girl attending a wedding, then she is playing Cricket with his brother; she also attends school, and later cricket academy and also gets to be a good aunt for her nephews, excelling in all shades.

And then there is her cracking chemistry with leading guy Usama Khan as well as her brother played by M Fawad Khan. Both the men support her selflessly and prove that if there is a woman behind every man’s success, there can be men behind every woman’s as well.

M Fawad Khan shines in an important character

His name may remind you of the Humsafar actor but M Fawad Khan is as different to Fawad Khan as one can be. In Nayab, he plays Akbar aka Akka who is not just Nayab’s brother but also a former under 19 protégé who couldn’t make it big due to family pressure. He is the one who convinces their father played by Javed Sheikh to let Nayab practice with him, and goes out of the way to ensure that nothing stops her from achieving her goals.

The scenes where he is shown as a youngster are very well filmed and it would have been better had his track been given more time. His relationship with his parents, his siblings, his wife, and his kid are the core of Nayab and without him, the film would have been incomplete.

Cricket is pivotal to the plot!

One can surely say that Cricket is the third most important cast member of Nayab after Yumna Zaidi and Fawad Khan because its pivotal to the plot. Since the sport is not only loved in Pakistan but also in the entire region, the audience from those countries will certainly throng to the cinemas to watch both their favorite sport and their favorite actress in action.

Although the film has to face competition with Green Entertainment’s 22 Qadam, which has more or less the same storyline, the cinematic experience will compel many to return to the cinema to watch Nayab. After all, the love for cricket never gets old in Pakistan!

The Naqvis are back!

Ali Abbas and Basit Naqvi are amongst the most exciting screenwriters in Pakistan; they were the reason why Laal Kabootar managed to do well and it is because of them that Nayab can carve a separate niche for itself. Scenes revolving around cricket would have failed to click had writers not well-versed in the game would have penned it, but the duo does a commendable job and makes you want to watch the film till the very end.

Nayab also gives you Chak De India vibes but with a Pakistani touch; the writers have intelligently incorporated Adnan Siddiqui’s character into their script which otherwise would have looked bad. The way the entire film is packaged makes it a valid reason for a multiple-time watch.

It’s a complete entertainment package!

Director Umair Nasir Ali must be commended for coming up with a complete package where he not only manages to invoke patriotism into the audience’s hearts but also keeps them entertained. It is a film for both the young and the old, the girls and the boys, for cricket enthusiasts and fans of Yumna Zaidi.

The film has been shot at the most picturesque locations in Karachi and the clothes worn by the cast will interest fashionistas. Add to that intelligent editing and you have a complete package that entertains everyone. The background score also adds to the film’s cinematic experience as does the soundtrack. Go Nayab!