Aik Hai Nigar: An inspirational biopic with powerful messages

Mahira Khan recently paid a humble tribute to the strength, determination and resilience of an accomplished Pakistan Army officer, Lieutenant General Nigar Johar, by portraying her character in a biopic (telefilm) Aik Hai Nigar. As Pakistan Army’s first female Three Star General, Johar is a force to be reckoned with, and her inspirational story is a must-watch. Aik Hai Nigar traces the life of Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar, but what sets this telefilm apart is that it shows not only how she has excelled, but the set backs, hardships and traumatic events that she went through in her career. The 100-minute long telefilm focuses more on the human element of her journey rather than her larger-than-life persona. Though a lot can’t be written to avoid spoilers, here are 5 reasons, out of the many, for which you should not miss watching it:  

1. A different narrative

As television viewers, we are accustomed to watching a certain type of women on television and it’s a rare occurrence to find ‘strong female characters surrounded by supportive people’ in our dramas. Women are either the victim or the oppressor in dramas, portrayed in stark shades of black and white. However, Aik Hai Nigar is an inspirational telefilm that puts forward a new narrative about a strong and resilient woman who can be vulnerable, and at the same time, ambitious.     It also shows how women have to work four times as hard as men to prove their worth in any field, and despite that their promotions are subjected to reservations based on their gender, also fuelling doubts on their ability to command. The narrative doesn’t shy away from highlighting that this bias is even in the armed forces, however, there are always those who disregard such orthodox notions and favour merit.  

2. Impressive Production

The telefilm covers Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar’s life from a school kid (1975) to the present (2020), and portraying it successfully is a big feat. One would have to credit Umera Ahmed for scripting the story so strongly, picking up elements that strike the perfect balance between the personal and professional facets of General Nigar’s life. Director Adnan Sarwar, who has directed hit biopics, like Shah and Motorcycle Girl, is also a strong name attached to the project and brings his expertise to the table. Wardrobe stylist, Fizza Ejaz, has done a great job, especially with Mahira’s wardrobe and her wedding jora. The colour grading is also different for different eras and situations, thus transporting a viewer back into the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. From the set designs and props to costumes, makeup and ambiance, the attention to detail in this film is commendable, and one knows that credit for those details has to be given to producers Nina Kashif and Mahira Khan, for micro managing them down to the finest detail. It’s apparent that this just wasn’t a work of art; it was a passion project.  

3. Amazing performances

There is no second thought that it is an honour for Mahira Khan to play a revered personality like Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar, but the pressure of doing justice to such a character would be immense. Mahira performed well over the expectations, especially in the scenes when she is vulnerable and heartbroken yet needs to keep her composure. There is a scene with her brother, Shahid (Khushhal Khan), in which she tells him to endure the pain. As she commandingly says ‘Sabr Sabr‘, it feels as if she is also reassuring herself. Mahira has abandoned her superstar persona in this project and puts forward a raw and touching performance.     Bilal Ashraf has shown promising growth in the role of Nigar’s husband, Johar. It was his character’s demand to be likeable and the audience will instantly connect to him. Bilal has managed to give audience an ideal husband with his sweet sense of humour and supportive nature. Sohail Sameer is a gem that the industry wasted a lot of time to recognize. As Nigar’s father, he is a dream dad who doesn’t differentiate between his sons and daughters. Khushhal Khan as Shahid has only a few appearances, yet he has managed to bring smiles and tears to our eyes.  

 

4. An inspirational father-daughter bond

Sohail Sameer as Qadir (Nigar’s father) has the most emotional yet aspiring scenes in the film. Though his role is brief, he looked and played the part brilliantly as he shared a beautiful bond with his daughter. His dialogues are a crash course on ‘how supportive fathers should be’ for TV writers who still feel that every father dies of a heart attack when a daughter voicer her opinion. He asks Nigar about her preferences before marriage, he tells her to always stand her ground yet give respect to her life partner. Is this really airing on television? YES!  

 

5. An exemplary couple

The telefilm propagates right messages about an ideal marriage where the partners should support each other. Bilal as Johar is sweet and supportive, and has complete confidence in his wife’s talent and hard work. Bilal’s mannerisms showed his concern for his wife; he always waits for her to come back home and eat together, he encourages her to be ambitious even after he retired from the army. He becomes her pillar of strength when she is in need of one and pampers her when she shares that she can’t cook.     Read: Aik Hai Nigar: Mahira Khan appears resolute in a uniform Aik Hai Nigar is produced by Nina Kashif and Mahira Khan, under the banner of Soul Fry Films. It written by Umera Ahmed, and it is always a pleasure when one watches projects where women tell stories of other women. The are two songs in the soundtrack produced by Abbas Ali Khan. Sung by Haroon Shahid and Lalarukh Abbas, both are made for the situations in the film and are soothing melodies. However, there are instances where Aik Hai Nigar slightly stumbles: Mahira’s character didn’t visibly age as much as Bilal’s did in the film. She showed some signs of ageing, with wrinkles, lines on her forehead but not like Johar and Shahid, who had white hair in the end. You can let it slide and attribute it to the real Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar’s physical appearance, however, we spotted a paunch on Bilal but Mahira didn’t gain weight at all. Also, it would have been laudable if the film also delved deep into her achievements along with her family life. Nonetheless, Aik Hai Nigar is a beautiful and courageous attempt to honour the heroes that surround us. May we get to see more such projects in the future. You can watch the telefilm here: