A new controversy is brewing on the showbiz circuit of Pakistan after PTI leader Imran Khan’s friend Zulfi Bukhari pressurized a prominent director not to sign any deal of the film he produced with Geo Entertainment — Geo Network’s showbiz arm.
Imran Khan has been attacking this particular media group since last general polls.
Multi-millionaire London businessman Zulfi Bukhari has produced film ‘Cake’ under his company ZAB Films – directed by award-winning filmmaker Asim Abbasi.
Asim Abbasi has announced he will launch his directorial debut feature film this week but Zulfi Bukhari told him at the last minute not to ink a deal of film promotion with Geo Films. “The negotiations were in advance stages but Zulfi Bukhari doesn’t want to go ahead with Geo Film because of Imran Khan’s running fights with the Geo and Jang management,” said a source seeking confidentiality.
‘Cake’ stars Sanam Saeed, Aamina Sheihk, Adnan Malik and Mikal Zulfiqar.
“That cast and crew are annoyed with Zulfi Bukhari that he is letting his personal and political issues effect his and their business,” said the source, suspecting that the order may have come directly from Imran Khan.
The source said that Zulfi Bukhari’s recent barrage of tweets against Geo boss Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman didn’t go down well with the crew and cast who enjoy good relations with the Geo management. Imran Khan and people close to him ran a campaign against Mir Shakil after news about Imran Khan’s third marriage was published in The News.
The source said that that the PR management is now in talks with Hum, ARY, Dawn and Capital for the launch of the film.
Set in the present-day world of Karachi and London, ‘Cake’ offers a heartfelt look at the realities of life and death, of past and present, of choices and consequences.
The film unfolds a story about the passage of time seen through the eyes of one family member to another. The Director of Photography is Mo Azmi and Aarij Hashimi is the Production Designer.
Cake’s cast, crew and members of the film were recently hosted at a top London hotel to celebrate the Cake’s London shoot where some of the most prominent faces of London’s showbiz social scene turned up to show support for Zulfi. Several rich Indians including Peter Virdee Amit Bhatia Lakshmi Mittal also attended the event.
