Filmistaan(2014)
Filmistaan is a 2014 Hindi-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Nitin Kakkar. The film stars Sharib Hashmi as Sunny, a struggling Bollywood assistant director, alongside Inaamulhaq as Aftaab, a Pakistani DVD pirate. The story follows Sunny who is kidnapped by terrorists who mistake him for an American and taken to a village in Pakistan. There, he bonds with Aftaab over their shared love for Hindi cinema. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 2012. It was praised for its warm tone, strong performances, and message of cross-border friendship. The film was released in theaters on June 6, 2014 in the United States and is available on Disney+ Hotstar.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, Sony LIV, Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 6 June 2014
- Director
- Nitin Kakkar
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Rating
- 7.1/10
Storyline
A Bollywood assistant director named Sunny is kidnapped by terrorists who mistake him for an American. He is taken to a village in Pakistan where he meets Aftaab, a local who sells pirated Hindi film DVDs. Despite being from enemy nations, the two bond over their love for movies and cricket. Sunny must find a way to escape before the terrorists use him for propaganda.
“Cinema can bridge any border.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Filmistaan
Cast reunions in this film: Sharib Hashmi & Inaamulhaq (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's lead actor Sharib Hashmi was initially rejected by producers for not being a star, but the director insisted on casting him.
- Many villagers in the Pakistani border areas where the story is set are real-life fans of Bollywood, mirroring the film's plot.
- The movie was shot in just 28 days on a very small budget, mostly in Rajasthan and sets designed to look like Pakistan.
- It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment in 2014.
- The director Nitin Kakkar drew from real stories of cross-border cultural bonds he heard while researching in Rajasthan.
- Some of the Pakistani characters in the film are played by Indian actors from Muslim communities to add authenticity.
- Despite critical praise, the film had a limited theatrical release but found a wider audience through film festivals and DVDs.