Gubbaare

The title of the short film-Gubbaare translates to Balloons that can have connotations of light spirited joy and also making some kind of transition in life. The writer Syed Saad Farrukh and Director Hamad Ul Hassan have beautifully illustrated same through the leading pair (Syed Saad Farrukh) and (Aghmaza Mubeen).

The plot of Gubbaare revolves around a boy (Syed Saad Farrukh) who is patiently waiting for the arrival of his train. He is content of his isolation and buried in a book until he is joined by a girl (Aghmaza Mubeen). The two cannot be more unlike- She is boisterous, emotional and all over the place while he is aloof and distant. Unexpected delay in the train sparks an unlikely relationship between the two.

The film opens into the long shot of the railway station in Karachi Pakistan from the black background and the sound of the train horn to quickly establish the subject matter of the movie. The multiple colours like black, maroon, mustard, white, grey and maroon represent several roles we as people have to play in the world to making exits as per the will of the creator is a good thought by the makers to elevate the essence of Gubbare. The set design, lighting, sound, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props complement the attempt to showcase the reality making the content relatable to the audience.

In terms of performance, Sayed Saad Farrukh plays the male protagonist who is calmy waiting for his train to come in the company of his isolation with a book in his hands. He is very open towards the experiences in the journey. Farrukh has a very interesting as well as unique way to express himself. The actor’s body language, voice modulation, dialogues, facial expressions are utilised effectively so that the viewers hooked to the character and get them busy to figure out the multiple layers of Sayed Saad Farrukh.

Aghmaza Mubeen plays the role of the leading lady. She is totally opposite to her counter part in Gubbare. Mubeen loves to explore and experiment in life to appreciate every moment. Mubeen understands the nuances of the girl in the narrative to fulfil the needs of the visualisation of the director so that the female protagonist stays with us even after finishing watching the dramatic piece.

Gubbaare compares the world to a stage and life to a play where our time is very limited so we should enjoy the time to the fullest by being happy in the present instead of constantly worrying about the future on which we don’t have any control. The short film reiterates that emotional connection as well as bonding is the basic makeup of humans and sometimes simplicity does the trick. The cinematic piece discusses the importance of respecting any form of knowledge so it helps people to grow and become a better person in life to influence their friends and family. The creative piece restates the fact that it is of utmost importance to let go off all the bad memories to save oneself from depression or seek help from the friends and family for it.