Stories by Fahad Naveed

Is Joyland’s crime that it mirrors society to a fault?

Films like Joyland are banned because 'image-conscious' countries like Pakistan have plenty of skeletons in the closet.

Updated 21 Nov, 2022 12:21pm

Stellar successes and broken dreams

Censorship, bans and limited support continue to rob filmmakers of the opportunity to truly realise their potential.

Updated 14 Aug, 2022 06:18pm

STREAMING: RUNNING OUT OF TIME

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical Tick, Tick…Boom! explores universal themes of self-doubt, living...

Updated 12 Dec, 2021 08:17am

The stories we can tell best are about ourselves, says British-Pakistani filmmaker Seemab Gul

Her short film Mulaqaat had its world premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival earlier this month.

Published 29 Sep, 2021 11:24am

SPOTLIGHT: A MEETING OF THE MINDS

A British-Pakistani filmmaker’s short film received its world premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. Icon speaks to the

Updated 26 Sep, 2021 02:54pm

SPOTLIGHT: PERWEEN’S LEGACY OF HOPE

A docudrama directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker about Karachi’s assassinated social activist Perween Rahman is to debut on

Updated 22 Aug, 2021 03:02pm

CINEMASCOPE: THE HEIGHTS OF NEW YORK

In the Heights, the film adaptation of a beloved Broadway musical, takes on new meaning in a post-pandemic world.

Updated 27 Jun, 2021 12:06pm

The lack of sound in Riz Ahmed's Sound of Metal is what makes it so great

The director uses simple editing to make it an immersive experience.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:19am

CINEMASCOPE: THE SOUND OF SILENCE

Riz Ahmed’s quietly powerful Sound of Metal was one of the few cinematic highlights in an otherwise bleak year at the movies

Published 28 Feb, 2021 07:17am

CINEMASCOPE: LIVING ONE’S LIFE

Pixar’s brilliant Soul gives clear evidence that the story of jazz can be very different, depending on who is telling it

Published 17 Jan, 2021 06:55am

Don't swipe but see Arafat Mazhar’s hand-painted animated short film with crafty storytelling

The film tells the story of a young boy who is addicted to swiping on iFatwa, an app that crowdsources religious death sentences.

Published 09 Dec, 2020 04:31pm

THE ICON REVIEW: SWIPE TO SUCCESS

Arafat Mazhar’s Swipe, a hand-painted animated short film, forces us to look at our blasphemy industry in a different light

Published 15 Nov, 2020 07:37am

THE SECRETS SOCIETY

In a culture where so many things are treated as secrets, people are constantly looking for safe spaces to speak.

Published 08 Nov, 2020 07:17am

DOCUMENTARY: DEATH AND THE MAIDEN

Kirsten Johnson’s Dick Johnson Is Dead is a tale of familial bonds, friendship and loss that will resonate universally

Published 01 Nov, 2020 06:55am

STREAMING: AMERICA’S FOUNDING MUSICAL

After making waves on Broadway and becoming a cultural phenomenon, the stage play Hamilton is finally available to watch online

Updated 19 Jul, 2020 08:51pm

WIDE ANGLE: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, IN MY PYJAMAS

Covid-19 has forced the closure of theatres around the world, but now audiences can enjoy performances online for free

Updated 03 May, 2020 06:19pm

THE ICON REVIEW: SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

Meticulously created and executed passion projects such as the hand-painted Shehr-e-Tabassum are few and far between

Published 08 Mar, 2020 08:41am

THE WAR OF NARRATIVES

A year after the Balakot strikes, both India and Pakistan are still pitching their version of events to the world.

Updated 08 Mar, 2020 07:24am

Parasite is a timely film about class inequality

Parasite may be based in Seoul but it could just as easily be set in any metropolis with uneven division of wealth.

Published 11 Feb, 2020 08:35am

CINEMASCOPE: A CLASS APART

Above all, Parasite is a story about class and inequality. It is a great study in how the rich see the poor

Updated 09 Feb, 2020 10:58am