Adil Sher of Talking Filmain accepting an award from Mahnoor Baloch and Humayun Saeed

About Talking Filmain

Talking Filmain is an independent motion picture house managed and owned by director/producer Nasir Khan, director/producer Adil Sher and Editor/Producer Rizwan Saeed. The three entrepreneurs came together officially under the umbrella of Talking Filmain in 2001, having come from a background of theatre direction and production and have since been working tirelessly to bring quality programmes, exciting casts and versatile story lines to international and local screens – From documentaries to sitcoms, reality TV shows to music videos, the company caters to diverse genres in Pakistan and for western audiences.

The feature film Kashf, which they produced, was previewed at the Berlin and Cannes film festivals. A short short film, ‘Profile’, which was produced and directed by the three entrepreneurs in Canada was accepted to the Philadelphia, Vancouver and Kara film festival among others. They also shot ‘Muslim Gear’ - a short documentary of muslim fashion in the west, was produced for CBC – Zed Canada. In recognition of their work and their potential, the boys received a grant from the National Film Board in Canada to direct and produce a short film by the name of ‘Paid in Full’

Critically acclaimed director Nasir Khan, producer personified Adil Sher and talented editor Rizwan Saeed of Talking Filmain have brought their combined talents and international exposure to the Pakistan TV serials ‘Bus Yuhin’ and ‘Saath’ both aired on Hum TV, ‘Pounds’ a reality weight loss show that aired on popular channel Geo, Ye Toh Hona Hi Tha, which is currently on air these days, the fashion and music video ‘Khayal’ for Designer Saadia Mirza and Na Jaane Kyun, a unique story dealing with religion, relationships, aspirations, vulnerability, motherhood and life in general, which is currently in edit.

The difference between all of these projects and common television programmes and videos is that for a start, they like to work with 35mm, HD, Digital video and motion graphics depending on the project – thus they use different resources tailor made to each project they are involved in. Their overarching aim is always to offer and facilitate the best quality product through both resource and content – its not just about the story line, its about how it is directed, produced and edited and vice versa!

Adil, Nasir and Rizwan all grew up in Lahore and continue to live in Pakistan’s cultural capital. They are childhood friends and have always shared a love and passion for movies, discussing and dissected movies and talking about making them one day. Their initiation into acting and drama was in the mid 90’s, during the amateur theatre surge in Lahore, during which time they got together for their first few stage and drama productions.

Thus experience, learning skill development and training has remained largely an ‘on set’ experience with the set as their classroom. Nasir is the only one to have received training in Canada while working for a television production house. Having received professional guidance and training in the field of filmmaking, Nasir eventually moved ship and returned to Pakistan, and it was upon his return, the boys came together, without having planned to do so, to form ‘Talking Filmain’.

The vision and overall goal behind each sitcom, series, video and film coming out of the motion picture house is to help revitalise the television and screen format culture in Pakistan. The motion picture house has recently finished their documentary Made in Pakistan – the most dangerous place in the world targeting Pakistan’s image abroad and will be shooting 1 sitcom and 1 serial this winter.