Mehreen Jabbar

Mehreen Jabbar (Urdu: م‍ﮩ‍رين جبار ) (b. 29 December 1971, is a Pakistani film and television director and producer based in New York City.[2] She is a daughter of the Pakistani media-person Javed Jabbar.[3] She is also the niece of Beo Zafar. Mehreen Jabbar is first cousin of famous Pakistani-British singer, actor and director Yasir Akhtar.[4][5][6] Active since 1994, Jabbar established herself as one of the prolific directors of the television.[7][8][9] Her work for 2008 TV series Doraha earned her Lux Style Award for Best TV Director.

Mehreen Jabbar
Jabbar at the shoot of Ramchand Pakistani
Born (1971-12-29) 29 December 1971
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Occupation(s)Television producer, television director, film director
Years active1994–present
ParentJaved Jabbar (father)
RelativesBeo Zafar (Khala)[1]
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Born in Karachi, Jabbar grew up around Pakistan's show business.[10] Her father, Javed Jabbar has been a filmmaker, and a very successful ad man apart from being a former Pakistani senator and a cabinet minister. After receiving a BA degree from Saint Joseph's College in Karachi, Jabbar went to the US to study film and completed a two-year program at University of California Los Angeles in 1993, with a Film, Television and Video certificate.[11][12] She returned to Pakistan, and directed and produced drama series/serials under the banner of TasVeer Productions, almost all of which were critically acclaimed by the Pakistani press.[13]

Career

Jabbar is a Pakistani-American director who is a 25-year veteran of the industry, with a prolific career as Director/Producer of gritty, hard-hitting films and TV series for Pakistani and South Asian Television which have earned her both critical and commercial success.[7] She has also made a number of narrative shorts that have been screened internationally in film festivals as well as on TV. Her award-winning short films and TV dramas include Marhoom Colonel Ki Betiyaan, Beauty Parlor, Doraha, and Daam, amongst others.[14] In 2008 Mehreen directed her debut feature film Ramchand Pakistani for which she was awarded the ‘Global Film Initiative Grant’.[14][15] The film premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival and continued a successful festival run.[16] It was later released theatrically in Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom in 2008-09 to wide critical and audience acclaim.[17][18][19] ‘Ramchand Pakistani’ was awarded the ‘Fipresci Prize’ by the ‘International Federation of Film Critics’, the ‘Audience Award’ at the ‘Fribourg Film Festival’, Switzerland and an ‘Honorable Mention’ by the 13th Annual Satyajit Ray Award at the London Film Festival.[14] In 2010, Mehreen was invited to screen her film at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.[17][20]

Her second feature film Dobara Phir Se which was shot in New York and Karachi had a successful theatrical release in Pakistan, the UK, USA and the UAE in December 2016.[21]

Jabbar has been a member of the National Board of Film Censors in Karachi, a founding member of the KaraFilm Festival in Karachi, Pakistan and a founder member of the NGO WAR (War Against Rape).[14] In 2011, she was invited to the Maisha Film Lab in Uganda - a non-profit training lab founded by director Mira Nair to be a directing mentor.[8] She is the recipient of several awards for her work and has served as a jury member in many local and international film festivals.

Ramchand Pakistani

Ramchand Pakistani was Jabbar's first feature-length film, which was released in Pakistan, India and the UK to wide critical and audience acclaim. The film premiered in the competition section of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in 2008. It won the FIPRESCI PRIZE from the International Federation of Film Critics and received Honourable Mention by the 13th Annual Satyajit Ray Awards at the London Film Festival, 2008 as well as the Audience award at the Fribourg International Film Festival. The film recently had a week-long screening at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York.

Jabbar directed the web drama series Ek Jhoothi Love Story which was released on ZEE5 in October 2020.[7][22][23]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Notes
2008 Ramchand Pakistani [24]
2013 Dil Mera Dhadkan Teri Telefilm
2016 Dobara Phir Se [25][26]
Lala Begum Short film[24]
2018 Dino Ki Dulhaniya Telefilm[27]
Hum Chale Aaye Telefilm[24][28]

Web series
Year Title Platform Notes
2020 Ek Jhoothi Love Story ZEE5 [7][22]

Television
Year Title Notes
1996 Ab Tum Ja Saktey Ho [25]
1997 Farar [25]
1998 Dhoop Mein Sawan Miniseries[29]
2000 Aur Zindagi Badalti Hai [25][30]
2001 Kahaniyaan [24][30]
Chalo Phir Se Muskurain
Afsoon Khawab
Beauty Parlor
Marhoom Colonel Ki Betiyaan [25]
Deeda-e-Purkhoon
Harjai [25]
New York Stories [25]
Lal Baig [25]
Abba Amma Aur Ali [25]
Putli Ghar [25]
Sanam Gazida
2006 Pehchaan [30]
2008–09 Doraha [24][30]
2009 Malaal [30]
2010 Vasl [25]
Wapsi Telefilm[25]
Daam [24][30]
2011 Neeyat
2012 Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu [24][30]
Coke Kahani [3]
2013 Ghoonghat Telefilm[24]
Rehaai
2014 Jackson Heights [30]
2015 Mera Naam Yousuf Hai
2019 Dil Kiya Karay [31]
2023 Jurm Miniseries[32]

Awards and nominations
  • Ramchand Pakistani wins FIPRESCI Award from the International Federation of Film Critics and receives Honourable mention by the 13th Annual Satyajit Ray Awards at the London Film Festival (2008)
  • Won – Indus Drama Awards (2004) Best Director for Harjai
  • Won – IndusVision Young Achievers Award (2002)
  • Won – Kara Film Festival (2001) Best Director & Best medium-length Film for Daughters of the Late Colonel
  • Won – Pakistan Media Award (2010) Best Drama – Satellite Malal
  • Nominated - Hum Awards (2012) Best Director for Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu

Lux Style Awards
Ceremony Category Project Result Ref.
9th Lux Style Awards Best TV Director Doraha Won [33]
10th Lux Style Awards Daam Nominated
13th Lux Style Awards Rehaai
16th Lux Style Awards Best Film Director Dobara Phir Se [34]

Festival screenings

Beauty Parlor screened at:

  • Hong Kong International Film Festival
  • Pusan Film Festival, South Korea
  • San Francisco Asian American Film Festival, USA
  • Trikone Festival, USA
  • New Orleans Film Festival, USA
  • Toronto Inside Out Film Festival, Canada
  • Regent Park Film Festival, Canada
  • Leeds Film Festival, UK
  • Bite the Mango Festival, UK
  • Travelling Film Festival of the British Film Institute. UK
  • Screenings at Pioneer Theatre, and the Queens Museum of Art, New York .

Daughters of the Late Colonel screened at:

  • KaraFilm Festival, Pakistan

Ramchand Pakistani Official Selection at:

  • Tribeca Film Festival
  • Seattle International Film Festival
  • Osian Film Festival
  • Rhode Island International Film Festival
  • Pusan International Film Festival
  • London International Film Festival
  • South Asian International Film Festival
  • Third I Film Festival, San Francisco
  • Cairo International Film Festival
  • Dubai International Film Festival
  • Kerala Film Festival
  • Fribourg Film Festival

Lala Begum screened at:

  • Jagran Film Festival, Delhi, India
  • MISAAF Film Festival, Canada
  • Dallas South Asian Film Festival, USA
  • Washington DC South Asian Film Festival, USA (Winner, Best Story)

Dobara Phir Se screened at:

  • Chicago South Asian Film Festival, USA
  • Tasveer Seattle South Asian Film Festival, USA

References
  1. Hughes, Amani (17 March 2019). "Catching up with Beo Zafar". Home Lifestyle. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  2. "New York Story, Karachi Style". The Wall Street Journal. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  3. https://tribune.com.pk/story/483415/with-coke-kahani-mehreen-jabbar-highlights-the-lives-of-pakistanis/, Interview with Mehreen Jabbar on The Express Tribune newspaper, 23 December 2012, Retrieved 19 March 2017
  4. "Video: Beo Raana Zafar tells her favourite moments from Ek Jhoothi Love Story". Something Haute. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. "Social Diary Exclusive The Unstoppable Icon YASIR AKHTAR | Social Diary". Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  6. "Best of luck to my dearest cousin Mehreen Jabbar, ARYFilms & the great team for DOBARA PHIR SE releasing tomorrow in the UK/Worldwide". Twitter. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  7. Rehman, Maliha (18 November 2020). "After working 25 years in the business, I have become exhausted, says Mehreen Jabbar". Images. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. "Mehreen Jabbar joins RINSTRA Board of Advisors". Daily Times. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  9. Maria Shirazi. "Celebrating 5 fearless, female filmmakers". The News. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  10. Schroeder, Robert (27 June 2011). "An Alien in New York". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  11. "Mehreen Jabbar - Women of Pakistan". kazbar.org. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  12. Gill, Abia (17 March 2017). "Screen Art and Mehreen Jabbar". ARY Digital. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  13. "An evening with Mehreen Jabbar, her profile". T2F website. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  14. "Pride of Pakistan: Mehreen Jabbar". Daily Times. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  15. "Pak movie featuring Nandita Das to be screened at Tribeca fest". DNA India. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  16. "Mehreen Jabbar's Ramchand Pakistani to premiere at Osian's - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  17. "Ramchand Pakistani - 10 years on - Instep thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  18. "11 years on, Ramchand Pakistani screened in US film festival | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  19. "Ramchand Pakistani to be released in India". Hindustan Times. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  20. "Spotlight: Ramchand Pakistani honoured". DAWN.COM. 18 April 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  21. "Dobara Phir Se set to release on 25th". The Nation. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  22. "Mehreen Jabbar's 'Ek Jhooti Love Story' to take desi rishta culture to a wider audience". The Express Tribune. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  23. IANS. "Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar talks about her new show 'Ek Jhoothi Love Story'". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  24. "Mehreen Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmad and Marina Khan: The M trio reunite". The Nation. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  25. "'Baat Cheet' with Mehreen Jabbar". The Nation. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019.
  26. Peerzada Salman (13 November 2016). "Dobara Phir Se is a simple story about complicated relationships: Mehreen Jabbar". Dawn Images.
  27. NewsBytes. "Mehreen Jabbar's Dino Ki Dulhaniya to air on Eid ul Fitr". Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  28. Shabbir, Buraq. "Mehreen Jabbar returns to small screen with two Eid telefilms". Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  29. "#ThrowbackThursday: Mehreen Jabbar recalls shooting for Dhoop Mein Sawan". Express Tribune. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  30. "Mehreen Jabbar talks Jackson Heights, and 'hulchal' in Pakistani cinema". Dawn (newspaper). 21 October 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  31. "Mehreen Jabbar and Sarmad Khoosat reunite after a decade". The Nation. 6 May 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019.
  32. Gaitee Ara Siddiqi (14 May 2023). "Not exactly thrilled". The News International. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  33. "9th LUX Style Awards 2010". Fashion Central. 21 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  34. "Nominations revealed for 16th Lux Style Awards". The Nation. 16 March 2017.
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