Asim Abbasi Explained

Asim Abbasi
Birth Place:Karachi, Pakistan
Years Active:2012–present
Occupation:Director, Writer, Producer

Asim Abbasi is a Pakistani-British film director, screenwriter and producer. He also has his own production company, Indus Talkies.

Career

In 2012, he made the short film Anathema. In 2013, he made two more short films, Once A Man & Whore. Two years later, he made his fourth short film named Little Red Roses. All four were shot in the United Kingdom.

In 2018, Abbasi's first feature film, Cake, was lauded by critics. The Guardian's Mike McCahill wrote "Uncommonly alert to small, telling details, while more expansive in its attitudes, the result proves far richer and worldlier than anything previously observed coming down the Khyber Pass."[1] [2] [3] Cake was also selected to be Pakistan's submission to the 91st Academy Awards for best Foreign Language Film.[4] [5] [6] [7]

In 2020, Abbasi further established himself as a writer & director with his critically acclaimed webseries, Churails (witches), which was hailed as a radically progressive shift from the mainstream narrative of Pakistani television.

Filmography

Films

Year Film Director Producer Writer Notes
2012 Anathema Short film
2013 Once A Man Short film
Whore Short film
2015 Little Red Roses Short film
2018 Cake Debut as film director

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020Churails Director/Producer/WriterWeb Series on ZEE5 and Zindagi
2024BarzakhDirector/Producer/Writer

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated WorkResult
2018London Asian Film FestivalBest DirectorCake[8] [9]
201918th Lux Style Awards[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ‘Cake’ director Asim Abbasi back on set. gulfnews.com.
  2. Web site: Cake review – Karachi sister act ditches melodrama for real life | World cinema | The Guardian. amp.theguardian.com.
  3. Web site: Asim Abbasi's new film Cake gives Pakistani cinema a boost. The National.
  4. Web site: Pakistan Chooses ‘Cake’ for the Oscars. September 18, 2018. Variety.
  5. Web site: Cake selected for Oscar nomination. September 18, 2018. The Nation.
  6. Web site: 'Cake' representing Pakistan at the Oscars is an honour, says director Asim Abbasi | The Express Tribune.
  7. Web site: ‘Cake’ drops out of the Oscar race. December 18, 2018.
  8. Web site: TheNews Weekly Magazine. www.thenews.com.pk.
  9. Web site: Asim Abbasi wins Best Director award for Cake at UK Asian Film Festival. Images. Staff. March 26, 2018. Images.
  10. Web site: The Lux Style Awards 2019: And the nominees are... | The Express Tribune.