Chikkar (2023 film)

Chikkar is a Pakistani thriller film directed and produced by Zaheer Uddin in his directorial debut. The film features an ensemble cast of Usman Mukhtar, Ushna Shah, Nausheen Shah, Adnan Shah Tipu, Saleem Mairaj, Aliee Shaikh and Faryal Mehmood. It first premiered on 20 December 2023 in Nueplex Cinemas and was released theatrically nationwide two days later.

Plot summary
After the brutal killing of a dancer in Diyalpur, a dedicated police officer takes charge of the case, determined to ensure justice for the perpetrators. As he delves deeper in the investigations, he falls a prey of a web of deception and falsehoods, opting for the challenging path even at the risk of his own life and the well-being of his loved ones, just a few steps away from reaching a resolution. The film is an account of five days.

Cast

 * Usman Mukhtar
 * Ushna Shah
 * Nausheen Shah
 * Adnan Shah Tipu
 * Faryal Mehmood
 * Saleem Mairaj
 * Aliee Shaikh

Production
The trailer of the film was released on 1 December 2023.

Box office
The film collected 70 Lac PKR in its entire theatrical run.

Critical reception
Dawn praised the story and performances of the actors while pointing out its flaws, the reviewer noted its lengthy screenplay, dull-drab colour grading and ambience-thickening background score. The Express Tribune praised the performances of several actors, use of humour and Zaheer Uddin's direction stating, "Within its allotted runtime, the debutant filmmaker has crafted an immersive story with consistent visual grammar, subtle red herrings, and a multilayered film universe." The News International praised the direction for compelling the narrative skillfully, performances of the supporting cast more than the main leads, Mukhtar and Shah, but criticized the movie's flat humour and needlessly stretched conclusion.