Nayab (2024 film)

Nayab is a 2024 Pakistani sports drama film. It features Yumna Zaidi, an aspiring cricketer desiring to play in the Cricket World Cup, Jawed Sheikh, Fawad Khan, and Noreen Gulwani.

Synopsis
Nayab is an aspiring cricketer, with zeal to play the world cup as a national team member. However, she needs the help and support of her family, especially the elder brother. Akka, a middle-class girl from Karachi, Pakistan, rebels against her parents' expectations of becoming something else.

Cast

 * Yumna Zaidi as Nayab
 * Jawed Sheikh as Nayab's father
 * M. Fawad Khan as Akber
 * Usama Khan
 * Huma Nawab
 * Noreen Gulwani
 * Hani Taha
 * Shaheera Jalil Albasit
 * Mohammed Ehteshamuddin
 * Adnan Siddiqui

Production
The film was announced by Kenneyz Group on 4 January 2023, in collaboration with NUM Films. Umair Nasir Ali was the director, making his debut role. Though Yumna Zaidi, who played the lead character, has rejected many films offered to her. However, she said it was interesting not to decline the role since the film has a better storyline.

For the filming, she went to many cricket tutorials and practices, and proceeded filming after Tere Bin. The motion poster and trailer was released on December 2 and 10 of 2023 respectively.

Box office
The film initially collected 46 lacs PKR, and later 22 lacs PKR. In its forth week, it totally grossed 67 lacs PKR.

Critical reception
DAWN Images praised the film's script to showcasing the real issues and direction for attention to minor details. The Express Tribune praised the acting performances of Fawad Khan, Ehteshamuddin, Jawed Sheikh but was critical of Zaidi's performance who lacks the "conviction and mannerism" to make the character convincing. The reviewer further criticised the film's pace, the "hurried and rushed" climax and the romantic track of the lead, and noted the lack of impactful sports related scenes. The News International noted the banal of its story and humanising of the characters of the film.