No, not that ALIEN, but, rather, a Pakistani joyride from 1989 that has the distinction of being that country’s first special effects blockbuster. Yes, it’s an altogether desperate attempt at replicating the Hollywood science fiction model, with shameless borrowings from E.T., CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, STARMAN and SUPERMAN.
…a Pakistani joyride from 1989…
This ALIEN (a.k.a. SHANI), in case you were wondering, found success. It won several Niger—Pakistani Academy Award—awards, including Best Film, and led to its director Saeed Rizvi helming the 1992 Russian-Pakistani co-production MYSTERIOUS ISLAND/TALISMI JAZEERA, and also the astounding BEHEADED MAN/SAR KATA INSAN from 1994. Outside its native land ALIEN is little known, although it has attained a cult following in Russia (it having been revived in 2021 by the Russian cult movie outfit From Outer Space).
…it has attained a cult following in Russia (it having been revived in 2021 by the Russian cult movie outfit From Outer Space)
The E.T. connection is evident in the opening scene, in which an alien spaceship disgorges a glowing creature in a Pakistani village. This being makes its way to the home of the widowed Heena and, seeing a photo of her deceased husband, transforms itself into a replica of the dead man (a la STARMAN). In this guise Shani can pass for human, albeit with all manner of superhuman powers (a la SUPERMAN). These come in handy when a ruthless bandit named Shamsher decides to make trouble; Shani fights Shamsher and his goons off with his superpowers, becoming a hero to the initially suspicious villagers.
He and Heena flee the village to get away from Shamsher (even though we already know Shani can defeat the latter quite easily with his powers, which include a bullet-deflecting force field). They find themselves menaced by a booby-trapped forest and many deadly animals, as well as the bad guys, who are constantly capturing the heroes and attempting to do them in (at one point tying them to train tracks), but always getting foiled by Shani’s powers. During one such confrontation Shani rips off one of Shamsher’s arms, which is later replaced with a retractable knife blade Heena also gives birth (despite there being no prior indication that she’s pregnant) to a boy who proves just as gifted as his father.
The special effects, which are astounding even by third world cinema standards.
This film, as with most Pakistani films of the era, is much like a Bollywood thriller. It consists of a highly exuberant succession of exploitable elements (including some musical numbers) packed into a severely protracted 2 hour-plus frame, but with the trashiness and excess pushed to near-psychotic heights. Action is emphasized, with a fight or death-defying escape occurring every few minutes, and logic thrown to the wind.
…a highly exuberant succession of exploitable elements (including some musical numbers) packed into a severely protracted 2 hour-plus frame…
The film’s real attraction? The special effects, which are astounding even by third world cinema standards. From the cartoon bats that attacks the heroes in one scene to the barely-glimpsed light-heavy spaceship that turns up in the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS inspired finale, these effects are—no joke—some of the most sheerly inept you’ll ever see, and the film overall some kind of undoubted bad movie classic.
Vital Statistics
ALIEN (SHANI)
Novitas/Eveready Pictures
Director: Saeed Rizvi
Producer: Rafiq Rizvi
Screenplay: Agha Nazir Kawish
Cast: Sherry Malik, Babra Sharif, Asif Khan, Mohammad Ali, Nayyar Sultana, Talish