Khuda Haafiz

Khuda Haafiz (transl. May God be your protector)[lower-alpha 1] is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Faruk Kabir and produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak under Panorama Studios.[3] It stars Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi, with Annu Kapoor, Aahana Kumra and Shiv Panditt in supporting roles.[4] Set during the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the film is inspired by true events and follows Sameer Chaudhary, a young man who races against time to rescue his kidnapped wife Nargis from flesh traders.

This article is about the Indian film. For the Islamic parting phrase, see Khuda Hafiz.
Khuda Haafiz
Release poster
Directed byFaruk Kabir
Produced byKumar Mangat Pathak
Abhishek Pathak
Written byFaruk Kabir
StarringVidyut Jammwal
Shivaleeka Oberoi
Annu Kapoor
Shiv Panditt
Aahana Kumra
Music byScore:
Amar Mohile
Songs:
Mithoon
CinematographyJitan Harmeet Singh
Edited bySandeep Francis
Production
company
Distributed byDisney+ Hotstar
Release date
  • 14 August 2020 (2020-08-14)[1]
Running time
134 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi, English

The film premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on 14 August 2020 and it received largely positive reviews from audience.[1]

Plot

Detained by cops in a fictional Middle East country named Noman, Sameer Choudhary (Vidyut Jammwal) agrees to reveal what led to his arrest to Mishra, an Indian embassy official. Sameer, back in 2007, is a software engineer and businessman who falls in love with Nargis and marries her. A financial crisis in 2008 leaves them both jobless. Three months later, they get jobs in Noman with the help of Nadeem (Vipin Sharma), an employee at an overseas recruitment company. Nargis leaves first and Sameer stays to wait for his documents to come. After her arrival, Nargis calls Sameer in a panic, crying that someone is kidnapping her. Sameer travels to Noman, where he meets Usman Hamid Ali Murad (Annu Kapoor), a taxi driver. He asks Usman to take him to the address given by Nadeem but learns there's no such address. Usman takes Sameer to the police station, where he learns that Nadeem has gone missing.

Fallen out of help with the police due to his restless nature, Sameer approaches the Indian embassy. He poses as an employee of a telecom company and acquires the address of the person from whose phone Nargis contacted him, and it turns out to be a man named Shirazi. Sameer and Usman learn about Shirazi's involvement in the flesh trade. Sameer visits brothels with Usman in search of Nargis and finds her in one, but he is attacked by the owners and turns violent, killing men, followed by a car chase that ends with a crash and his arrest.

Back in the present, as Sameer has finished narrating his story, he is approached by a Nomani cop named Faiz Abu Malik who decides to help him, with officer Tamena joining along. They view the CCTV footage of the Noman airport, where they see Nargis entering a van with a man revealed to be Iztek, an Algerian modelling coordinator. Iztek orders that Nargis be killed. Faiz and Tamena come across a burnt corpse and believe it to be Nargis. Sameer sees her pendant on it and is shattered. Following her funeral, he is given compensation and tickets to India. Tamena learns Nargis is alive and the corpse they found was of a different woman. She and Faiz try to find Sameer before learning he never boarded the flight. Now wanting revenge, Sameer disguises himself and arrives at Iztek's house. The two violently fight before Iztek reveals Nargis is alive.

Faiz and Tamena arrive and Faiz is revealed to be Iztek's ally. Tamena subdues Faiz long enough to buy Sameer time to escape. Faiz kills Tamena and frames Sameer. An ensuing chase leaves Iztek dead. Faiz meets his crime partner, Iztek's, which is photographed by an undercover cop. Sameer is captured by Faiz before his betrayal is revealed by the commissioner. Sameer and Faiz engage in a fistfight where Sameer beats Faiz. Nargis and the other women are freed and Tamena is given a State funeral. Faiz wakes up in a pound in the middle of a desert in front of a Firing Squad for his crimes. They shoot him to death. Sameer and Nargis prepare to depart the plane for India while making the last meeting with Usman. Sameer invites Usman to come India and meet with their family, as they greet him before leaving.

Cast

Production

Following official announcement in April 2019, shooting commenced at Uzbekistan on 14 October 2019.[5]

Release and Marketing

On 29 June 2020, Disney+ Hotstar conducted a virtual press conference where Uday Shankar announced the film's digital release on the platform on 14 August 2020, exclusively as part of the Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex initiative which was a result of cinemas being shut down due to COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7][1]

Soundtrack
Khuda Haafiz
Soundtrack album by
Mithoon
Released11 August 2020[8]
Recorded2019
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length20:53
LanguageHindi
LabelZee Music Company
Mithoon chronology
Malang
(2020)		 Khuda Haafiz
(2020)		 Shamshera
(2020)
Khuda Haafiz – Full Album on YouTube

The music for the film was composed by Mithoon while the lyrics written by Mithoon and Sayeed Quadri.

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Jaan Ban Gaye"MithoonMithoon, Vishal Mishra, Asees Kaur3:31
2."Khuda Haafiz – Title Track"Sayeed QuadriVishal Dadlani3:38
3."Mera Intezaar Karna"MithoonArmaan Malik4:25
4."Aakhri Kadam Tak"MithoonSonu Nigam4:17
5."Jaan Ban Gaye" (Reprise)MithoonAsees Kaur1:40
6."Khuda Haafiz" (Unplugged)Sayeed QuadriJaved Ali3:22
Total length:20:53

Critical reception

The film opened to largely positive reviews from the audience. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 3/5, mentioning, "The spirit of this film, for whatever it is worth, is best exemplified by the hero wishing a friend Khuda Haafiz with his hands folded to denote a namaste. That alone would have set Khuda Haafiz apart if only it had been a better film."

Sequel

A sequel titled Khuda Haafiz Chapter II was announced in September 2020 after the success of the first part with Kumar Mangat and Abhishek Pathak as the producers and Faruk Kabir as the director. Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi will reprise their roles and the sequel will go on floors in March 2021 before releasing in October 2021 in cinemas.[9]

Notes
  1. The term is also a common parting phrase in Pakistan.[2]

References
  1. "Vidyut Jammwal glad his upcoming film 'Khuda Haafiz' will launch on OTT". India TV News. 24 July 2020.
  2. "In Pakistan, saying goodbye can be a religious statement | Syed Hamad Ali". the Guardian. 17 April 2012.
  3. "On the sets". Bollywood Hungama. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  4. "Vidyut Jammwal starts shooting for Khuda Hafiz". Outlook. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  5. "Vidyut Jammwal starts shooting for Khuda Hafiz in Uzbekistan". New Indian Express. 15 October 2019.
  6. "Vidyut Jammwal starrer Khuda Haafiz to release on Disney Plus Hotstar". The Indian Express. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  7. "Disney Plus Hotstar Makes Strategic Choice to Bypass India's Theaters, Give More Movies Streaming Premieres". Variety. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  8. "Khuda Haafiz – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". Jiosaavn.
  9. "Khuda Haafiz Chapter II: Vidyut Jammwal Film Gets a Sequel, to Release on Big Screen". News 18. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
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