UK premiere for tragic love story written by Rochdale councillor

Screening for tearjerker love story written by local councillor, Daalat Ali

A film written by a Rochdale councillor will be making its UK premiere on Sunday 31 March at the Odeon cinema in Oldham.

Penned by deputy council leader Daalat Ali, the screening of tragic love story, ‘Lakeer’, will be the first time the film has been seen in the UK, despite a 2010 release in Jammu and Kashmir.

The first-ever Pahari feature film will be shown for one night before touring cities across the north of England as part of the Salaam Pakistan Film Festival.

Set against the India/Pakistan partition of Kashmir, Lakeer – the title fittingly translates as ‘line’ or ‘border’ – follows the trials and tribulations of a couple in love who end up on different sides of the political divide when the country is split in two.

Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan by the Line of Control in 1947: the northern territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are Pakistani-administered, whereas the southern territory Jammu and Kashmir is occupied by India.

Lakeer's story starts in a pre-1947 Pahari village chronicling couple Sheeda and Sakina’s struggle to reignite their romance once both countries allow cross-border travel years later.

Following the film’s UK premiere, Councillor Ali will hold a question and answer session with the audience on his film and its meaning.

He said: “I’m eternally grateful to the Odeon Oldham for airing this film and I hope it acts as a springboard for other cinema franchises to get involved.

“It’s basically a simple love story, with a few added twists, which has taken on a whole new dimension because of the current hostilities taken place between the two countries over Kashmir.

“I think the recent television coverage of an Indian fighter pilot shot down by Pakistani soldiers brought the on-going struggle home to a lot of people.”

“I think my film will give viewers a real insight into the many and complexed issue which engulf my homeland,” the Kingsway ward councillor added.

To find out more and for booking information, visit:

• www.salaampakistanfilm.com