After garnering positive feedback in Pakistan, Parwaaz Hai Junoon was released in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 4th November 2018. The film features Hamza Ali Abbasi, Hania Aamir, Ahad Raza Mir and Kubra Khan in lead roles.
The premiere was attended by Hamza Ali Abbasi and Hania Aamir as well as Ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia and Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan.
Hamza Ali Abbasi Hania Amir, Duraid Qureishi, CEO HUM TV, Ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia & Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan graced the occasion with their presence.#HamzaAliAbbasi #ParwaazHaiJunoon #HaniaAamir @iamhamzaabbasi pic.twitter.com/UDhZN9pp4U
— Parwaaz Hai Junoon (@PHJthemovie) November 5, 2018
Read: Parwaaz Hai Junoon becomes the first Pakistani film to release in Saudi ArabiaÂ
Earlier this month, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry announced on Twitter that the movie will be the first commercial Pakistani movie to be released in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistani movie “Perwaz Hai Janoon” ll be first Pak commercial movie to be screened in #SaudiArabia on 11th October, more films and more screenings around the word in coming months Inshallah #MOIB
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 5, 2018
“Pakistani movie ‘Parwaaz Hai Junoon‘ will be the first commercial movie to be screened in #SaudiArabia on 11th October, more films and more screenings around the world in coming months Insha’Allah #MOIB,” he had written.
The minister’s tweet was, however, dismissed by Hareem Farooq who responded by saying that her film Parchi was in fact the first Pakistani film to be released in Saudi Arabia.
With all due respect sir, just want to let u know that our film #Parchi was actually the 1st Pakistani film to commercially release in #Saudia in Jan 2018. Nonetheless it makes me extremely happy to see our cinema flourishing! Congrats to #phj 👏🏻😃@Irkfilms @ImranRazaKazmi1 https://t.co/blfMmDbaLF
— Hareem Farooq (@FarooqHareem) October 7, 2018
Saudi Arabia opened its first ever cinema for public earlier this year in Riyadh with Saudi authorities intending to build around 350 cinemas with over 2,500 screens by 2030, hoping to generate around $1 billion as annual revenue.