Pakistani filmmaker Abu Aleeha’s ‘Kukri’, a crime drama based on the life of notorious killer Javed Iqbal, has been selected to compete at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023, the filmmaker announced on Twitter on Friday.
“Delighted to announce that Kukri, the untold story of the serial killer, Javed Iqbal, has been selected for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023 which will be held from August 11 to August 20,” said Aleeha on Twitter.
“Kukri will be competing with the finest Bollywood and Regional South Asian films.”
The 14th edition of the event aims to showcase the “best of Indian cinema from the Indian subcontinent” while showcasing the “most diverse, inclusive, groundbreaking films and filmmakers”.
Kukri’ is a gritty crime thriller that tells the story of serial killer Javed Iqbal, who abused and killed more than 100 children in Lahore between 1998 and 1999.
The film has been written and directed by Abu Aleeha and stars Ayesha Omar and Yasir Hussain.
In an earlier interview, Omar shared that the film had to undergo editing, including its title, in order to be able to be released.
The film has already garnered critical acclaim and was selected to screen at the prestigious Berlin International Art Film Festival this year.
