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Don’t you just love that a movie called Zibahkhana would choose to open on Eid-ul-Azha? It certainly appeals to my sensibilities, as did the film itself when I watched its premiere at the Islamabad Club this summer.

If you are a fan of horror movies, Zibahkhana is one you cannot afford to miss. It’s not scary in the least, but it sure is a lot of fun. I won’t go into details of the plot lest I give anything away, but to put it in a nutshell, the film takes the best of classic ‘traditional’ horror, combines it, and weaves it into a contemporary Pakistani setting to produce one of the most novel works of cinema you’ll see in a long time. The fact that it offers all the brutal madness of any other gore movie, as well as the familiarity of home and of people we can relate to, is enough to guarantee that whether Zibahkhana succeeds in scaring you or not, you can expect a very entertaining night at the movies.

And as a good friend said to me while we shivered in the summer evening outside the Islamabad Club auditorium: ‘Finally, someone’s managed to capture the creepy side of Islamabad and its outskirts.’

The film is directed by Omar Khan, whose love for the horror genre makes itself known to all who have visited his ice-cream parlour, The Hot Spot ^[2], in F-7. The cast is comprised of known faces as well as fresh, young ones – including Islamabad’s very own theatre artist, Osman Khalid Butt.

Zibahkhana is playing now at Cinepax. Showtimes are daily at 9 pm and 10:30 pm. Visit the official website ^[3] for more about the film.