Zinda Laash

AKA's:

Dracula Au Pakistan / Dracula In Pakistan / Living Corpse, The

Release date:	1967 Pakistan
Running time:	103' (cover 104') - Source: DVD (RC 0/NTSC) b/w
Rating:	Germ.: 12; US: NR
Main Crew:	Director: Khwaja Sarfaraz Producer: Screen Enterprise / Bari Score: Tassadaque Hussain Writer: Naseem Rizwani (adapted from Bram Stoker's novel) Director of photography: Nabi Ahmed
Cast:	Use the dropdown menu to see the full cast Rehan / Professor Tabani/Dracula Asad Bukhari / Dr. Aqil Deeba / Shabnam, Aqil's Fiancee Habib / Aqil's Brother Nasreen Sheela / Prof. Tabani's Assistant Yasmeen / Shirin Ala-Ud-Din / Parvez Cham Cham Baby Najmi Nazar Talish Rangeela Munwar Zarif Latif Charlie
Summary:	Mad scientist Professor Tabani (Rehan) drinks a potion he has brewed up in his laboratory (for gaining eternal life) but is turned into a blood craving vampire instead. When Dr. Aqil (Asad Bukhari) pays a visit, Tabani sees a picture of Aqil's wife Shabnam (Deeba), and, after turning Aqil into a vampire, heads for Shabnam to make her his bride. Aqil's brother (Habib) discovers the grave of the vampire and his brother at Tabani's castle, and kills his brother with a knife to free his soul. Tabani suceeds in putting the bite on Shabnam and once turned she tries to lure her young niece away. Aqil's brother races against time to put a stop to the vampire curse.
Note:	- This movie is only the second horror film (and first vampire film) to be made in Pakistan - "Lollywood's"(the Pakistani film industry is based in the city of Lahore, therefor the name) own interpretation of Hammer 's classic Dracula - it even borrowed a bit of the 1957 Dracula's musical score. - The story more or less follows Bram Stoker 's novel - to underplay the supernatural and religious elements of Dracula's identity, the vampire of "Zinda Laash" is given a mad scientist/Dr. Jekyll origin - and this is acknowledged in the film's credits. - The film was due to be banned outright (the government found it too "corruptive and evil") until the producers pleaded with the local censors. The censors relented, but insisted that they would never allow a film of this nature to be released ever again! The movie opened on July 7th, 1967 to big crowds as curiosity levels had reached fever pitch as the film made history as the only local release to be awarded an "Adults Only" certificate. - The film has been restored from the only surviving and badly stored negative, while the musical numbers have been reproduced from a vinyl soundtrack found in a local record-store - though one missing audio track (the song "Kahe Peehoo Peehoo Bole") couldn't be restored for the movie.
	click here for filmstills (pictures from the movie) Our Ranking short review: will come soon!!