The trailer of Muzaffar Ali's period drama Jaanisaar, produced by Kotwara Studios and Meera Ali, that will be launched today, marks the comeback of the legendary filmmaker. He is the one who gave Indian cinema the cult classic Umrao Jaan three decades ago. Jaanisaar features the heartthrob of Pakistani films, Imran Abbas, and marks the Bollywood debut of fashion entrepreneur Pernia Qureshi. The period drama also has veteran actors like Dalip Tahil and Bina Kak. A surprise for Muzaffar Ali's fans is his appearance in the film as the torchbearer for freedom and a mentor to the protagonists.

Set in the pre-Independence era, 20 years after 1857, Jaanisaar is a love story of a courtesan deeply rooted in the ethos of Indian culture fired by the passion for freedom and an Indian prince returned from England. Bollywood and Pakistan singers, including Shreya Ghoshal, Sukhwinder Singh, Malini Awasthi, Shafqat Ali Khan and Abida Parveen have lent their magical voices to the soundtrack of the film.

Says producer Meera Ali, “We are happy to bring Jaanisaar to the cinemas on August 21, 2015. The film showcases interesting aspects of pre-independence era of 1857, which we feel our own people need to get acquainted with. With his extensive research and imagination, Muzaffar Ali has beautifully woven real incidents with a fantastic love story.“

The director says, “People have been asking me why I have not been making films. But the fact is that I only wanted to direct a movie that would touch my soul and also showcase my creativity. Jaanisaar is that film.“