http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/24/slackistan-indie-film-islamabad"It's a countercultural film, one that rejects the stereotypical western view of Pakistan, as well as one that rejects the prevailing establishment of older cultures and traditions."
The turbulence in Pakistan – played out on rolling news channels – has not dampened spirits among the country's young creative community. Pakistan's second largest city, Lahore, has a thriving underground rock scene (and has recently seen the launch of its first guitar school) while Islamabad is about to gain a new outdoor auditorium and recording studio, the Rock Musicarium. Its founder Zeejah Fazli says there's a real thirst for entertainment and estimates that there are at least 20 rock bands in the city.
Khan, meanwhile, likens Islamabad to Canberra or Brasilia – seats of power that are very organised but entirely uneventful – and affectionately calls it the city that always sleeps.
His friend and mentor Asif Kapadia, who won a Bafta for his film The Warrior, says the trailer surprised him. "I have my ideas of what I think Pakistan is like, so I can only imagine how much of a shock it will be for western audiences. It will really affect their preconceptions. It's exciting."