Zarrar: Shaan Shahid’s Action Thriller Comes to Istanbul with Line Production Turkey

Line Production Turkey provided full production services for the Istanbul chapter of “Zarrar,” the Pakistani spy action thriller written, directed by and starring Shaan Shahid, produced by Jehan Films.

Filmed across Pakistan, Türkiye and the United Kingdom, Zarrar was conceived as an ambitious international action production built around espionage, political intrigue, corruption and threats to national security. The film stars Shaan Shahid in the title role alongside Kiran Malik, Nadeem Baig, Nayyer Ejaz and Shafqat Cheema.

ISTANBUL BECOMES PART OF ZARRAR’S INTERNATIONAL WORLD

For the Türkiye chapter of the feature film, Line Production Turkey managed the complete local production operation in Istanbul.

The shoot lasted approximately two weeks and covered a diverse range of locations including Eminönü, Fatih, Haydarpaşa Port and Istanbul Atatürk Airport. These locations allowed the production to integrate Istanbul’s historic urban texture, industrial environments and large-scale infrastructure into the international visual world of the film.

Line Production Turkey handled location management, permits, logistics and on-ground production coordination, working closely with Jehan Films and the international filmmaking team throughout the Istanbul schedule.

ACTION PRODUCTION ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE

Zarrar required considerably more than conventional location filming.

The Istanbul production included professional stunt and action teams responsible for a series of technically demanding sequences involving car chases, fight choreography, armed combat, glass-breaking effects and stunt jumps.

Each sequence required detailed planning between the production, stunt, camera and safety departments to ensure that the action could be executed with both visual impact and controlled on-set safety. Line Production Turkey’s own production archive identifies these action elements as a central part of the Türkiye shoot.

The film’s international approach extended beyond Türkiye. Pakistani media reported that Zarrar was filmed in Pakistan, Turkey and London, with British cinematographer Timothy Hallam Wood helping give the production the visual scale of an international action thriller.

SHAAN SHAHID: DIRECTOR, WRITER AND LEAD ACTOR

Zarrar is particularly personal to Shaan Shahid, one of the most established figures in Pakistani cinema.

Beyond portraying the central character, Shahid wrote and directed the film himself. The story follows rogue intelligence officer Zarrar as he uncovers corruption, political manipulation and an international conspiracy threatening Pakistan.

The project began years before its eventual theatrical release and developed into one of Shahid’s most ambitious productions, with filming and post-production extending across several countries.

Pakistani newspaper Dawn described the film as a “globetrotting spy-thriller” and noted that principal material was filmed in Pakistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

FROM INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION TO WORLDWIDE RELEASE

After several changes to its release schedule, Zarrar ultimately reached cinemas worldwide on *25 November 2022*.

The film had previously faced delays connected first to the COVID-19 period and later to the devastating floods in Pakistan before its final worldwide release date was confirmed.

The British Board of Film Classification also records Zarrar as a 148-minute Urdu-language action feature released theatrically on 25 November 2022.

JEHAN FILMS x LINE PRODUCTION TURKEY

For Line Production Turkey, Zarrar represents an important example of LPT’s work in international feature-film production rather than commercial production alone.

Working with Jehan Films, LPT created the local infrastructure required for an overseas feature-film team to execute a demanding two-week action schedule across Istanbul.

The project demonstrates the breadth of services required for international filmmaking in Türkiye: location scouting and management, permits, local crews, technical resources, logistics, stunt coordination and on-set production management all operating as one structure.

International film credits also recognize *Uluç Yemen Aslan as Line Producer for Türkiye*, reinforcing Line Production Turkey’s leadership of the local production operation.

For LPT, Zarrar remains a strong example of what international line production in Türkiye can deliver:

A Pakistani feature film.
Three production countries.
Two weeks across Istanbul.
High-intensity action executed with local expertise.

*PROJECT CREDITS*

Film: Zarrar
Production Company: Jehan Films
Country: Pakistan
Writer & Director: Shaan Shahid
Lead Actor: Shaan Shahid
Cast: Kiran Malik, Nadeem Baig, Nayyer Ejaz, Shafqat Cheema
Türkiye Line Production: Line Production Turkey
Türkiye Line Producer: Uluç Yemen Aslan
Cinematography: Timothy Hallam Wood
Filming Countries: Pakistan, Türkiye & United Kingdom
Türkiye Locations: Eminönü, Fatih, Haydarpaşa Port & Istanbul Atatürk Airport
Türkiye Shoot Duration: Approximately 2 Weeks
Genre: Spy / Action Thriller
Worldwide Releaseutm_sourceber 2022

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