Pakistani horror ‘Deemak’: Hit or flop?

Positive reviews of the horror film Deemak, released nationwide on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, have emerged from critics and international media.

This suggests that the story has been portrayed in such a way that it succeeds in leaving an impact on its viewers. However, the question is: how did the film perform at the box office?

The film’s cast includes Sonya Hussyn, Faisal Qureshi, Javed Sheikh, Samina Peerzada, and Bushra Ansari, while its story revolves around a family haunted by a supernatural presence that causes distress to everyone. This is Ayesha Muzaffar’s debut as a film writer, while it is Rafay Rashdi’s third film.

 

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According to a BBC report, the film’s director, Rafay Rashdi, came up with the idea of Deemak four to five years ago. He said that he is a fan of supernatural films and wanted to make one for his own people, but due to various commitments, he couldn’t find the time.

Rafay Rashdi said the story had been ready for quite some time, and he had high hopes that writer Ayesha Muzaffar would do justice to it—which she did. The story revolves around a family where a blame game begins over supernatural occurrences, and accusations of black magic are made.

Interestingly, Deemak is not just a horror film—it also incorporates family dynamics, social issues, and supernatural elements.

Was the film a hit or a flop?
It would not be wrong to say that the Pakistani film Deemak performed remarkably well at the box office and can be considered a hit. In its first week after release, the film earned over 60 million rupees and made 70 million rupees in just two days, setting a record for Pakistani horror films.

It was not only financially successful but was also praised by critics and audiences for its story, direction, and acting—especially the performances of Samina Peerzada and Sonya Hussyn received a lot of acclaim.

However, some viewers criticized the film’s CGI and the slow pace of the story, calling it an average film. Despite this, overall, the film set a new benchmark for the horror genre in Pakistani cinema and is being regarded as the biggest success in the history of Pakistani horror films.