“Kattar Karachi,” the crime thriller short film starring rapper Talha Anjum, won Film of the Year at the 24th Lux Style Awards held in Karachi on December 11, 2025. The film marks the cinematic debut of both Talha Anjum and actress Kinza Hashmi, who received five nominations at the prestigious ceremony.
Directed by Abdul Wali Baloch and written by Bilal Atif, “Kattar Karachi” tells the story of Talha, a young restaurant worker in Karachi who dreams of buying a car and proposing to his love interest, Tanya. His life takes a dark turn when he confronts a criminal gang of land grabbers led by Sikandar. The film explores the harsh realities of Karachi’s underworld and the struggles faced by young people growing up in the city.
The project originated from Talha Anjum’s album “My Terrible Mind,” released in 2024 under the Mass Appeal label. While discussing visual representation for the album with director Abdul Wali Baloch, they decided to create a short film instead of traditional music videos.
The album, which made Talha Anjum the most-streamed artist on Spotify Pakistan in 2024, deals with hardships faced while growing up in Karachi.
Released on December 20, 2024, by Hum Films, the film was produced by Talha Anjum and Dilawar Baloch. Imran Ashraf delivered a powerful supporting performance that earned him a nomination for Film Actor of the Year. The production featured cinematography by Noor Turk, editing by Bilal Sagar, and music by Umair from Young Stunners.
The film’s success at the Lux Style Awards demonstrates how Pakistani artists are successfully crossing over from music into cinema. For Talha Anjum, who built his career as one half of the hip-hop duo Young Stunners, “Kattar Karachi” represents a bold expansion of his artistic vision beyond music into storytelling through film.
This win is particularly significant as it came at the first in-person Lux Style Awards ceremony since 2020, marking a triumphant return for Pakistan’s most prestigious entertainment awards show.
