Award-winning feature film thriller created with University student’s help comes to Amazon Prime Video
A University of Chester student and founding member of a film studio company has spoken of his pride as an award-winning neo noir crime thriller he has helped produce is now available to audiences in the USA and UK.
Filmmaker Asad Chaudhry – currently studying a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University – is part of Yūgen Studios Pvt Ltd, which began three years ago in Islamabad with the idea of creating films which would strengthen Pakistan’s industry. What started as small internal screenings among the team grew into open sessions for filmmakers from across Pakistan, which allowed attendees to learn the craft by learning from one another.
With no formal film industry structure to rely on in Pakistan, the team built their production, documentation and distribution processes from the ground up, culminating in the release of feature-length thriller Jujji. Blending the mood and texture of classic noir with a contemporary South Asian setting, the film follows two police officers as they chase a serial killer operating in the dense, chaotic streets of Rawalpindi, a city rarely explored in international cinema.
Jujji, directed by Habib Shahzad, has already earned recognition, winning Best Feature Film at the Gandhara Independent Film Festival and Best Feature Film at the Punjab Police Film Festival. Buffalo 8 has since acquired worldwide rights for the film, and Jujji is now available on Amazon Prime Video in the United States and the United Kingdom, with other countries to follow.
Asad, who worked as Production Co-ordinator on the film, said of the experience: “It was intense but very rewarding; our founder Ali Osama Chaudry, who became our guide in this unknown world, believed in learning in the field and that’s what we did. Since Pakistan does not have a fully structured film industry, we had to build our own processes from the ground up. There were no templates to follow. Everything from production to documentation to distribution had to be created by the team ourselves. It was challenging, but it also gave us the freedom to shape a workflow that suited our vision.”
Seeing Jujji become one of the first Pakistani productions to reach an international on-demand platform, as well as winning awards, was “a great deal” for Asad, who added: “It is another vote of confidence and a sign that Pakistani stories can travel when they are made with sincerity and intention. It gives our team motivation to keep creating and to keep refining the kind of cinema we want to be known for.”
Asad also founded the Chester Filmmakers Society at the city centre’s Storyhouse. He said: “The aim is the same as it was back home, to build community and exchange ideas. My vision is to help create an international network of filmmakers who support each other and bring local stories to the world.
“Chester made me think more deeply about structure, teamwork, and organisation. Watching the film succeed reminded me that these things matter more than people realise. It was not just a win for the film, it was a win for a group of young people who tried to create something honest and functional in a space where very few rules exist. It made every long production day worth it.”
For those looking to get into the film industry, Asad said: “My advice is simple; stay passionate and stay honest about why you want to make films. For me and for our team back in Pakistan, filmmaking is first and foremost about practising the craft – we do not stress over the end goal. It is the journey, the set, the people, and the small victories along the way that make the work meaningful. If someone approaches film with that mindset, the rest finds its own way.”
Trevor Omoruyi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Professional Development, said: “We are incredibly proud of Asad, in the way he has poured talent, discipline, resilience and hard work into the movie production, while continuing to support and mentor other students.
“Balancing creativity with leadership isn’t easy, yet Asad has shown how powerful it is when someone leads by example and lifts others as they rise. The movie production reflects not only his skill, but his character, which we have experienced first hand in class debates and presentations.
“The release of Jujji on Amazon is inspiring to the entire Chester MBA team and Business School. It is also noteworthy to mention that Asad did contribute to the University of Chester Festival of Ideas 2025. He is such a talent and we will do all as a Business School to support him and other students to achieve their dreams.
“Seeing Asad talk about how he intends keeping his work and production ethical gives me the sense of fulfilment in what we learn and deliver as part of the core of our MBA programme. We are convinced Asad’s future productions will feature beyond Amazon.”
Jujji is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video now.
Main and fourth image: Asad Chaudhry.
Second and third images: The film crew during their time filming Jujji.
Fifth image: The poster for the film.