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Editorial present
tense Bored
of censure future 'Co-production
means more control' Career-wise
It does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve it by citing reliable sources. Its neutrality is disputed. It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. It contains 'Criticism' or 'Controversy' section(s), thusly violating the Manual of Style. Its neutrality or factuality may be compromised by weasel words. It reads like an advertisement and needs to be rewritten from a neutral point of view. It may need copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. It may need a complete rewrite to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Its lead section requires expansion. This is what you get on your computer screens once you type the words Pakistan film industry and get on to the Wikepedia search on 'Cinema of Pakistan' -- a rather rare introduction for any search on Wikepedia. Of course it leads to the shoddy write-up on Lollywood confirming the concerns raised above. Both the write-up and the introduction come across as an interesting parallel to the state of Pakistan's film industry. As Khuda Key Liye becomes the first Pakistani film to be shown in India in 43 years and another Indian film Taare Zameen Par is all set to come to Pakistan next week, we thought it was about time we did a Special Report to see where exactly does our film industry stand. For a majority of Pakistanis the so-called 'golden era' of Pakistani film exists only in some nostalgic discourse that has nothing to do with reality. What they have seen in their lifetime is one rickety journey of the commercial cinema that has refused to take a smooth course. One good thing about the Wikipedia search is that it makes a decade-wise assessment of successful Pakistani films and all it ends up with is two to three 'mentionable' films per decade. Logically then the discussion on the subject should include some drastic ideas. Close shop. Stop making films because you can't. There is the world's biggest film industry next door which is perhaps the cause of your failure. On the positive side, they produce films in a language that majority of Pakistanis understand and therefore consume and enjoy in huge numbers. So why do we need to make films? Some even go to the extent of saying that even if we open joint productions, there is nothing in Pakistan that the Indians would be interested in. The truth is that we have protected our industry long enough to do us any good. It has managed to survive but only in manner that the commercial theatre survives which puts no premium on quality and stoops to any level to attract audience. The end result: We have discouraged majority of our people from attending theatre or watching films in cinema. The ban on Indian or good Western films hampered the cinema-going habit and it is now found difficult to bring people back to the cinemas. The optimists amongst us refuse to give up. They see hope in the myriad educational institutions offering film-making courses and attracting students as well. They find solace in the substantial young crop of film-makers who want to give it a shot. But most important of all, they see quite a few talented people in Pakistan having this dream of making a mainstream commercial film. It is on this hopeful note that we do yet another Special Report on Pakistani cinema amid doubts if the term 'Pakistani cinema' actually holds.
Will the import of Indian films serve to drive the last nail in the coffin of the dying Lahore-based film industry -- aka Lollywood? A view straight from the studio rooftop By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed The long-standing demand of the local cinema owners from the government to allow screening of Indian films in Pakistan seems to have been fulfilled finally. These cinema owners have repeatedly termed the Indian films as life-saving drugs for their dying business. In the absence of locally produced quality films, these cinema owners had started converting their cinemas to shopping plazas, parking lots and even CNG and petrol stations. But at the same time,
there are those groups as well that fear the unconditional import of
Indian According to Shahzad Gul, owner of Evernew Studios, Lahore, a random visit to any film studio will reveal that the people associated with the industry are fighting for their survival. "You will find them stranded, in search of a job and desperate," he says. Pakistani film studios have never been utilised to the full. Even during the period of boom, 60 to 70 per cent of the facilities were used, he says, adding that currently this has fallen to mere 1 to 2 per cent. Floors have been rented out to private production houses. Citing the example of his studio, Shahzad says that lately there were 267 people on their payroll, out of which many have left. He says that regardless of the business activity at the studios, fixed costs like those incurred on paying utility bills, fixed taxes and salaries of permanent employees have to be borne by the owners. He also thinks that the import of Indian films can help the industry "if it is done according to a policy." For example, if barter system is introduced Pakistani producers will invest in quality films in a bid to generate revenue from a much larger Indian market. Nasir Ismail, the owner
of Prince Cinema, Gujranwala, and an active member of the film exhibitors' Nasir laments the fact that the number of cinema houses across Pakistan has fallen from some 800 in late 1970s to around 200 today. As these cinemas are situated on prime commercial properties, owners have a strong temptation to convert them into plazas or use them for any other profitable businesses. Nasir says that there is no harm in allowing the screening of Indian films in Pakistan. The deterioration, he says, has been for the reason that the Pakistani film industry has existed in isolation since 1965. This was the year when Pakistan banned the showing of Indian films here and India reciprocated by taking a similar measure. He says that quality Indian films will hopefully serve to revive cinema-going culture and bring people out of their houses to cinemas. Once this is achieved, Pakistani producers can showcase their products simultaneously, he says. Nasir also suggests that Pakistani producers must start making films on "advanced topics" since the awareness level of common people has increased manifold thanks to the growth of independent media. "If Indians can make films on issues such as AIDs, surrogate motherhood and dyslexic children then why can't we?" Producer Ghaus Qadri thinks that the menace of piracy has badly affected the local film industry. He says that it's anybody's guess that a film accessible to people through cable television networks cannot pull viewers into the cinema houses. However, he suggests that proper enforcement of copyright laws and cooperation of CD distributors can do wonders. He says that producers and film importers have held meetings with wholesale CD manufacturers and distributors in Karachi. They have assured that they will not produce and market CDs of Indian films that have been imported or are on their way to Pakistani cinemas. "We told them that they can produce illegal CDs of 990 films out of 1000 but spare those 10 that are to hit our cinema screens. We are happy that they understood our point," he adds. Mehmood Butt, a manager at Evernew Studios, strongly objects to the policy of importing Indian films at the cost of thousands of jobs. He says the cinema owners' logic that Indian films should be imported because they are of a high quality does not carry weight. "If different countries can put tariff and non-tariff barrier on imports to protect their local industry and products why can't we?" He says that as many as five films produced at Evernew Studios are ready for release but no quality cinema is available to producers. All such cinemas have been booked by importers of Indian films, he adds. Mehmood tells TNS that the import of Indian films will solely benefit the cinema owners who are well established businessmen. The sufferers, on the other hand, will be people like technicians, helpers and so on. He says that whenever there is a shoot, at least 40 to 50 people get engaged whereas a cinema's staff consists of hardly 10 to 12 people. He says that there were times when eight shoots were carried out in the studio where he is employed and its external locations. Today, there is hardly one shoot taking place in a day which is not enough to even cover the running costs of the studio. He says that Bari and Shah Noor studios in Lahore have given their floors on rent to private productions, whereas Evernew Studios has not done this. The current owners of the studio have a sense of association with it and therefore want to preserve it in a shape in which their father left it. They are not earning a penny from it; on the other hand, they are spending to the tune on Rs 9 to 10 lakh every month on it from the earnings made from their other businesses. "We get our salary at the end of the month. But those associated with other studios and daily workers are not so lucky. If Indian films keep on coming we will also lose our jobs," he adds. The censor board itself comes under fire for ignoring its given dictates and dealing with them differently on different occasions Pakistan Film Censor Board working under the federal ministry for culture has always played an instrumental role in deciding the fate and course of the country's film industry. Assigned the task of examining suitability of films (local or imported) for public exhibition or otherwise under the guidelines provided by the federal government in the shape of film censorship code, the board subjects the films to strict scrutiny before they are cleared for public screening in cinema halls. The policy statement of the board clearly states that a film is declared unsuitable for public exhibition if, directly or indirectly, it undermines Islam, national security or foreign policy objective or glorifies crime or projects themes which are permissive in character and likely to corrupt impressionable minds. But there are reservations that the board deciphers these dictates differently on different occasions and many a time behaves totally opposite to what is expected of it. Any regular cine-goer or viewer of Pakistani films, especially the ones made in regional languages, can tell how religiously the code given by the board is flouted. For example, the code disapproves any film that "glorifies adultery, promiscuousness, lustful passion, lewdness or excessive drinking; presents scenes of rape, sexual acts, perversion, abortion, childbirth and surgical operation, beyond the limits of decency and the unavoidable demands of the plot; contains dialogues, songs, speeches, dances, jokes or gestures that are obviously vulgar, obscene or indecent." Similarly, the rejection
of decorous clothing in an obviously licentious manner with the intent to Though all these ingredients are not present in a typical Pakistani films, there is no second thought that many of these do. Our films often glorify villains, contain vulgar dances, songs and dialogues and have their stories based on vendettas and lives of hardened criminals. The passing of films with names like Ghundi Runn speaks volumes of the double standards adopted by the censor board. Coming to the board's role in clearing Indian films for screening in Pakistan, one finds a sea change in its policy over the last one or two years. It had been repeatedly stated by the board officers in the past that they would permit the screening of only those Indian films made by Pakistani producers and directors with foreign technology. Indian film Awarapan was cleared on the grounds that a co-producer and all the singers involved in the film were Pakistani and that the film was shot in Bangkok, Moscow, Hong Kong and not a single scene was filmed in India. In the next stage, Indian films like Goal and Welcome were released as per Pakistan Censor Board's revised policy of okaying films that had been shot on non-Indian soil. Lately, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's superhit film Tarey Zameen Par has been given special permission due to its intriguing subject. Initially, the board objected to its screening in Pakistan as it has been shot entirely in India and no Pakistani actor is starring in it. At this very time and moment, it's imperative that the board comes out with a final and clear-cut policy on Indian films' import so that the local industry and film importers are able to chalk out a long term plan. --
S Irfan Ahmed
First-time film makers in Pakistan complain about facing a horde of issues -- from lack of funds and technical infrastructure to red-tape. But their real test begins at the ticket window of the merciless box office By Usman Ghafoor Picture this: Moammar Rana shelves his much-tomtommed celluloid debut as director, after a grand opening and having actually shot a few reels. Humayun Saeed can't decide whether to rework the script he's famously got from celebrated Bollywood writer Javed Siddiqi, for his (admittedly) "most ambitious" home production. Saqib Malik's on-again-off-again interest in his now-four-year-old film is no secret. Marina Khan is off to Canada on a two-week break from her morning show for ARY, and the discussions on her supposedly 'light, romantic, masala movie' with pet scriptwriter Muhammad Ahmed can wait. Azfar Ali -- popular for his improvisational Sub Set Hai -- is said to have an 'amazing' one-liner on a film for youth, but no one to develop it for celluloid. Kollege Jeans-veteran Nini hasn't progressed a millimetre beyond the teaser he made on 35mm over two years ago, despite having a bound script as well as a dependable producer (Nadeem Mandviwala) in his kitty. God knows there is a whole lot of other first-timers who are raring to make films -- and have also made their intentions public -- but they can't seem to get it together. "There is a huge
element of uncertainty involved in the process, which is what keeps most
people from venturing out," opines Hasan Zaidi, CEO Karafilm Festival
and an aspiring film maker whose first cinematic dream was literally
shattered when he produced and directed Raat Chali Hai Jhoom Key, a
sensitive and realistic film starring Faisal Rehman and Nadia Jameel. The
film found no take Done with the script for the past almost eight months now, Hasan is on the look-out for what he calls "a technically proficient and efficient producer" who also shares his vision. He says he can't find such as producer in 'Lollywood' -- the Lahore-based film industry on the verge of extinction -- because "it's mostly occupied by people who invest for their own personal interests. And when I say 'personal' I'm trying not to be graphic about it," he tells TNS. Unfortunately, the opportunities for funds for new film makers in private sector are even fewer. There's no institutional way of procuring financing. Banks do not give credits for films because they consider it bad investment. In the same way, there is no precedence of getting insurance for films in Pakistan, though it is now common practice in countries like Canada and UK. "As a matter of fact, we have not been able to develop a business model for films and people think cinema is about throwing money down the drain. They see no returns on that." Hasan is quick to add that it's not for want of entertainment value alone that the investor is not interested. "Their experience with the unscrupulous sort of people is one major reason" that shoos them away. Adnan Malik seconds Hasan Zaidi, adding that it's likely that the producer doesn't agree with your aesthetic, even if your film is an entertaining fare. Himself a qualified documentary film maker, Adnan is better known as Saqib Malik's sibling who is currently working as assistant director for big brother's long-delayed film. "We were only two weeks short of taking our film to the floors when our producer backed out," he tells TNS. Since then it's been one wild goose chase for the 'right' producer, he says on behalf of Saqib who was tucked away shooting. Saqib's film project also suffers from a lack of script, Adnan reveals, adding that they had to scrap the previous script "because it had become dated". For Syed Nini, on the other hand, funds and script have never been an issue, but putting a competent technical crew together has. Reason: "You don't find a film cinematographer who has skill as well as a creative imagination," he says, "That's why, even Shoaib Mansoor had to hire Ali Muhammad who is a DoP of music videos and TV commercials. The result is the jumps in lighting that you see in the movie (Khuda Key Liye). Besides, Ali's taking is not that of cinema. "The problem persists because everybody here wants to start in films straightaway as a director or an actor and maybe, if you're into writing, as a scriptwriter. So where do we get, for instance, trained and educated cameramen?" To quote Hasan Zaidi, again, "The infrastructure is simply not there for a new person to set out on." Interestingly, for all these people, Lahore's dilapidated Multan Road studios are the last option because of their antiquated equipment, people who are not trained in modern technology, and poor lab quality. There are no proper dollies or tracks that won't jiggle while you're shooting. Sending the film abroad for processing and telecine-ing is an expensive proposition that most independent film makers cannot afford to consider. Shoaib Mansoor and Mehreen Jabbar remain exceptions because they managed funds and went to Bangkok and India for post. In the given circumstances, people like Saqib, Jami and Ahsan Rahim have been forced to buy their own equipment -- most of it from abroad. This spares them some misery. But, again, this is no consolation for an average, new film maker who cannot hope to rent the equipment. Hasan recalls how an acquaintance of his bought ARRI-3 camera for independent film makers. "I asked him how much he was going to rent it out for, and he said, 'Rs. 75,000 a shift!' That's a staggering amount, especially if you consider that your average film needs 30 to 40 shifts to shoot. "Compare this with India and you find that there you can get an entire 35mm shift with technicians in about Rs. 20,000. That's a huge difference." Then there are issues of facilitation. In the words of Hasan, "For any production happening, there are thousands of things that are required. Our bureaucratic structure is such that it does not facilitate, rather it tries to block things. Eventually, getting 'permissions' alone causes big-time delays. "Suppose you're bringing in crews from abroad. You need visas for that. And, if you're to shoot at a particular place, you need NOC. Then there are hordes of government departments that will suddenly butt in and remind you that it can't be done." To counter the menace, Hasan offers his "one-window film office" theory whereby "you contact just one department and tell the people there what and where you want to shoot, and it's up to them to manage the permissions from all related departments. The producer or the director should not to be running around to the offices of cantonment boards or culture ministry or intelligence agencies. This can kill you creatively." Hasan also suggests that foreign crews should be facilitated "because these are trained people who you can learn from". Almost every one has learnt on the job in Pakistan, he adds, "You get a few, occasional gems in the process, but on a regular basis, it's a very small pool of people you're working with. "If the government means to promote films and film making, it ought to sort out these issues." In the final analysis, when all is said and done, "the real test of a film maker will come once his film is released," insists Nini. He gives the example of Khuda Key Liye, again, and says, "If the film clicked in a big way, that means Shoaib Mansoor struck the right chords with the cinema-goers, whether or not the film meets international standards of production. "For all the problems you faced or you didn't face, and for all your film's own flaws and strengths that you may know of, it's eventually the box office that is the final decider -- the ultimate barometre."
'Co-production means more control' -- Sohail Khan, CEO of Sohail Khan Productions and Mahesh Bhatt's co-producer for Awarapan, The Killer and the forthcoming Jannat By Ali Sultan and S. Irfan Ahmed Sitting in a posh penthouse on the sixth floor of a certain plaza, we are watching an Indian film on a medium sized plasma screen and probably gazing into what might be the future of Pakistani filmmaking. We are waiting in the
Lahore office of Sohail Khan, the CEO of Sohail Khan productions. The The News on Sunday: What, in your opinion, is the most vital ingredient in the downfall of the Pakistan film industry? Sohail Khan: Our problem is the script. Let's put it this way, 80 per cent of a film's success depends on the script. If you don't have a good script then you won't have a good film. TNS: Another problem remains that most of us don't know when a Pakistani film is being released. SK: Yes, promotion is badly lacking. Giving an ad in a newspaper for a film is no promotion. Films should be promoted through the electronic media. Just look at Khuda Key Liye, its success lies in the fact that it was heavily promoted. TNS: How do you feel about Indian movies playing in our cinemas? SK: I am not in support of pure Indian movies being shown here. It will further damage the already ravaged Pakistani film industry. The basic problem is that if you start showing Indian movies, which are a quality product, then the cinema owners will not give local productions any place. TNS: Then what is the solution? SK: The basic thing to understand is that we are not in any kind of status to beat or even meet the standards or the market that Indian cinema enjoys today. The solution is co-production. Our biggest relief can be India, co-production means more control. This should be the strategy for the next 5-6 years because there is no market for Pakistani films TNS: Does co-producing mean using our actors? SK: Co-production just doesn't mean using our actors, but Pakistanis co-producing their films. It means more control for us. You take 20-30 people which includes actors, musicians etc. Their film units can come to Pakistan and shoot. Our studios and technicians that are lying idle badly need work. Look at it this way, a film is produced, 200 prints are released in India, 20 in Pakistan, the revenue generated by producing that film will come back into Pakistan. This way, 5 to 6 films can be made every year. The other advantage is that our people (actors, writers, musicians etc.) have a much better chance of being recognised and getting more work because of the scope of the Indian film market. TNS: So, is there any chance of a local film being produced and doing well in India? SK: The Indians are making the best films in Urdu/Hindi but the Punjabi market which encompasses Indian Punjab, the US, UK and Canada is wide open. We make good Punjabi movies and if we start this co-operation together we can make Punjabi movies and release them for their market. This way we will have two markets to play in. We can make Urdu films with them and they can make the Punjabi ones with us. TNS: What is the current policy regarding Indian movies being shown and co-production? SK: Those movies that are shot totally in India cannot be shown here. There has to be a significant part of the film that is shot outside India. Co-production is not formally recognised by the government but I think if it is legalised, it will help us. TNS: Piracy is a big issue, isnit it? SK: Piracy is a killer, but I think and am working towards the idea that the movies that are censored for Pakistan should not be released on CDs or DVDS or shown on cable. TNS: What do you think about the recent opening up of film schools in Pakistan? SK: When it comes down to production, the Indians have cutting-edge equipment and employ the latest techniques of filmmaking. By means of co-production, Indian film crews can come over and shoot here and our talent can learn the trade and the techniques from professionals. TNS: What do you think of the new crop of Pakistani filmmakers? SK: The new crop is not making commercial films. Already we don't have a film industry and then you are making dry movies like Ramchand Pakistani, what's the point? Making films for critical acclaim and awards is one thing, making a film for masses is another. You have to make a film to sell it; don't make a specialised movie, make a film for an audience.
The discipline of Film at established educational institutions is providing a unique academic alternative to the traditional apprenticeship-based approach Pakistan has had a relatively full-functioning film industry since the partition of the subcontinent. However, until recently, there have never been any institutions offering a formal training in the basic and finer aspects of filmmaking. The new millennium saw a
mushrooming of television channels that consequently provided a medium of
audiovisual expression. Careers related to direction, set-design, sound
and film editing, production and acting suddenly became very attractive
for college and university graduates who had been The faculty list at some of these places such as NCA and BNU reads like the who's who of the electronic media related celebrities. Most notable among them are renowned playwright Amjad Islam Amjad, actor/producer/director and writer extraordinaire Salman Shahid and Moneeza Hashmi who has been the GM of PTV (Lahore centre) and is now the same of Hum TV. According to Shirin Pasha, the Dean of NCA's Film & TV department and also an independent filmmaker, the film discipline at established educational institutions are providing a unique academic alternative to the traditional apprenticeship based approach. "The department at NCA is now in its fourth year and the first batch is going to graduate soon," she told TNS, "I am confident that with all of the students being very talented and artistically inclined, they would be easily absorbed into the television industry and would set new standards of excellence." Shirin also feels that even though the class size is limited to 16 students at present, a number of girls manage to become a part of each new batch, though the quota system does impose some limitations. "Basically we need to start building up the volume of qualified film-related professionals in the market to create a strong presence, especially when you consider the scenario in India. "I believe that state legislation also has a very important role in fostering the process of filmmaking, similar to what it's like in Britain where a one-third of all private productions have to be bought by BBC UK." Shirin also proudly claims that some of her students have won awards at international film festivals for their entries. She believes such exposure has compelled filmmakers of Pakistani descent based abroad to touch base here and share their experiences and provide valuable guidance for aspiring directors, scriptwriters and set designers. -- Aziz Omar
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films will expedite the demise of the industry. For example, a large
contingent of local film directors, actors, choreographers, technicians
and other support staff fear that the import of high-quality finished
product from India will render them totally useless. That the films
produced in Pakistan are by no means compatible with the Indian ones is an
established fact. TNS talked to some of the key players in the Pakistani
film industry to get the exact picture and invite practical suggestions on
how to salvage it.
association of Pakistan is of the view that the industry has suffered
mostly due to substandard films it is turning out. He says that it's a
pity that the film industry is producing 20 to 25 films a year of which
hardly any film is in national language.
provoke lustful passion, display of dances showing indecent or vulgar
movements or passions, glorification of vice, crime, violence,
black-marketing, smuggling, bribery, corruption or any other social evil
have been termed unwanted in any film brought before the censor board.
rs among distributors and exhibitors, and had to do with
festival screenings. Obviously distressed and frustrated Hasan moved on to
another project and has been at it since.
to-the-point Khan made history in 2007 when his production house produced
the Indian film Awarapan and made it the first film to be a joint
production between India and Pakistan. With a fruitful partnership with
Mahesh Bhatt and having co-produced successful commercial flicks like
Gangster, The Killer and the upcoming Jannat, Sohail Khan has all hope in
Emraan Hashmi and the future of joint production between India and
Pakistan.
hitherto limited to options such as accountancy, medicine, corporate
finance or banking etc. Mainstream educational institutions such as
Kinnaird College, National College of Arts (NCA) and Beacon house National
University (BNU) have now full-fledged Bachelors degree programmes that
cover all aspects of film conceptualisation, shooting and post-production.
Other specialised institutes include the Paragon Academy of Performing
Arts (PAPA) on Multan Rd, Lahore, founded by Lollywood director Syed Noor,
and the Institute of Media Studies in Islamabad.