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Pervez Musharraf
President
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Firstly, I would like to congratulate all those who were involved
in completing this ground breaking film. Particular credit goes
to Shoaib Mansoor for taking on this Herculean task. Shoaib's thirty
years track record speaks volumes of the passion and hard work he
has poured into raising the level of quality programming, production
and direction in Pakistan. I salute him for his body of work that
represents the best in humour, script writing and story telling
on Pakistan television. What is remarkable is that Shoaib's acumen
is not restricted to direction but also spans music, literature
and cinematography.
In today's world, a country's cinema has acquired tremendous importance.
Films are considered a reflection of a nation's thought, culture
and entertainment. Take the example of the Irani cinema, just next
door to us. The quality of the films coming out of Iran have overcome
the negative perception of that country in the western world to
win and be nominated for several different awards at the Oscars
in the United States and the coveted Cannes Film Awards in Europe.
We have a rich history in film and television. Until the 1960s our
films were at par with other regional films in quality and substance.
Even though our film industry has been dormant in the last three
decades, our television has continued to bear the torch of this
tradition till today. As you know, if we ask anyone in the world
familiar with South Asian media, they would point to Pakistani dramas
and Pakistani music as representing the best in sophistication and
literary nuance. I am sure that our film industry can leverage these
strengths and be recognised internationally in both the musical
and non-musical genres. On its part, the government will support
efforts to upgrade the physical and technical infrastructure related
to film production in Pakistan. The rest is up to our artist community
to showcase to the world.
I am a firm believer in competition leading to quality. The point
of view that we have to preserve our culture by blocking foreign
productions from entering the country, are possibly short sighted
and quite unrealistic. We live in the information age where it is
no longer possible for the governments to control the information
that people want access to. We should openly discuss how to balance
our responsibilities with our rights as citizens of the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan. There ought not to be pre-conceived notions
about what the people of Pakistan want.
What comes first, good movies, or good cinema halls? I believe it
is good movies. The experience of Irani Cinema, as a medium of social
enlightenment is indeed very relevant for Pakistan. I would request
individuals with experience in film making to come forward in light
of this ground breaking film. We need to start making more films
that not only capture our nation's hopes and aspirations but also
explore the musical as well as non-musical genres of film making.
You will find the government, supportive and encouraging towards
all such endeavours.
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Shaukat Aziz
Prime Minister
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Cinema is a creative medium
which reflects culture and heritage and brings different people,
civilisations and regions closer together. Cinema has played a very
effective role in positively impacting the outlook and thought process
across a broad spectrum of society. In Pakistan, the cinema industry
is passing through challenging times although there is a revival
of cinema all over the world. We have the creativity and the talent
to play a bigger role on the global cinema stage and the government
will encourage all efforts to revive the domestic cinema industry.
We also need to build in our society greater tolerance and the ability
to hear different points of view, enter into healthy debate on different
issues and shun extremism and intolerance. Our major objective is
to take Pakistan speedily along the road to progress and promote
peace and harmony. Our cinema should reflect our culture, faith,
values and be reformist and instructive. The Geo film production
?Khuda Ke Liye? by Shoaib Mansoor deals with important issues and
I am sure it will generate healthy debate in Pakistan and the rest
of the world. The film is interesting, moving and will generate
interest in different segments of society at home and abroad. I
am encouraged by Geo Films? efforts for the revival of cinema in
Pakistan and wish all stakeholders success in their current and
future ventures.
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| The lights went down
on Pakistani Cinema after going into an inexorable fade. Someone had
to step forward and put the reel on the projector. Someone had to
point a torch and usher us through the darkened aisles. GEO films
is committed to play that 'someone's' role. 'Khuda Kay Liya' is not
just a great film; it is a plaintive cry against the forces of obscurantism
that want to take us back into the Dark Ages If
you have the will, we have the way
By Imran Aslam
Cinema is the retrieval of dreams that we lose when we go into
a deep slumber. It is magic and binds us all together in a collective
awe, astonishment, laughter, fear and undiluted joy. It creates
mythologies, fantasies and pantheons while providing an escape from
mundane reality. It is also the reflection of the societies it inhabits
and is a collaborative effort that provides the Arts and Sciences
an opportunity to break moulds and threaten paradigms. Sounds, light,
music, movement, emotion, conflict, resolution, often at variance
and mercurial, are somehow garnered and etched on the canvas we
call 'the silver screen'.
But the lights went down on Pakistani Cinema after going into an
inexorable fade. We waited in the stalls, whistling in the dark
for some flickers to appear and dance on the screen. We waited for
snatches from some familiar tune to revive our mute senses. We waited
till silence overcame us, till mediocrity and narrative obsolescence
humbled our senses. We watched the magic from international cinema
on pirated cassettes, LDs and DVDs and felt some how unclean, as
if we were committing some prohibitive act. Missing were those essential
ingredients that spark off cinema - collective experience and shared
emotions. As cinema dwindled and cinema houses sold all sorts of
wares except dreams, we withdrew into an insular world-into anomie.
But in all of us, infected by the virus of the big screen, lived
that child from cinema Paradiso.
Someone had to step forward and put the reel on the projector. Someone
had to point a torch and usher us through the darkened aisles. Someone
had to remind us, through posters still clinging tenaciously, a
bit torn, a little faded of Raagni, Swaranlata. Noor Jehan, Sabiha,
Santosh, Darpan, Ejaz, Rattan Kumar, Sudhir, Allaudin, Talish, Aslam
Pervez, Mussarat Nazir, Neelo, Firdous, Waheed Murad, Shamim Ara,
Zeba, Mohammad Ali, Rani, Shabnam, Rehman, Nadeem, Bahar, Aliya,
Rangeela, Nazar, Diljeet Mirza, Lehri, Ali Ejaz, Subbah Dutta, Nannah
and even Reema, Meera, Nirma, Chakori, Nargis, Anjuman, Akmal and
Sultan Rahi. Someone had to play us the melodies of Baba Chishti,
Master Abdullahh, Khursheed Anwar, Master Inayat Hussain, Robin
Ghosh, Deboo Bhattacharya, M Ashraf and Nisar Bazmi. Someone had
to make us hum along with Irene Parveen, Noor Jahan, Ahmed Rushdie,
Saleem Raza, Masood Rana, Bashir, Nasim Begum, Mala, Alamgir and
A Nayyar. Someone had to bring back the Khalil Qaisers, the AJ Kardars,
the Sharif Nayyars, the Hasan Tariqs, the Samina Peerzadas, the
Usman Peerzadas, the Zaheer Raihans, the W Z Ahmeds, the Riaz Shahids,
the Ihtishams, the Shabab Kiranvis, and the Nazrul Islams. Someone
had to help revive the Cinema in Pakistan.
GEO films is committed to playing the role of that 'someone'. We
stand for the revival of not only Cinema in Pakistan, but also the
revival of the habit of going to the cinema. 'Khuda Kay Liye' is
not just a great film; it is a plaintive cry against the forces
of obscurantism that want to take us back into the Dark Ages. We
want to go back to the Dark Ages of our choosing - where the comforting
whirr of the projector heralds the arrival of images. We offer Pakistani
Cinema our platform to incubate, propagate and disseminate. The
transfer of an idea onto celluloid and then onto our collective
psyche is a pleasure we seek.
We hope Shoaib Mansoor's brave and courageous film, which is about
this very instant in our history, will not be a flash in the can.
There are many young filmmakers whose eyes are full of images, whose
minds wander through imagined editing and sound floors. Their wait
may be over soon. The audiences who had waited may soon hear the
bells sounding, hurrying them back into the cinema halls.
We know that when there is a will, there is a way. Let Geo films
show you the way.
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| History and background
of Pakistani films (1947-2007) By Aijaz Gul
The Sub-Continent was never a stranger to film making. The newly
independent country of Pakistan was also well acquainted with the
art and film production, distribution and exhibition were nothing
new to it, even before August 1947. Everything was in place. Lahore
was part of the Northern Indian circuit of the Indian film distribution
network; there were three film studios in Lahore and several production
and distribution offices and many cinemas located across Punjab
and NWFP.
And then there were the major names of the Indian film industry
working in Lahore during the thirties and forties. Noorjehan had
started working in films in Lahore after her return from Kolkata.
Shaukat Rizvi, M Ismail, Ragni, Chishti, Master Ghulam Haider and
Dawood Chand were only some of the notable names of Lahore film
industry. Lahore had produced renowned films like 'Gul Bakaoli',
'Yamla Jatt', 'Khazanchi' and 'Khandan' in Lahore- all of them,
incidentally, starring Noorjehan. All in all, Lahore was the centre
of Punjabi films and the Pakistani film industry.
Come August 1947, things changed rapidly. The bulk of the Hindu
film talent left for India but a few notable Muslim film figures
in Indian cinema migrated to Pakistan. But the main question was:
Could a new Muslim country have a flourishing film industry with
songs and dances as its basic element? Pakistan's first film 'Teri
Yaad', released in September 1948, was a mass of contradictions.
Filming for the movie started before Independence and was completed
after August 1947. Produced by Sardari Lal and directed by Dawood
Chand with Asha Posley, Nasir Khan and Pran in lead roles, it was
a badly scripted film with poor production. It failed miserably
at the box-office but Asha Posley did become the heroine of first
Pakistani films, notwithstanding her below average performance in
the following years.
More disasters followed in shape of director Luqman's 'Shahida',
Dawood Chand's 'Hichkoley', Nazir's 'Sachai' and Ajmeri's 'Ghalat
Fehmi'. But the tables turned for the Pakistani film industry with
the release of Nazir's two smash hit Punajabi musicals 'Larey' (1949)
and 'Pehrey' in (1950). And the rest, as the cliché goes,
is history.
Actress-singer Noorjehan and her director-editor-producer husband
Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, actress Swaranlata and her actor-director-producer
husband Nazir, director Fazli and composers Rashid Attrey, Master
Inayat Hussain and Khursheed Anwar were some of the talented people
who laid the foundation of Pakistani cinema. But it was Anwar Kamal
Pasha who became our first writer-director, and what the French
call, a total filmmaker. Son of famous dramatist Hakim Ahmad Shujah,
Anwar Kamal won enormous success at the box-office with hits like
'Ghulam', 'Do Ansoo', 'Gumnam', 'Qatil', 'Sarfrosh', 'Chunmahi'
and 'Anarkali'. He must also be credited for turning out a strong
film team and strict discipline on the film set and introduced new
talent in every discipline from direction (Khalil Qaiser, S Suleman)
to editing (M Akram) to acting (Aslam Pervez, Nayyara Sultana, Bahar)
to playback singers (Mala). But Anwar Kamal's contribution to the
Pakistani film industry waned when he lost confidence in his later
years and bowed out by the late-fifties.
The major directors who followed Anwar Kamal included Masood Pervaiz,
Khalil Qaiser, M J Rana, Hassan Tariq, Riaz Shahid, Pervaiz Malik
and Nazrul Islam. Their genuine cinematic work ranged from 'Shaheed',
'Farangi', 'Susral', 'Yakey Wali', 'Neend', 'Umraojan Ada', 'Anjuman',
'Arman', 'Ehsan', 'Bandish' and 'Nahi Abhi Nahi'.
Big production and distribution banners emerged in the form of Eveready
Pictures and Evernew Pictures. Shaukat Rizvi set up the country's
first new studios: Shahnoor, followed by Evernew Studios set up
by G.A.Gul, Bari Studios set up by Bari Malik, A.M. Studios set
up by Ashfaq Malik and later Shahab Khairanvi established the Shabab
Studios. Saeed Haroon is credited for establishing the Eastern Studios
at Karachi and publishing a decent monthly film magazine, Eastern
Films.
East Pakistan was already making Bengali films at Dhaka and in the
early-sixites, Dhaka also entered low-budget realistic Urdu filmmaking
with 'Chanda'. These were musicals shot at actual locations and
free of make-believe studio sets and pretensions. Rehman, Shabnam,
Nadeem and Shabana became bankable superstars from East Pakistan.
Dhaka also gave Pakistan the first colour film 'Sangam' and first
cinemascope film 'Bahana'.
Karachi also played its share with refined Urdu films like 'Anchal',
'Insan Badlata Hai' and 'Arman'. J.C.Anand, Syed Fazlani, Pervaiz
Malik, and Nisar Murad were the big names in the Karachi film scene.
Sindhi film production also began in Karachi with 'Umer Marvi'.
Nisar Bazmi, a migrant from Mumabi, changed the Pakistani orchestra
concept with his rich and extremely well-coordinated and well-arranged
orchestra in films like 'Aisa Bhi Hota Hai', 'Lakhoon Mei Eik' and
'Andableeb' and actors like Mohammad Ali, Zeba and Waheed Murad
gave nationwide popularity to Urdu films produced in Karachi.
Meanwhile, the Urdu and Punjabi film scene at Lahore was dominated
by Sabiha, Santosh Kumar, Sudhir, Musarrat Nazir, Shamim Ara, Habib,
Kamal, Akmal, Allaudin, Talish and Firdaus. Lahore produced its
first colour film 'Naila' in 1965. Based on Razia Butt's bestseller,
Naila was a sophisticated film with Shamim Ara, Santosh Kumar and
Darpan in lead roles. Produced by G A Gul and directed by Sharif
Nayyar, the film celebrated its Silver Jubilee (25-week run) at
many stations and created box-office history. Laboratory Consultant
Pyarey Khan must be credited for introducing colours to Pakistani
cinema and the colour films that followed, like 'Andaleeb', 'Zerqa'
and 'Heer Ranjha'.
After the partition of Pakistan in 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh
and we lost over 100 cinemas and a major production centre. Later,
the Karachi film scene also became inactive because many actors
and directors decided to work at one centre- choosing Lahore due
to its more active production activity. Javed Jabbar made history
in 1975 with the first Pakistani English film 'Beyond the Last Mountain'
which was also produced in Urdu as 'Musafar'. It was a good attempt
away from the stagnated formula filmmaking of the time. There were
others who tried their hands at experimental films including Ashfaq
Ahmad (Dhoop aur Saey), Kanwar Aftab Ahmad (Jhalak), Ahmad Bashir
(Neela Purbat), Saroor Barabankavi (Akhri Station) and A.J.Kardar(Jago
Huwa Savera).
Violence, vengeance, gunplay and hard action took the front seats
by the mid-seventies with 'Maula Jatt.' Directors Yonus Malik, Hassan
Askari, screenwriter Nasir Adeeb along with action heroes Sultan
Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi raised hell on screen for almost ten years.
Even the illegal videos menace that started in the early-eighties
could not affect the impact of violence on screen. This was because
videos essentially provided Urdu/Hindi films from Mumbai and violence
was mostly seen in Punjabi film. It was our Urdu films which were
largely affected by the video menace that later graduated into VCD,
DVD, Cable TV and its notorious CD Channels where uninterrupted
telecast of latest hits continued twenty-four hours a day. Filmgoers
stopped visiting cinemas and watched their favourite film in the
convenience and comfort of their living room. Cinemas were demolished
in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad and replaced by shopping
centres. The number of cinemas was reduced from 700 in 1977 to merely
200 in 2007. The film industry suffered more with the reduction
in annual film production from 111 in 1977 to 43 in 2007. Studios
were reduced from 11 in 1977 to barely 3 in 2007.
The creative contributors of the Pakistani film industry from the
last sixty years have made their mark in every discipline of the
film industry, from direction and scripting to acting and music.
Names like Sabiha, Santosh Kumar, Musarrat Nazir, Allaudin, Talish,
Nadeem, Shabnam, Babra Sharif in acting; Anwar Kamal Pasha, Masood
Pervaiz, Khalil Qaiser, Hassan Tariq, Pervaiz Malik, Nazarul Islam
in direction; and Noorjehan, Mehdi Hassan, Khurhseed Anwar, Inayat
Hussain, Rashid Attrey, Chishti, Robin Ghosh and Nisar Bazmi in
music are milestones of Pakistani film history.
A selection of some of the best films from over 4500 films produced
here in the last sixty years was extremely difficult to compile
and it can read as under:
|
| S # |
FILM |
YEAR |
DIRECTOR |
MUSIC DIRECTOR |
CAST |
| 1 |
Gum-Naam |
1954 |
Anwar Kamal Pasha |
Master Inayat Hussain |
Sudheer, Sabiha, Nasreen,
Himalia Wala, Ragni, M. Ismail |
| 2 |
Qatil |
1955 |
Anwar Kamal Pasha |
Master Inayat Hussain |
Santosh, Sabiha, Aslam Pervaiz,
Musarrat Nazir |
| 3 |
Intezar |
1956 |
Masood Pervaiz |
Khursheed Anwar |
Santosh, Noor Jehan, Darpan,
Asha Bhosly, Rakhsi |
| 4 |
Waada |
1957 |
W.Z. Ahmed |
Rasheed Attray |
Santosh, Sabiha |
| 5 |
Saat Laakh |
1957 |
Jaffer Malik |
Rasheed Attray |
Santosh, Sabiha, Nayyer Sultana,
Nelo, Talish |
| 6 |
Neend |
1959 |
Hassan Tariq |
Rasheed Attray |
Aslam Pervaiz, Noor Jehan, Neelo,
Nighat Sultana, Rakhshi, Diljeet Mirza, Jaffrey, Talish |
| 7 |
Shaheed |
1962 |
Khalil Qaisar |
Rasheed Attray |
Aijaz, Musarat Nazir, Hussna,
Saqi, Alauddin, Talish |
| 8 |
Ghoonghat |
1962 |
Khursheed Anwar |
Khursheed Anwar |
Santosh, Nayyer Sultana,
Neelo, Laila, Talish, Bibbo Begum |
| 9 |
Baji |
1963 |
S. Suleman |
Salim Iqbal |
Darpan, Nayyer Sultana, Zeba, Lehri,
Panna, Ami Meenwala, Salma Mumtaz, Talish |
| 10 |
Susral |
1964 |
Riaz Shahid |
Hassan Latif |
Yousaf Khan, Laila, Alauddin, Rukhsana,
Nighat Sultana, Diljeet Mirza, Lehri, Talish |
| 11 |
Farangi |
1964 |
Khalil Qaisar |
Rasheed Attray |
Sudheer, Shahmeem Ara, Bahar, Saqi,
Mazhar Shah, Alauddin, Talish, Safia Moini |
| 12 |
Khamosh Raho |
1964 |
Jamil Akhtar |
Khalil Ahmed |
Muhammad Ali, Deeba, Yousaf Khan,
Gul Rukh, Zeenat, Meena Shori |
| 13 |
Naila |
1965 |
Shariff Nayyer |
Master Inayat Hussain |
Santosh, Shahmeem Ara, Darpan, Gul
Rukh Ragani |
| 14 |
Riwaj |
1965 |
Diljeet Mirza |
Master Inayat Hussain |
Muhammad Ali, Zeeba, Deeba, Diljeet
Mirza |
| 15 |
Aakhri Station |
1965 |
Saroor Bara Bankvi |
Khan Atta-ur-Rehman |
Rehman, Shabnam, Rani |
| 16 |
Aag Ka Darya |
1966 |
Humayun Mirza |
Ghulam Nabi Abdul Latif |
Muhammad Ali, Shahmeem Ara, Lehri,
Saqi |
| 17 |
Sawal |
1966 |
Hassan Tariq |
Rasheed Attray |
Santosh, Sabiha, Aijaz, Saloni,
Nazir, Swaran Lata |
| 18 |
Laakhon Mein Aek |
1967 |
Raza Mir |
Nisar Bazmi |
Aijaz, Shahmeem Ara, Mustafa Qureshi,
Saqi, Talish |
| 19 |
Ehsaan |
1967 |
Pervaiz Malik |
Suhail Rana |
Waheed Murad, Zeba, Rozeena, Nirala,
Ibrahim Nafees, Azad, Baby Jugnu |
| 20 |
Zerqa |
1969 |
Riaz Shahid |
Rasheed Attray |
Aijaz, Nelo, Saqi, Alauddin, Talish
|
| 21 |
Heer Ranjha |
1970 |
Masood Pervaiz |
Khursheed Anwar |
Aijaz, Firdous, Zamurd, Munawar
Zarif, Rangeela, Ajmal, Najam-ul-Hassan, Salma Mumtaz |
| 22 |
Ek Gunnah Aur Sahi |
1975 |
Hassan Tariq |
Nisar Bazmi |
Muhammad Ali, Rani, Shahid, Nayyer
Sultana, Darpan, Sabiha, Talish |
| 23 |
Aaina |
1977 |
Nazar-ul-Islam |
Robin Ghosh |
Nadeem, Shabnam, Nimmo, Qavi, Bahar,
Rehan, Master Shahzaib |
| 24 |
Mutthi Bhar Chawal |
1978 |
Sangeeta |
Kamal Ahmed |
Nadeem, Sangeeta, Ghulam Mohiuddin,
Kavita, Rahat Kazmi, Shahla Gill |
| 25 |
Bandish |
1980 |
Nazar-ul-Islam |
Robin Ghosh |
Nadeem, Shabnam, Diana Cristena,
Talat Hussain, Alauddin, Talish |
| 26 |
Nahin Abhi Nahin |
1980 |
Nazar-ul-Islam |
Robin Ghosh |
Shabnam, Faisal, Aarzu, Ayaz, Deeba,
Qavi, Nannha |
| 27 |
Ghoonghat |
1996 |
Syed Noor |
Amjad Bobby |
Shan, Saima, Mohsin Khan, Andaleeb,
Arbaz Khan, Resham, Naghma |
| 28 |
Chooriaan |
1998 |
Syed Noor |
Zulfiqar Ali |
Muammar Rana, Saima, Nargis, Sana,
Deedar, Shafqat Cheema, Deeba, Naghma, Bahar |
| 29 |
Inteha |
1998 |
Samina Pirzada |
Amjad Bobby |
Humayun Saeed, Meera, Resham, Zeeshan
Sikandar, Samina Pirzada, Nadeem |
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State of the Film
Industry
By Aijaz Gul
A look back at the performance of the film industry over the last
couple of years shows missed opportunities and lost goals. The overall
state of the film industry, except for a few peaks, shows a steady
decline. The number of movies produced has gone down along with the
quality. Cinemas are closing down almost every month and most studios
are abandoned or turned into warehouses and residential colonies.
Besides the receding production, another major jolt for the Pakistani
movie scene was the loss of two of its biggest assets with the deaths
of actor Mohammad Ali and composer Nisar Bazmi. The declining trend
continued when two Indian films made a miserable theatrical debut
here (after almost twenty-six years) due to bad selection of these
titles.
In the recent years, the box office and critical record of the Pakistani
film industry has left a lot to be desired. The industry that ranked
among the top twenty film producing nations of the world with an average
of 60 full length feature films per year was reduced to a total of
43 feature films in Urdu, Pashto and Punjabi produced in 2006. In
2007, merely 12 films, including both Urdu and Punjabi films, made
it to the cinemas. One may take solace from the well made and highly
publicised Syed Noor's Punjabi box-office smash hit 'Majajan' (2006)
which also happens to be actress Saima's debut venture as a producer.
'Majajan' was the only hit feature that played extremely well on the
Punjab circuit in 2006. It was the story of a married couple (Shan
and Madiha Shah) where the husband is attracted to a street singer,
played by Saima. Syed Noor's powerful direction, Zulfiqar Ali's melodies
and rich production values were commercially grabbing. Shan and Madiha
Shah must also be credited for this rare hit. But the figure of one
hit feature film a year for the entire film industry is appalling.
A recent comeback by Director Javed Fazil, who once made remarkably
good films like Dehleez, Lazawal and Naraaz and later opted for successful
Television serials, gave us the hit film 'Mein Eik Din Lout Key Aoon
Ga'. But the movie took a long time in pre-production, production
and post-production in India and could have done even better with
more imaginative and creative pre-release promotion on the electronic
medium and newspapers.
The years 2006-07 also witnessed tragic losses in the film industry
with the deaths of actor Mohammad Ali and composer Nisar Bazmi. Mohammad
Ali was a spokesperson for the film trade on every forum. He made
his acting debut in 'Chiragh Jalta Raha' in the early-sixties, after
working for Radio Pakistan and soon became a household name that evokes
respect and distinction. Mohammad Ali had often complained of the
low-grade products the industry was churning out and the mafia that
had taken over the film industry. He was not active in films for almost
twenty years now. But he was always available at his Gulberg residence
with friendly hospitality and a sympathetic ear to listen to the problems
of the trade and help however he could extend.
Nisar Bazmi, a late-arrival from Mumbai, introduced a new style to
our film music in the '60s and '70s with his extremely rich orchestra
and unforgettable soundtracks in 'Aisa Bhi Hota Hai' and 'Lakhoon
Mein Eik' to 'Andaleeb', 'Anjuman' and 'Tehzeeb' to 'Umrao Jan Ada'.
The film industry looks deprived and orphaned today without Mohammad
Ali and Nisar Bazmi.
These legendary personalities and many more irreplaceable losses are
not being succeeded with a new crop of film industry professionals.
The Pakistani film industry is facing a dearth of new talent and is
moving toward depletion and stagnation. With the passing of senior
music directors, producers are compelled to sign popular bands and
pop singers for film scores, a change that will require adjusting
the entire film format. The fact that the youngest director in the
Pakistani movie scene is around fifty-five speaks volumes on the need
for young talent. There is also an urgent need to bring in new faces,
new technicians and opt for distinguished writers for quality scripts
and screenplays.
Our movies cater only to local markets and there are restrictions
on releasing Indian movies. In fact, the theatrical exhibition of
Indian films has not been allowed since 1965 with the only exception
of the two films 'Noor Jehan' and 'Kashish' that were especially allowed
in 1980 by the then-President General Zia-ul-Haq. Though an effort
is being made to lift these restrictions, the selection of Indian
films to be released in Pakistan left a lot to be desired. Two Indian
films 'Mughal-e-Azam' and 'Taj Mahal' were released in Pakistani cinemas
last year that bombed at the box-office. Most of us had already watched
Mughal-e-Azam (including the computerised colour version on cable,
DVD and VCD) and Taj Mahal was a wreck that nothing could have saved.
Pakistani filmgoers, like the Indian audiences, demolished the movie
on the first day, first show.
These botched attempts, continuing restrictions and decline quantity
and quality of movies in Pakistan has affected our cinema houses.
The cinemas have been reduced from over 700 in 1977 to less than 200
in 2007. The number of films produced in the country has been reduced
from 111 in 1977 to 43 last year. The film import has also come down
drastically due to piracy of videos, DVDs and the illegal telecasts
on CD channels. The number of film studios has also decreased from
11 in Lahore and Karachi in the 70s, to barely a couple in Lahore.
This decline speaks volumes on the need to produce better films and
remove the restrictions on foreign films. India is, after all, the
only country in the world besides Pakistan where Urdu is spoken and
understood. The trade of new and old films from both sides could infuse
new life to our dwindling cinemas. The market should set trends: if
there is a market for our Punjabi films in India and if there is a
theatrical market for old or new Indian films here, they should be
run without restriction. As for the fear that Indian films may damage
our film industry, the damage is already being done by the smuggled
and uncensored videos, VCDs, DVDs and illegal telecasts on CD channels.
Indian films are everywhere except for where they ought to have been
- cinemas. If the government is unable to control this menace, then
import of Indian films should be allowed without waiting for the remaining
cinemas to close down their shutters.
There were also some highlights and comebacks that brought hope to
the flagging film industry. The Kara Film Festival not only brought
respect and distinction to the Pakistani film industry but also contributed
to the close collaboration in film culture between Pakistan and India
in its own modest way. Things also started looking up in the movie
scene when Director Javed Fazil and Producer Shoaib Alam's long-awaited
film 'Mein Eik Din Lot Key Aaon Ga' turned out to be an impressive
hit. Another Punjabi film 'Suha Jora' clicked with a socially relevant
subject (the forced marriage of a young woman to an old rich man by
force). The box-office may not have been kind to most of the films
released in the last five years but there seems to be good news around
the corner as we look forward to Shoaib Mansoor's 'Khuda Key Leye'.
Recently, a group of film trade representatives met the Prime Minister
of Pakistan to handover a donation of three million rupees for the
earthquake victims, and to inform him of the problems faced by the
film industry. Later, the Government allowed the film traders to import
equipment and machinery with the minimum import duty of 5%, (adding
GST, it adds up to over 35%).
In February 2007, a two-day film conference in Islamabad was held
which again ended in a meeting with the Prime Minister where written
requests for National Film awards, Film Festivals, reduction in import
duty on raw film, permission for shooting at historical locations
without charge, rebate on film production and cinema equipment imports,
setting up a Film Academy, co-production with India and the release
of Indian films in Pakistan were submitted and the Prime Minister
recalled going to the cinema and munching on potato chips. The Ministry
of Culture is now moving on making further cuts in reducing the import
duty on equipment and raw film.
Overall, the film industry is currently facing its worst crisis that
needs to be addressed. All regulations and restrictions on import
and co-production with India should be removed. GST and import duty
on film equipment, cinema projection machinery and raw stock should
be abolished. Indian film import and co-production with India should
be allowed. There is a possibility that with the import of Indian
films, businessmen could once again go for constructing multiplexes
in commercial complexes provided video/CD trade and CD channels are
regulated. But the bottom-line is that script is the raw material
for good films. Right now good scripts seem to be a rare commodity
in films. The producers and directors would have to join hands to
organise workshops and competitions for good scripts. There is also
a need to have new talent from television and modelling. The same
hero and heroine working in fifteen titles out of twenty-one films
in a year is the best recipe for our ongoing stagnation.
Pakistan is now moving toward rapid development and high growth in
almost all sectors and this progress should also be reflected by our
film industry. Our country possesses a multitude of talent and irrepressible
spirit that, if harnessed correctly, will lead to the global recognition
of the Pakistani Film Industry.
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Question Mark:
Pakistan film industry and government policies
By Ashiq Chaudhry
English Translation by: Kamran A. Bahalim
Lahore has always been an entertainment centre. Prior to cinema, theatre
was the main source of entertainment for people and Lahore had the
distinction of being the most prominent centre for theatre after Bombay,
Calcutta and Delhi. There were big theatre companies, theatre clubs
and legendary theatre actors. Among locally famous theatre people,
M Ismail, Abdul Rasheed Kardar, M Ajmal Heralal, Lala Yaqoob, Fazal
Shah, Patras Bukhari, Imtiaz Ali Taj, Master Ghulam Qadir, Master
Ahmed Din, Hasan Din, Jagdish Sethi, Rafiq Ghaznavi and others, as
well as students from the Government College were prominent. After
the arrival of films, the foundation of the film industry was laid
by these same institutes.
After partition, the situation in Lahore was not very promising. Every
one of the 12 big and small size studios in the Pakistani area of
the subcontinent that had had the same standards as Bombay, Calcutta
and Madras, were destroyed during the independence revolution. Many
Bombay filmmakers, including Mehboob, M Sadiq, S Yousfi, A R Kardar
and Dilip Kumar's younger brother Nasir Khan who acted in Pakistan's
first film "Teri Yaad" as hero, came to Lahore but returned
due to its poor condition. But there were also many extremely talented
and passionate filmmakers in Lahore at the time like M Ismail, Ghulam
Mohammad, Ragni, M Ajmal Akhtari, A Hameed, S Afzal Hussain Hashmi,
A Z Baig, S Ataullah Shah, Mian Mushtaq, Dawood, Chand, Hakeem Ahmed
Shuja Pasha and S Imtiaz Ali Taj. Meanwhile, Syed Shaukat Hussain
Rizvi, Noor Jehan, Luqman, Surnulta, Nazeer, Sibtain, Santosh, and
W Z Ahmed migrated to Lahore and founded the Motion Pictures Association
in 1947 and the film industry officially took a start. They all had
passion and love for films and were dedicated to the industry's progress
and success.
At that time, Indian films were released in Pakistan but the Pakistani
film industry produced more box office hits than the Indian cinema.
Indian films were imported without license and, upon the Pakistani
filmmakers' petition, the government imposed the license requirement
for the initial 5 years. Pakistani filmmakers were progressing nicely
when they got the first shock as the Minister of Industries, Sardar
Abdul Rab Nishter, withdrew the imposition, stating "Filmmaking
is Lah-o-Loab and does not suit Muslims. This work is for non believers".
The import of films under (OGL) open license was allowed in 1951,
but the government did not allow the import and even confiscated the
films held at customs.
When the Pakistani industry recovered from the blow and filmmakers
were progressing once again, the import of Indian films was opened
by the Central Ministry of Trade in 1954- an act that caused sorrow
and anger in the film industry. Jaal agitation rose again and almost
every industry professional went behind bars in protest to stop the
import and exhibition of Jaal. BBC reported the campaign in the historic
words, stating that the example of the whole Pakistani film industry
going to jail in order to stop the import of foreign films was 'one
of its kind'. After the successful agitation against Jaal, some filmmakers
formed a Cooperative Society but due to political opposition the society
failed- the first of many times the efforts and investments of the
industry were ruined.
General Mohammad Ayub Khan took the first step towards the betterment
of the film industry and commanded Federal Secretary M N Khan to compile
a detailed report. As many as 19 officers/committee members compiled
a 24-point report on the industry with guidance and suggestions from
the then top filmmakers. The points were valid but the implementation
was not completed. In the 1960s, Presidential Awards were commenced
but were discontinued after the first year. To get the Islamic point
of view on film making, suggestions allowing filmmaking were taken
from many religious scholars (ulema) including Maulana Moududi. During
the 1965 war, President Ayub Khan cancelled the censor certificates
of Indian films, thus strengthening the Pakistani film industry. The
ban is still valid but efforts to remove it are frequently raised.
A major conspiracy was hatched against the industry once again but
fortunately the National Assembly meeting supposed to be held at Dhaka
was cancelled and the bill lifting the 1965 was not passed. The convention
league parliament party was divided and the protection continued.
The ministers and members of the assembly that played a pivotal role
in this regard were Khan Abdul Qayum Khan, Mian Mumtaz Dolatana, Mohammad
Ali Bogra, Khawaja Shahabuddin Ibrahim, Rehmatullah, Noor-ul-Ameen,
Bashir Qureshi, I U Khan, Fazal Kareem, Malik Feroze Khan, and Qudratullah
Shahab.
After this brief period of peace, the Pakistani film industry was
again thrown into turmoil when, in 1970, Yahya Khan imposed restrictive
censorship policies, license fees, entertainment taxes and other unfair
policies. The industry launched a severe nationwide protest and demanded
their rights; the entire industry walked up to Islamabad to claim
their rights and entered into negotiations with the government till
their appeals were accepted. In 1974, under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a
film convention for an updated and modern film industry was announced
which was led by the Minister of Education, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada.
The Estate Film Authority was founded for the betterment and welfare
of the film industry but it was later converted into NEFDAC that operated
as a trading house only, the venture failed and ultimately closed.
A film policy was made in 1974 but remained on paper in the offices
only.
In 1979, General Ziaul Haq called a meeting of filmmakers and inquired
about their problems, assuring solutions. He initiated the registration
of filmmakers that is valid till to date. His censor policies were
very strict and 500 films were produced that never made a screen appearance.
During the same period, the introduction of VCRs and the subsequent
illegal exhibition of Indian and English movies destroyed the Pakistani
film industry's business. This was the beginning of the crisis and
destruction faced by the Pakistani film industry. Both the eras of
Benazir Bhutto's government did not give any importance to the industry.
At the same time, the introduction of dish antenna forced cinema owners
to raze cinemas and build shopping complex and plazas over the ruins.
During the government of Nawaz Sharif, Shaikh Rasheed made many significant
policies; he amended the copyrights acts and resumed the National
Awards that took place in Liaqat Stadium, Islamabad. The event was
aimed at the re-establishment of cinema and was attended by many high-ranking
officials, military personnel, intellectuals and many other important
people. Shaikh Rasheed accepted the proposal to declare filmmaking
as an industry but again, no policies were formed and it all went
into dark.
There was a time when there were a total of 1800 cinemas all over
Pakistan, whereas now the number has dwindled to a mere 250. Many
cinemas have been converted into plazas, petrol pumps and shopping
centres. Film industry representatives blame the government for their
policies and the government blames them for their qualities. Many
people have been contributing to the film industry with their best
potentials but overall production has very negative impact. Almost
every country has progressed in filmmaking and developed new style
Cineplex; India will be having 50,000 cineplexes by 2010 but we seem
to be going backward. Now, General Pervez Musharraf's government has
waived many taxes from the industry but no promising investments in
the cinema industry can be seen.
The future of the Pakistani Film industry is a big question mark.
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Synopsis
of the movie:
The film is about the difficult situation in which Pakistanis in
particular and the Muslims in general are caught up since 9/11.
There is a war going on between the fundamentalists and the liberal
Muslims. This situation is creating a drift not only between the
western
world and the Muslims but also within the Muslim community. The
educated and modern Muslims are in a difficult situation because
of their approach towards life and their western attire. They are
criticized and harassed by the fundamentalists and on the other
hand the western world sees them as potential suspects of terrorism
just because of their Muslim names.
This paradox is resulting in great suffering for a forward looking
Muslim. This is the theme of the film "Khuda Key Liye",
which in English means "In the name of God". The interesting
thing about the film is how it connects the happenings in the three
continents. Unlike the usual Indian and Pakistani films based on
romantic sagas, dances and songs. This film is based on some very
serious issues, raising a lot of controversial questions engaging
the Muslim minds these days. It helps the Muslim Youth find a
direction...The right direction, which we all are looking towards.
Places/Locations:
* USA (Chicago)
* UK (London)
* Lahore Tribal Area (Para Chanar)
Sound Track:
* Dunya Ho
Vocals: Ahmed Jahanzeb, Shuja Haider
Lyrics: Shoaib Mansoor
Composed by Shuja Haider, Ahmed Jahanzeb
* Hamaray Hain
Vocals: Ahmed Jahanzeb, Shuja Haider
Lyrics: Shoaib Mansoor
Melody by: Lagan Band
Arranged by: Ahmed Jahanzeb, Shuja Haider, Kami Jee
* Bandya
Vocals: Farah Zala, Khawar Jawad
Lyrics: Bulhey Shah
Music: Khawar Jawad
* Janie Janie
Vocals: Ahmed Jahanzeb
Lyrics: Shoaib Mansoor
Melody: Lagan Band
* Allah Ho
Vocals: Saeen Zahoor, Zara Madani
Lyrics: Unknown
Arranged by: Khawar Jawad, Rohail Hyatt
* Mahi Way
Vocals: Khawar Jawad, Faiza Mujahid
Lyrics: Faiza Mujahid
Music: Khawar Jawad
* Khuda Key Liye
Vocals: Ammar Hasan
Lyrics: Shoaib Mansoor
* Bandya
Vocals: Khawar Jawad, Faiza Mujahid
Lyrics: Bulhey Shah
Music: Khawar Jawad
The movie will be in theatres on 20th July 2007 |
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Main
cast in the movie
Shan
Shan, the highly talented son of legendary writer/director Riaz
Shahid and legendary
actress Nilo, debuted in the film "Bulandi" in 1990, opposite
Reema. Over the course of
his career, his ambitious and motivated acting has gathered many
encomiums from the
public. An opinionated, engrossingly captivating actor, Shan has
a knack of bringing out
the best in movies- the ultimate acting skill.
Iman Ali
Iman Ali, the daughter of television and film actor, Abid Ali and
his wife Humaira Ali is
rated amongst the top models of Pakistan by fashion critics. A popular
actress herself, her
powerhouse performances have gained her the respect of many critics.
"However clichéd it may sound, cinema was my dream.
But I did not want to see myself
on screen in one of the films that are made just for the heck of
it. I looked for a film that
had something to say about us as people, about society, about me,
about women... a film
that leaves and indelible imprint on viewers' minds and brings about
a positive change-
however small it may be. And I wanted to a film with one of the
best directors who could
understand my passion and my mind. In a nutshell, I wanted to work
in an intelligent,
passionate piece of cinema. A dream that realised in the form of
Mr Shoiab Mansoor with
Khuda Ke Liye.
I was lucky to have a director who happened to be on the same wavelength
as I was. I did
not want to miss the opportunity of being a part of this brilliant
piece of cinematic art.
Working in Khuda Ke Liye introduced me to a different spectrum of
emotions, thoughts
and experiences. It made me learn and unlearn so many things that
I feel I emerged as a
richer person than I was before- courtesy of Mr Shoiab Mansoor.
I hope that u also
experience what we went through while watching the film and emerge
richer for the
experience."
Fawad Khan
With his chiselled good looks, Fawad is someone to watch out for.
Already experienced
in acting with his stint as Bond to Ahmed Ali Butt's Jutt and a
few commercials, this EP
vocalist is already a popular icon for the Pakistani youth.
Naseer Uddin Shah
An actor of international acclaim and one of the most recognisable
faces of Indian
cinema, Naseer Uddin Shah has won numerous accolades for his astounding
performances in both art films and commercial cinema. A rare combination
of talent,
intelligence, wit and charm, Naseer has played an unimaginable range
of roles, some of
them no actor would dare to attempt.
Austin Marie Sayre
Austin Marie Sayre is a beautiful, charismatic and highly talented
actress who dreams to
take the film industry by storm. She plays an important role in
Shoiab Mansoor's film
Khuda Ke Liye. Becoming the first Hollywood actress to act in a
Pakistani movie,
Sayre's love for acting can be gauged from her spellbinding performance
in the film
which will surely make the viewers sit up and take note. With her
combination of beauty
and talent, she is all geared up to set the theatre screens in Pakistan
ablaze.
Rasheed Naz:
Born in 1948 in Peshawar, Rasheed started his artistic career in
1971 and now in 2007,
after 36 years in this field, he is considered a symbol of commitment
and hard work. He
has many awards on his shelf, including PTV National Awards. He
was nominated 4
times for the Pride of Performance Awards.
Simi Raheal:
Simi has been associated with show business since the past three
decades. She made her
debut with Ashfaq Ahmed's
Magnum Opus, Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay. The veteran TV actress has
again become a
familiar face on television due to her diverse repertoire of commercials,
music videos and
dramas.
Hameed Sheikh:
Hameed Sheikh was born in Quetta, Pakistan. He did his schooling
from Sanda Man
High School, Quetta. He started his acting career from his school.
His first TV Drama
was from PTV Pakistan Television with Jamal Shah and Faryal Ali
Gouhar. Hameed
Sheikh did more than 20 TV serials, he is nominated Best Actor from
PTV.
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The
vision behind KKL- A word from Shoaib Mansoor:
It was sometime in 2003. I had just completed the second supreme Ishq
(Supreme love) Song called Anarkali when I announced to the Unilever
Team comprising Mr Rizwan Jameel and Mr Kashif Afandi that I would
not be doing any more videos of the Ishq series. They were shocked.
They were paying me good money and I had committed a whole series
on the different possible forms of Ishq (Love). I told them that these
videos were taking too much of my time and that I would rather make
a film. Impressed by the response to my two videos, Kashif Afandi
instantly declared that they would gladly finance my film. Nothing
could have pleased me more. So I started thinking of a story. I already
had a few in mind and only had to decide on one.
One issue, which had always been of interest to me was the double
standards and the confused state of mind of the older generations
of expatriate Pakistanis. I had noticed during my visits to several
western countries that expats were going through enormous problems
with their younger lot. I came to know of a number of tragic stories
during the interviews I did for my series of documentaries called
"Gulls and Guys". To me the parents themselves were to blame
for the tragedies they were facing. Giving birth to children in a
western society, sending them to schools and colleges there, letting
them be a part of that culture and then expecting them to be more
religious and orthodox than even the Pakistanis back home is something
absolutely ridiculous and absurd.
As if these problems were not enough for them to handle...the tragedy
of 9/11 happened. Many innocents were sent back home and those who
remained there became suspects because of their Muslim names. The
reaction of the West to the 9/11 incident further strengthened the
hardliners, thus, making the struggle of modern Muslims for the soul
of Islam even more difficult. All sensitive souls were feeling the
brunt of this tragic situation and I was one of them caught in these
thoughts. One morning I was going through a newspaper when I saw my
friend Junaid Jamshed's interview in it. After looking at his new
attire in the photograph, published with the article, I could not
stop myself from reading it. The more I read the sadder I felt. He
had announced quitting Music after being convinced that it was "Haram".
It really shook me badly. I have never believed that God could hate
the two most beautiful things he has given to mankind...Music and
Painting. I felt that a confused man like Junaid had no right to confuse
thousands of his youthful followers. I had given him sixteen years
of my life as a true friend and had played my role in his professional
life to the best of my abilities. How could he throw away our sixteen
years just like that without even consulting me? I feel that it was
my duty to rectify the damage he has done to the already suffering
society under the influence of fundamentalists.
I though that the need of the hour was to study the whole mindset,
which gave birth to such wrong notions about Islam, I have no doubt
in my mind that instead of taking the present age fourteen hundred
years back we have to bring Islam to the present age. The best service
to Islam today is to make it applicable to modern day requirements.
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In
anticipation of Shoaib Mansoor's Khuda Key Liye
Shehzad Rafique:
I think Shoaib Mansoor is one of the best directors of his batch
at PTV. He has done some of the most remarkable and most memorable
television productions in his career which Pakistani television
can be proud of. This is his first Pakistani film and I can see
his cinematic sense reflected in the promo. It means Shoaib Mansoor
is the exception to the norm of TV directors that lack film sense
and that he is as prolific a director in cinema as he has been at
TV.
We need modern cinema, as the cinematic techniques are changing
and getting more advanced. I have very good hopes from his film
and think this film will be representative of today's modern cinema.
Amjad Islam Amjad:
At present, our industry has reached the point where stepping back
is almost impossible. This is the time for the survival and revival
of our film industry. My expectations are very high regarding Shoaib
Mansoor, a creative and intelligent man who has proven himself many
times, who comes forward and works hard and seems like a breath
of fresh air for the industry. Although this is his first feature
film, he understands the medium very well and in view of his previous
work, I believe he is going to make a difference through this film.
Reema:
There are lots of expectations. Those who know Shoaib Mansoor since
his TV days, including his colleagues, the general public and others
are expecting a lot. In my opinion, living up to their expectations,
especially for the big screen is a major challenge for Shoaib Mansoor.
Usman Pirzada:
Shoaib is a very good director and I have always enjoyed his work.
He has now stepped into filmdom and a whole different ball game.
As far as the expectations from his film are concerned, I think
he must have done a good job.
Shakeel:
Actions speak louder than words. I had good experience of working
with Shoaib in "Ankahi" and noticed his way of working.
He is an extremely talented and versatile director. No one could
create the same impact as Shoaib after he directed "Fifty Fifty"
and made song videos like never before. He has proven himself as
a talented director.
Syed Noor:
Shoaib Mansoor is a very talented and serious person who works with
complete devotion and perfection. All his previous work, be it music
or drama, has always been appreciated and loved by the public and
professionals alike. Keeping his level of intellect in mind, I believe
he must have made something extraordinary. I am expecting a great
work from a great mind.
Rashid Khawaja:
I strongly believe that if Shoaib Mansoor has made a film then it
must be some piece of work. But I am afraid that our people are
disappointed regarding cinema nowadays and have stopped going to
cinema at all. Shoaib Mansoor entering the cinema business, which
I believe is a sure sign of light in the dark.
Marina Khan:
Expectations from Shoaib Sahab are very high. Keeping in mind his
calibre and his ideas, I think he is going to live up to the expectations.
I wish him all the best.
Shehnaz Sheikh:
I am not expecting something out of this world from Shoaib Mansoor
because I have no clue about his experience handling the big screen.
He has a lot of potential concerning the mini-screen since he has
good control over it, but the big screen is a different ball game
altogether.
Rukhsana Noor:
I think if people like Shoaib Mansoor step into the film world,
the future of Pakistani cinema will definitely improve. We need
educated people like him. I have not watched his film but have seen
some of the songs on television and, as we have seen his previous
works, his artistic and aesthetic sense has always shown things
with a different perspective and as the name of his film suggests,
he must have touched religion with an intellectual perspective.
This will be a bold and big step. I wish him all the best.
Anwar Maqsood:
I have done a lot of work with Shoaib and think that he is a very
intelligent and hardworking person. Shoaib Mansoor is one of very
few people on the TV scene who truly know their work. The public
has appreciated all his private dramas because Shoaib handles everything,
from recording to editing, himself. I hope that the film's script
is his own and that people will also appreciate this film.
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Haseena Moin
The films that were facing the deteriorating situation in Pakistan
will be able to stand on their own feet after the release of "Khuda
Kay Liye". I have full confidence in Shoaib Mansoor because
he has undertaken a commendable job by completing this film with
untiring labour and sheer dedication. The topic of the film is also
quite unique as most people shirk from even discussing it. I am
sure this film will see tremendous success.
Mani
The interest in this film has grown, especially after the incident
of Lal Masjid, due to the fact that there are two types of people
in Pakistan: one, the people who are very emotional and have a bent
towards extremism and two, those who have liberal mindset. The concept
of this film is quite good and I would like to say that Shoaib Mansoor
has tapped the hurting vein.
Shoaib Mansoor is fully aware, how to take out a carved role from
inside a person. Shan is the best actor and appears quite different
from his other films. Similarly, Shan's role seems quite different
in this film and I think that now that his image has improved, he
should now stay away from loud characters holding "gandasa"
(bamboo).
Rehan Shaikh
It is an excellent film. The topic is quite unique as such issues
get less acclaim in our society due to fear of discussing such topics.
I am so happy that this topic has been portrayed brilliantly and
brought forth for the public in an excellent manner. Rasheed Naz,
Shan and Naseer Uddin Shah have portrayed their important roles
in a successful manner. The dialogue delivery of the Naseer Uddin
Shah is a cut above the rest. I hope the film's release will leave
the best impression on our film industry.
Anjum Shehzad
After watching this movie, directors like me are optimistic that
more films like it should be produced. The viewers praised every
scene and dialogue because this film raises our voice. Whatever
we think and what is inside, all has come to life on the cinema
screen. Whatever we want to see in our country is present in this
film. All the people fully enjoyed this film.
Humayun Saeed
I like working in films and I especially like such films that have
a unique style. I have high expectations from Shoaib Mansoor. Shan
is an excellent actor and Iman and Fawad have also done a good job.
Watching this movie will be a breath of fresh air for the audience
since they too were waiting for such a movie to be produced. Judging
from the praise "Khuda Kay Liye" is getting at this early
stage, I think that if 1-2 films of this standard are made every
year, it will be possible to revive the film industry.
Javed Sheikh
I have known Shoaib Mansoor for quite some time. He is a very talented
Pakistani director and the best part is that he is now stepping
into the film world. Looking at his record, 'Ankahi', 'Fifty-Fifty',
'Alpha Bravo Charlie', 'Sunehrey Din', 'Dil Dil Pakistan', 'Supreme
Ishq', whatever work he has done has never let him down or spoilt
his name and I really hope that this film brings him even more success.
I feel proud that Pakistanis are capable of producing such films.
You can judge the quality of his work from the fact that a huge
star like Naseer Uddin Shah is a part of the film and must have
signed the film after being satisfied with the quality of the film.
I have 100 percent faith that this movie will earn a unique name
for itself as well as achieve an important position in our film
industry.
90 percent of our audience watches Indian movies and if they can
watch Indian movies on cable and cassettes, then Indian movies should
be permitted in cinemas too. We should not worry that Indian movies
will prove competition for our movies. How can we compete until
and unless we learn first? I have seen the film and I knew that
Shoaib wouldn't make a shallow movie. This movie made me cry and
before watching the movie I had said that movie will earn fame and
after watching this movie I am proud that we have such filmmakers.
Faisal Qureshi
In my opinion, if more and more good films like this one are produced
then no actor would like to play a role brandishing a 'gandasa'
or wearing a 'dhoti', thereby destroying his image or act in such
films that might blur his character.
Shakil
Good hopes can be pinned on this film. I have been associated with
Shoaib since a long time. We have worked together many times, in
fact the first drama produced by Shoaib was with me.
At a time when cinema houses in Pakistan are empty and there is
nobody to watch movies, Shoaib Mansoor has compelled the people
to return to the cinema houses by producing such an excellent film.
According to the feedback that I have received so far, I am sure
this film will prove to be a turning point not only for the cinemagoers
but also for the film industry.
I would like to say in particular that with the events taking place
in Islamabad, the choice of this topic is something very extraordinary.
The public wants to know the path we have adopted and whether the
choice is right.
As a matter of fact, we can convey the right message to the general
public through films alone and Shoaib Mansoor has effectively utilised
this medium.
Ahmed Jehanzeb
I had dreamt of working with Shoiab Sahab and felt great pleasure
in rendering the music for this film. Most of the music has been
copied but I really like the original soundtrack "Bandaya".
I feel no shame in saying that this film will eliminate the past
impression of our film industry and will be 100 percent up to the
standard expected by the public.
Shabbir Jan
I am sure that this film will Inshallah succeed. Film "Khuda
Kay Liye" imparts a message that, if successfully communicated
to the public, will be a comeback for our film industry. It is the
beginning of the improvement of our film industry and with it, Inshallah
the caravan will maintain its march ahead.
Fawad Khan
All this seems incredible to me and I deem it my good luck that
I had a chance to perform in a film directed by Shoiab Mansoor.
I think that this film will prove to be the greatest film in the
history of Pakistani cinema. It is a unique experience to watch
a film with other cinemagoers and if you are watching yourself,
the feeling id out of this world. The people here today are all
related to showbiz but I believe that it will garner an even greater
response from the public.
Seemin Raheel
I felt very emotional and cried when I watched this film. It is
a complete Pakistani film and I was sure that only Shoaib Mansoor,
with his sofa mindset could have done such an excellent job.
Iman Ali
I do not commit to any project until I feel that it has touched
my heart. I did this film because the topic did touch my heard and
I liked the scrip a lot.
We shot many scenes at the Afghan border and one location had snakes
and other animals slithering about. I felt a little afraid but my
spirit dedication and determination to prove myself saw me through
to completing the film.
Iman Ali also said that she has not decided about acting in more
films. "Everyone performed their role well and not every director
is Shoiab Mansoor "
Humayun Kazmi
Shoaib Sahab has performed a miracle with this film. I am proud
to be even a small part of the film and I hope that it will prove
to the only film that has completed such a huge project based on
such an important topic.
Amna Khan
This film has said so much that there isn't anything left to say.
The support that this film has got is testimony to its success and
it is difficult to expect such films in the near future.
Amna Khan also said that Fawad Khan, Shan and Iman Ali's characters
were very appealing and Naseer Uddin Shah's performance cannot be
praised enough.
Rubina Ashraf
I donot like acrobatic feats in the films, but I hope that this
film will be different from other films.
Adnan Jelani
I hope that the message conveyed by this film after its screening
will produce results. If the theme and project of the film "Khuda
Kay Liye" is adopted by other Pakistani films, then I am sure
that people will start watching Pakistani films again and our film
industry will advance towards improvement.
Javeria
In my opinion, no other good film except this one, depicting Islam
and Pakistan, has been produced as yet. I pay my tributes to Shoiab
Mansoor for his efforts in this respect.
Bushra Ansari
Whatever I have seen in this film, we all of us need to understand
it, there are many things in our lives which we see, but cannot
tell it in a simple manner, but Shoaib Mansoor has said it in this
film. The music, the combination and every scene of this film are
superb. In a nutshell, this film was individualistic and I enjoyed
it greatly. I will not compare this film with any Pakistani film
because it is a film of international standard. This film has a
message for the general public.
Naeem Tahir
I felt invigorated after watching this film. When we were producing
this film our aim was to size ourselves up to the expectations of
the general public. We have added our sentiments to this film and
the message we wanted to convey has now conveyed. We wished the
people to accept the realities of life. I pay my tributes to Shoaib
Mansoor for producing such a fantastic film, and in addition I have
a word of praise for Geo TV for the support it lent to this film.
It would be my earnest desire that all the viewers of Geo TV should
watch this film for the sake of their society and country. In my
opinion, if the cinemas and the projectors are sound this film could
be called a film of international standard..
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| I
WANT TO MAKE A FILM BECAUSE.... AHSON RAHIM
For me nothing is more interesting than filmmaking. I would like
to make a film because the art of story telling in film is far more
superior to TV or radio. It involves and combines all forms of art.
I can use film to get my message across and change society's way
of thinking. I will make a film for education and entertainment.
AZFAR ALI
When I stepped into the media business, I promised myself that whatever
I do should bring a change and I think that film is the only medium
which can bring change. People spend their money to watch a movie
in cinemas, they make an effort and leave the comfort of their homes
to have a good entertainment. If I do anything in the media, I would
do it with two objectives in mind: first, it should be entertaining
and second, when viewers come out of the cinema they must bear good
thoughts in their minds. So developing a good thinking pattern among
the audience is very important besides giving them a healthy entertainment.
SAQIB MALIK
I want to make a film because I want to prove that Pakistan can
also produce good movies that people want to watch. I will, of course,
make a commercial film that the general public would like to watch.
ANJUM SHEHZAD
I wish to make a film because I want to provide wholesome entertainment
to our people. I want to make a film for the masses. It may differ
from their opinion but if it will introduce new ideas along with
a good pass-time, I believe, they'll watch it. Any story that reflects
the society and its people always attracts the audiences; they see
their reflection with a little fantasy thrown in and that might
make them to think, try and improve as a society.
HUMAYUN SAEED
I would make a film to revive cinema in Pakistan. Not to make money
because money is already being made by people in television through
commercials. If people from television start coming into filmmaking,
our industry will become a different place and we will grow rapidly.
Whenever I go on a foreign tour and get a chance to see their films,
I get depressed and I wonder why can't we make such good films when
we can make strong drama. Yes, I am already working on a film with
Geo TV network, the music work has already been started and we will
be starting the shoot.
JAWWAD BASHIR
I would like to make a family entertainment film because our people
like family dramas and they need a healthy entertainment. I don't
think we need a parallel or what we call an art film at present.
We need to revive our cinema and it can only be done with a good
family entertainment.
SALMAN SHAHID
When I will make a film, I will use this powerful medium to spread
my word with power and conviction. We should take all the benefits
from this wonderful and popular medium.
SOHAIL JAVED
I want to make a film because I am a filmmaker. Song videos and
commercials are a regular thing but making a film is a complete
job. Keeping your audience in grip so they stick to their seats
is a real business and that is the actual art of story telling.
MOAMMAR RANA
I want to make a film because I love cinema. I want my cinema to
live, I love film and I am totally a filmy kind of Banda.
SHAHZAD NAWAZ
Film is a professional medium and no nation can survive without
its culture intact, without a culture being protected and enacted,
film of course enacts culture. I would like to make a film on reality.
The beauty of reality is that it is subjective and taking a subjective
thing for making an objective one is what classical filmmaking is.
Subject is called subject because it is subjective and it talks
about people and society's paradigms and film redefines paradigm.
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The
infinitely fascinating trios
Where Pakistani filmmaking holds classical status from 60s to 80s,
we also find a golden era of heroes. There were other heroes as well
but the most legendary stars were Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad, and
Nadeem. They created history with their own styles and performances.
Quite different from each other in their art, they were similar in
that all three were skilled in almost every emotion, sentiment and
expression, and able to represent the most versatile characters. During
the same times in Bollywood, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand
held almost the same stature as Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad and Nadeem.
Two of the main reasons behind the downfall of Pakistani Cinema is
the lack of stars like Muhammad Ali, Waheed Murad (who are not with
us anymore) and Nadeem (who has left the industry altogether) and
the lack of characterisation. Newcomers failed to follow the footsteps
of their elders and turned towards ordinary acts, follies and ill-formed
performances that led to the situation we are all well aware of. Today,
instead of new and refreshing scripts, we only find similarity, similarity
and more similarity. Writers in the past incorporated a sense of social,
moral, cultural and characteristic values in their characters, which
contributed to the evolution of society at large, while today's cinema
mostly exhibits a shallow image.
Acting is a vast art that includes numerous elements. It is not just
portraying what the writer writes but it is a creative process that
has no fixed rule of expression. The words of a writer can only be
personified when an actor gives it expressions, body language, vocal
tone, and when he performs with his unique style. Mohammad Ali, Waheed
Murad and Nadeem had excellent body language, improvisation, delivery
of sentiments and emotions, action and reaction, footwork, dialogue
delivery, and romantic performances as their outstanding qualities
which made them The Muhammad Ali, The Waheed Murad and The Nadeem.
If we compare different aspects of Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad and
Nadeem we find all three unique in their style and personage.
The master of dramatic performances, there is no alternate to Mohammad
Ali in the subcontinent and we can safely call him the Richard Burtin
of Lollywood. Mohammad Ali began his career as a radio and theatre
artist and gained vocal and speech training, as can be seen in his
performances and dialogue delivery. Whether it was romance or action,
his distinct personal touch gave life to the character. He embodied
the role and even appeared to be singing himself instead of Mehdi
Hasan and Ahmed Rushdi
Waheed Murad was a romantic hero who is unparalleled to date. Lost
in the character, he made the romantic come to life. Waheed had a
she-boy in his personality, which made him even more romantic in such
scenes.
Nadeem was a matchless and extremely versatile actor. He played tragic,
romantic as well as action roles, which he projected and made timeless.
In his early works, he seemed to be inspired by Dilip Kumar but later
developed his own style and expression that is still a benchmark.
He has portrayed wonderful characters and achieved admiration and
love from all.
The heroines of that era: Shamim Ara, Shabnam, Zeba,, Deeba, Babra,
Nisho, Rani, Naghma, Mumta, Firdous and Bahar almost all had worked
with these three heroes and all were successful.
Where we had actors like Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad and Nadeem there
we had equally good writers, directors and producers, including "sahib-e-terz"
writers and poets like Riaz Shahid, Ahmed Faraz, Bashir Niaz, Aga
Hasan, Imtisal, Tanveer Naqvi, Qateel Shifai, Mir Niazi, Fayyaz Hashmi,
Shabab Kiranvi, Syed Noor, Tanveer Naseer, Anwar Kazmi, Ali Sufiyan
Afaqi, Kaleem Usmani, Saif-ud-din Saif, Hasrat Lacknavi, Tasleem Fazli,
Nazeer Ajmeri, Masoor Anwer, Aziz Meerathi, Shivan Rizvi, Khawaja
Pervaiz, Nasir Adeeb, and others.. If we don't see any such artists
now then we also don't see any such directors, producers, and writers
as well.
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The
infinitely enchanting heroines
Zeba, Shabnam, Shamim Ara -
By Khawar Naeem Hashmi
A thing of beauty is a joy forever! -- Keats
It is not just because of the cherished nostalgia for the youth
of the 50's and 60's that heroines like Zeba, Shamim Ara and Shabnam
refuse to fade away. There is much more to it than the good old
days. The beauty and grace of these women reflect certain optimism
in the mood of the epoch in which they graced the silver screen.
In spite of a chaotic political scenario, a repressive dictatorship
and relative socio economic poverty in society, there were overtones
of an ideological commitment and a will and determination to struggle
amongst the masses that exploded into the socialist revolutionary
movement of 1968-69. This characteristic reflected in all aspects
of social and cultural life of the epoch and above all in cinema
that used to be the most popular medium of entertainment of the
masses in those times.
In the historic words of the famous English poet William Wordsworth,
expressing the atmosphere in Paris at the time of the great French
Revolution of 1789,
Bliss was to be alive in that Dawn!
But to be young was very heaven
Even if not of the same intensity, the movement in Pakistan was
not far behind.
Another and perhaps the most significant aspect of the cinema of
the time was the quality of acting of these timeless Pakistani heroines
that was reflected in their genuine expressions, acting and the
deliverance of the role they were portraying in the films.
Shamim Ara was perhaps the first to enter the lime light and she
was at the peak of her career in the renowned film “Naila”.
Next was Zeba who played a flabbergasting role in "Arman".
The tragedy of her class oppression, her emotional sacrifice and
the mental and physical trauma captivated the audience so much that
they moved to weep for the relief of their own sorrows. In “Daman
Aur Chingari” she faced the male icons of Pakistani cinema
in a highly charged emotional scene with such strength that the
superiority of her acting prevailed throughout the film. There are
innumerable films in which Zeba's sheer talent outdid the most dominant
of artists.
Shabnam was altogether a different sort. Her Bengali features and
accent instead of being a liability became a pleasant attraction
for the audiences. She ruled the silver screen Longer then perhaps
any other actress. From the shy girl of "Naseeb Apna Apna"
to the rebellious wife fighting like a tigress to save her husband
in "Anmol", she exhibited the versatility of her talent
in film acting. In “Dil lagi" she showed the capacity
of love to declass a women and exposed the monetary and class prejudices
in love in a capitalistic society.
Shamim Ara, Zeba and Shabnum were so unique and different yet they
had a common triat.... They were all at their best with Waheed Murad.
And none of them were good dancers. Yet they were the most glamorous
women of their time and still are for many. No one actress after
them has reached even to the remotest level of their talents and
glamour. Indian films were banned in those days but if they had
been screened in Pakistan and films of Shamim Ara, Zeba and Shabnum
would have been launched in the theatres in India, they would have
easily competed and perhaps outshone the films of Madhubala, Nargis,
Waheeda Rehman and others.
Their example also proves that attraction and glamour can be graceful
and decline of the art. They proved that women in the previous generations
had the beauty, decency, style, strength and versatility of talent
that contributed to the richness of our culture.
But though these super stars of their days were glittering with
glamour and stardom their private live were full of misery and unhappiness.
Shamim Ara married four times in pursuit of true love. Her first
husband was Sardar Randay while the second was Majeed of Agfa Colour.
Her third husband was a film director Farid Ahmed and last but not
the least her fourth husband was famous writer Dabeer ul Hassan.
Zeba's private life was no different. She had a daughter Samina
from her first marriage before coming to Lahore who is now mother
of son Ali. Her second marriage was with action hero Sudheer which
ended after few weeks due to cruel restrictions imposed by Sudheer.
Her third and last marriage was to the famous film hero Muhammad
Ali which lasted till his recent death.
Shabnum's private life was also filled with darkness and gloom in
contrast to her apparent flashy and dazzling life. She was married
to the successful musician of his time, Robin Ghosh. Another traumatic
incident in 1979 haunted her throughout her life and was the start
of the decline of her career. It is learned that she is seriously
ill and is living in London these days.
This shows that despite being at the heights of their respective
careers, enjoying the lime light and apparently living dream lives,
the lives of these heroines were filled with misery and sadness.
This clearly depicts the obsolete character of this capitalist system.
The crisis of the system and rottenness of capitalism have not only
devastated the socioeconomic fabric of society but have changed
the cultural level of this country. This decline has brought religious
fundamentalism and liberal vulgarity to the fore. Both are brutally
damaging and destroying art, film, literature, music and other cultural
traits of society. Only through a socioeconomic transformation can
such conditions be created which will not only give a cultural boost
to film and other performing arts but also re-incarnate many Shamims,
Zebas and Shabnams who are squeaking and squalling under this repression
of false morality, social suffocation, economic crisis and social
distress of an agonising and exploitative capitalism.
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Revival
of cinema
By Zulfiqar Ali Ramzi
'Art imitates life'-and what could provide a better example of the
saying than the Cinema of Pakistan itself. From the time of its inception
in 1947 it went through various stages of development, coming into
its own in the early '80s, when our films finally attained the maturity
of thought and technicality. Unfortunately except for some time during
the mid '90s when the flame of the proverbial lamp burnt brightest,
Pakistani Cinema has been down hill. Today Pakistani Cinema is in
a coma. Gasping for breath like a fish out of water and just when
one feels that it's dead and gone a film or two prolong its misery
for some time or as the optimist would interpret it show its strength
and resilience to survive. Will it or will it not - has become the
most debated question not only among stakeholders of the film industry,
but at every conversation one has at social gatherings too. In this
regard the opinion of some of the stakeholders provides an interesting
reading material as they are as diverse as the canvas of the medium
that moulds their personality as well as gives them their daily bread.
Nadeem Mandviwalla, Exhibitor "Local
films in Urdu will never get a fair chance to prove their worth till
piracy and illegal exhibition of Indian films are stopped" he
says emphatically. However, being the eternal optimist he has entered
into an agreement with DHA Lahore to manage a new cinema that will
be inaugurated next month. It shall have all the facilities and equipment
of international standards. Mandviwalla also feels that exhibitors
in Pakistan are entering uncharted territory with the opening of multiplex
cinemas, which are proving to be a boon for films having limited audiences
and are considered gap fillers. However, movies which are not viable
for release at large cinema houses are doing well at the box office
catering to the niche market. He also feels that regional cinema especially
Punjabi films are the only future of Pakistani cinema, and producers
should give them the attention they require. He opines Urdu film will
continue to be few and far between to sustain the local industry,
until and unless a well-thought-out comprehensive policy is formulated
regarding the exhibition of Indian films in Pakistan. Raashid
Khawaja, Producer
Film producer of Salakhain, feels that the only way forward is that
a detailed study of the industry should be carried out so that problems
are identified and the solutions found. He expressed his concern that
the government officers responsible for Cinema in Pakistan are clueless
about films and its economics. Khawaja also ridicules seminars arranged
by non stakeholders and suggests that a core group be formed of committed
visionaries from the industry and then only will the present situation
start to improve. Further he suggests that 'co-operation' rather than
'co-production' with India will lead to improving the skill of not
only our technical aspect but will also provide our producers and
directors a larger canvas and broaden their vision. He too feels that
the issue of piracy should be settled once and for all by the government
either by regulating the Indian films being shown all over the country
or by banning them. But a logical a thought-out policy has to be formulated
and an even-playing field has to be provided to all. Satish
Anand, Distributor
Anand feels it is a healthy sign that the largest media group of Pakistan
is opening a film division. However, he qualified the statement by
saying that though the Jung group had supported the film industry
through their special tariff for films advertisement along with most
newspapers ad publications, for the past four years or so but its
discontinuation of the practice has harmed the film business a great
deal. He hopes that with new entrants in the field of marketing, things
should look up, but feels that the situation would be like the saying-
'spring has arrived after seeing a sparrow'. Reema
Actor-Producer-Director
Full of confidence and commitment, Reema feels that first thing the
film fraternity should do is to accept and celebrate the success of
every film. Her reason for stepping in as a director and producer
when many experienced producers opted to take the back seat was that
while foreign films whether Indian or English can only satiate the
public for some time the audience still needs a dose of local flavour
and will return to see indigenous movies. Her being chosen to be the
face for multinational products depict the endorsement of her views
that people and companies appreciate the value of local stars as brand
ambassadors. She was proud of the fact that she has played a role
in getting product endorsements in films and continues to do so. Competition
from Indian films will only help in improving standards and there
is nothing to be afraid of. However, the government should ensure
that our films are given an equal opportunity to be screened in India,
because once films from across the border are allowed to be screened
the standards of cinema hall will also improve which will benefit
local films by attracting audience who hitherto shy away from going
to the cinema because of lack of conveniences. Though television has
its own worth in providing entertainment nothing can replace the magic
of movies. Javed Sheikh, Director, Actor
Sheikh's optimism is catchy. He is all for proving all out support
to new and upcoming directors as he feels that they hold the future
of the film industry in their hands. He too is of the view that equal
opportunity should be given-an equal opportunity to produce their
films any where in the world as it helps in improving the quality
of production. Indian films being released in Pakistan is a must since
once the film is screened locally only then will we be able to administer
its content. He holds the opinion that only films with acceptable
economic value find their way to release in theatres world over, so
we should quit cribbing that poor Pakistani production should be released
in India. He is optimistic of the revival of cinema in a big way and
says that at present the biggest problem is the lack of cinemas and
the sooner more screens will come up the better the box office returns
will be.
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WHY
IS CINEMA IMPORTANT ...
ACTORS
Ghulam Mohiuddin
The world has been addicted to cinema for more than a century and
it is the best way to promote culture and society. I think it is
our national duty to protect & promote our culture that covers
all the elements of our society like arts, language, music and values.
Salman Shahid
Before cinema we had radio and before radio we had theatre, painting
and photography. But cinema is the most interesting medium because
it covers all the sections of media and uses all the elements of
visual arts and sound. Cinema is the true representative of the
20th century.
Moammar Rana
Cinema is the most important medium in any country, watching its
movies means seeing its culture. I am happy that Shoaib Sahab has
made a film and I believe we need more and more films to get the
real revival of true cinema.
Ali Ejaz
In my opinion, America and Great Britain have truly understood the
importance of cinema and get their messages of love, decency, literature
and even history across through it. I want to utilise the equipment
and studios worth millions of rupees that are lying vacant to provide
jobs for my technicians. When educated people will enter the industry
and these Gujjars go out of the scene, everything will be alright
and successful.
Arbaz Khan:
Media and cinema play a vital role in the progress of a country.
The happenings in any society and culture are displayed through
media or TV. Cinema is a powerful medium that can reflect culture
and create awareness.
Firdous Jamal:
This is an era when media is playing a powerful and essential role
and it is high time that cinema is revived. Especially in country
like Pakistan, where the literacy rate is low and the vast majority
of population lives in rural areas, cinema can play a vital role
in creating awareness and developing culture and unity among the
nation.
Abid Ali:
In today's world of communication, cinema's importance is increasing
but unfortunately our cinema has gone into the wrong hands and they
are making films without sense.
Humayun Saeed:
In my opinion, the revival of cinema is a healthy sign, especially
for our country where people have no other source of entertainment
and youngsters get themselves involved in immoral a | |