The Indian media is fraught with news items about the warning that the Pakistan Film Producers Association has given to its government. The association has demanded that the screening of Indian films in Pakistan should be brought down to 90 per cent in order to once again shore up Lollywood’s morale. Indian newspapers have quoted Syed Noor stating that if the government did not pay heed to their demands they would organise rallies and hunger sit-ins.

I don’t know how to react to this. While the producers’ concerns are understandable, the flip side to the story is that Indian films have rejuvenated Pakistani cine-goers’ interest in going to cinema houses and watching films which at least on the technical level are superior to Pakistani films. This might also aid our own industry to learn a thing or two and improve their standards. As for the producers’ worry, they have a point too. But it’s time they started dishing out quality material.