Spotlight: Phoenix rising
Much has already been said about the decline of the film industry of Pakistan. But even as it plummeted to its death, we hoped against hope for a revival. Our prayers were answered and now all eyes are fixed on the rebirth of Pakistani cinema, thanks to a dynamic breed of promising young filmmakers.
Gone (forever?) are the days of the Jutt, Gujjar and badmash-oriented movies. In its place new-age filmmakers have managed to infuse fresh, ideas and talent as well as technical skills. On the other hand, Indian cinema has made also a place for itself in Pakistan, challenging Lollywood’s lowly production standards. Things are now taking a U-turn and a much brighter future for commercial cinema awaits us just beyond the horizon.
Here, Images on Sunday presents the opinions some key Lollywood veterans have about the new age of Pakistani cinema and what it means for the industry as a whole.
The veteran Lollywood brigade presents their take on the rebirth of cinema in Pakistan
Syed Noor (Director)
“Thank God our film industry is finally waking up after its deep slumber. This young talent is our future so they must be encouraged. It’s a slap in the face to all those critics who said that our film industry could not be revived. As each failure carries a lesson, these youngsters have to learn a lot from past experiences.
“New ideas are now being put to the test which is a good sign of progression within the industry. The idea of film production shifting to Karachi is certainly not a bad omen. Another good aspect is the casting of well-groomed artists who are well-versed in the art of eloquence, attire and etiquette. I would also like to say that our young crop of filmmakers have the opportunity to learn from the experience of multi-faceted industry veterans and legends, to discuss ideas which could uplift the standard even further.”
M. Arshad (Music Composer)
“I would like to give a pat on the back to the newcomers who are now supporting the crumbling structure of our film industry. However, my one concern is about the music as at least two to three songs need to have a catchy tune and lyrics. Sadly, I find no such trend so far, in contrast with when Lollywood had gems like Madam Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hasan, Mehnaz and Naheed Akhter. Furthermore, our new breed of filmmakers has a background in television production, so the story remains dominant while they pay the least amount of attention to the music which is the backbone of films.
“Another argument is that Lollywood had larger-than-life stars such as Muhammad Ali, Nadeem, Waheed Murad, Shabnam, Babra etc. In the presence of such artists, romantic situations naturally emerged that resulted in memorable tunes. Now we import sex, glamour and item numbers from Indian films and don’t focus on catchy lyrics or music. I would suggest that rather than copying Indian numbers and hunting for title songs, we need to focus on original Pakistani music. It will certainly yield splendid results.”
Nasir Adeeb (Writer)
“It’s quite encouraging to see that our film production too has gained regularity. Young talent inspires me and I have watched some of their movies. My greatest concern is that these movies contain more drama-based elements than a filmi touch. In other words, they are serving us drama with songs. So far more than a dozen movies have been released but only Namaloom Afraad has managed to earn a good repute and ticket sales. But the NMA producer still hasn’t announced her next project in the true tradition of films despite recovering her investments in the wake of its box office success. Does it merely indicate ‘cosmetic’ success?
“At the risk of the millions invested in these new films going to waste, I feel these newcomers should at least try to gain some knowledge about our film market. At present there are almost 34 films on the set in Karachi. If things keep going the way they are, I fear it may lead to deserted cinema houses yet once again.
“Our young filmmakers are lucky to have the support and backing of heavy investors. Lollywood had only three to four solid film producers. Along with good wishes, I advise our new filmmakers to utilise this opportunity and move full steam ahead. My films Wehshi Jutt, Maula Jutt, Sher Khan, Kalay Chor were all trend-setting movies while my upcoming film, Sawal 700 Crore Dollar Ka, has the real flavour of films. Our new-age films lack this worth. I’m sorry to say that the Indian film industry copies Hollywood while we copy Bollywood. We need to keep our identity intact as Pakistanis and divert the attention of the local audience from Bollywood back to the Pakistani film industry. Only then will the new era in films really see the light of day.”
Pervaiz Rana (Film Director)
“Karachi walon kay paas paisa to hai lekin unn ko film nahin banana aati! (Karachi-based filmmakers have the finances but they don’t know how to make films). I have a simple formula: one cannot become a film director until he has experienced and observed all aspects of life. What drives a person to drink and how does he behave? What is the red light area all about? How does a prostitute spend her days? Until young filmmakers do not experience this first-hand, good productions are simply not possible. Using English slang, American accents and ripping off Bollywood is not the way to make a film. It’s all in their head; it’s fantasy!
“Don’t cater only to the young audience which already has access to the Internet for entertainment but also think about the blue-collared working class like rickshaw drivers, chai walas, paan walas etc as these people are the backbone of our cinema industry.
“They say that Lahore can produce only Punjabi movies, but the same Shahnoor, Evernew and Bari film studios produced mega-hit Urdu movies such as Aaina, Undata, Bandish, Daman aur Chingari, Umrao Jan Ada and many others. The problem is that proper financing is now found lacking and the government is uncooperative and indifferent to our plight.
“I appreciate the fact that they have made an effort to venture forth into films rather than just drama. My advice to Humayun Saeed is that until he remains confined to Karachi, he cannot become a polished film star despite immense potential. He should come to me and I’ll teach him what acting in films is all about!”
Humayun Saeed
“I’m quite satisfied that we are finally on the right track and heading towards the revival of Pakistani cinema. With the passage of time, as these young filmmakers gain experience, I assure you that they will fill the shoes of maestros like Nazrul Islam, Pervaiz Malik, Syed Noor etc. Now is just a probation period for them where they are learning the ropes. I request everyone to stop this undue criticism that could adversely affect the potential outcome.
“I’m also perturbed over the release of the mega-budget Indian film Bajrangi Bhaijan at around the same time as Bin Roye and Wrong No. I humbly request our government to stop the showing of Indian productions that coincide with the release dates of our nascent new-age Pakistani films.
“Furthermore, the debate about Karachi/Lahore-based films is quite irrelevant. If I live in Karachi, it doesn’t mean I represent only this city. I’m Pakistani, our movies are for Pakistan. In the forthcoming film Yalghar, Shaan plays the main lead. He lives in Lahore like the film’s choreographer, technicians, director etc. How can you make this distinction? It’s all about team work with a joint collaboration of friends from all areas of Pakistan.”
Ayesha Omer
“My film Karachi Say Lahore released on July 31 while Yalghar opens in September. I’m fascinated by the talented youngsters who are well-educated, well-mannered and have the capacity to cater to the challenges that the emerging crop of local film enthusiasts need. The aim of these new filmmakers is to have innovative cinema rather than making money or seeking popularity. The artists are low paid now but highly passionate. I predict that after a short span of time, as they become more mature in their line of work, they would be able to raise our film standards to international levels and become a valuable asset for our industry. The music of these current movies can’t be compared to its Lollywood counterpart in melody and sweetness, but gradually and over time I think better results will be produced.”
Laila Zuberi
“Our film industry is undergoing a healthy change which must be appreciated. It ceased to produce worthwhile films long ago with the result that Lollywood movies did not hold any appeal whatsoever for families and the educated class who used to frequented cinema houses in the golden era of films during the ’70s.
“Now, the chances of progress in filmmaking seem much brighter as the educated lot takes over the helm of affairs. New-age cinema in Pakistan has more focus on story than music. It is good sign that the formulaic topics of gore and revenge have been replaces by light socio/romantic ones that the young generation is more prone to watch.
“I too had stopped going to cinema houses but I watched Namaloom Afraad, Jalebi etc. There is still room for improvement which our new filmmakers will no doubt be able to achieve in the near future. I never worked in any Pakistani film because it was against my temperament, but now if I am made an offer I will consider it.”
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, August 30th, 2015
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