You have always spoken openly against the screening of Indian movies in Pakistani cinemas. But last year, when Indian movies were banned in Pakistan, even local productions suffered, failing to gain from the footfall generated by Bollywood. Do you still think that Indian movies should be banned in Pakistan?
Bollywood isn’t banned in Pakistan at the moment but local movies are still flopping. I really don’t think that the success of our ventures depends on Bollywood. And I have never insisted on the banning of Indian movies in our cinemas. I just think that this should be balanced out with some of our movies getting screened in India as well.
I chose to remake Arth because it could have paved the way for the screening of Pakistani movies in India. You could say that it was a shot in the dark in the hope of encouraging Indian investment in Pakistan.”
That seems like an unlikely proposition given that India churns out thousands of movies every year, has an established industry and doesn’t need to import in Pakistani ventures. Our industry, meanwhile, is still in its fledgling years and cinemas need Indian content in order to keep attracting crowds.
Yes, they may not need our movies but they can allow a few of our movies into their cinemas as a gesture of diplomatic goodwill. It’s not like we don’t have talent. Our actors have been appreciated there and our movies could have a good run in India if they are allowed there. That’s all I ask for, but it’s hardly going to happen. It riles me, then, when our media continues to bring its own people down while swooning over everything Indian, from something as inane as how Salman Khan celebrated Christmas to the pointless argument that Tiger Zinda Hai, an anti-Pakistan movie, should have had been allowed into our cinemas. Where is their patriotism?
Do you think, then, that it is people’s patriotic duty to laud local movies regardless of whether or not they like them? Why should people pay considerably expensive cinema tickets for substandard movies just in order to support Pakistani cinema’s revival?
They should do so because it will help strengthen the industry and improve Pakistan’s economy in the long run. If someone told me that my city would improve if I paid an additional tax, I would happily pay it. The same applies to local cinema. And they don’t need to laud movies that they don’t like but they don’t need to rip them apart either, especially when they are so lenient towards slipshod Indian ventures.
You have a negative stance towards India and yet, you took it upon yourself to obtain the rights of Arth, an Indian classic, and remake it. That seemed a bit confusing.
I chose to remake Arth because it could have paved the way for the screening of Pakistani movies in India. You could say that it was a shot in the dark in the hope of encouraging Indian investment in Pakistan. Making a movie in Pakistan is cheaper than making a movie in India but both countries share the same heritage and language. If they develop trust in our filmmakers, the opportunities could be endless. But if your own people bring you down, what kind of message does that send out to the world? Over the last 10 years, perhaps only one or two new people have been allowed to make a mark in local cinema. Everybody else has been shot down to the point that they have retreated.
Given your recent experience, are you now worried about the fate of Zarrar, your next directorial venture scheduled to release this year?
I am not worried about Zarrar. I will continue to follow my dreams and do what I want to do. I do plan to quiet down on social media because whatever I say gets misconstrued and I’d rather share my views with friends who understand me rather than people who have personal grudges. But this doesn’t mean that I am dejected. I choose to forgive all the people who have hurt me and continue on the right path. And I believe that over time, a parallel group of people who can see right from wrong will rise and lead Pakistani cinema onwards. The truth will win. I have faith in that.
Published in Dawn, ICON, January 14th, 2018