PESHAWAR, Nov 12: Filmmakers of the violence-wracked Frontier province have started shooting in Punjab and parts of Afghanistan.

“We aren’t taking chances anymore. The scenic Swat valley where we did most of the shooting has become a battlefield. So has Peshawar,” said Sher Dil Khan, president of the CD Filmmakers Association.

He said more than 100 explosions had taken place in CD shops across the province, but they were not going to give up the business.

“People like CD films, which are available to them at Rs50. They can see these films with their families,” he said, adding that during the past three months, most of the 35 filmmakers travelled to Rawalpindi, Murree and Islamabad to shoot films.

This, he said, had caused rise in the cost of filmmaking, but they had no option because the situation back home was going from bad to worse. Even actors and actresses were afraid of shooting in the Frontier province, he said.

The security situation in the province had forced even the Peshawar Television Centre to record this year’s Independence Day show in Abbottabad. The PTV authorities argued that Abbottabad had been selected to host the event in the wake of its scenic beauty that had remained unexposed.

“We are holding the regional award ceremony in Peshawar this week,” said a PTV official.

Another CD film director, Tawab Sarhadi, said he had been to Kabul and other cities of Afghanistan to shoot two films there.

“I have also given chances to some Afghan actors. I have made the films in collaboration with a Canada-based organisation,” he told Dawn. He said the situation was that bad.

“I have recorded a film on the outskirts of Peshawar in Ramazan,” said Mr Sarhadi, who has the credit to have been the first to hold a commercial stage show in the Nishtar Hall after 6 years.

“I have organised another three-day cultural show in the Nishtar Hall starting Friday,” he said. He appreciated the provincial government for its initiative to get the Nishtar Hall reopened and said the showbiz people should not be scared about militants or the Taliban.

“We are committing no sin except giving some moments of leisure and entertainment to people at a time when all the people are gripped by the fear of lawlessness,” he added.

Javaid Babar, chairman of the Artistes’ Welfare Association Zoom (AWAZ) said Pakhtuns were traditionally fond of music and comedy due to which the business of CD and music shops was getting boost despite explosions and threats by the Taliban. He said CD films were getting popular because people had no source of entertainment.

A private Pashto TV channel, he said, had become a great disappointment despite expectations of people and artistes that it would prove a landmark in the history of Pakhtuns. “It aired rubbish stuff,” he said.

“We have repeatedly been asking the government to set up a censor board and see every CD film before release.

This will do away with the element of vulgarity,” said Zahirzada, a Mardan-based CD film star.