Violence Hits Pakistan's Lollywood

The raging wave of suicide bombings and attacks, some in reprisal for the military operations against local Taliban, are casting their shadow over cultural, film and showbiz activities in the country.Lahore, the cultural capital and the center of Pakistan’s film industry, which is locally known as Lollywood, is the hardest hit.Producers and actors are shattered. They have lost their confidence," Khalid Farshori, a senior cultural reporter, told IslamOnline.net.Many of them have personally told me that they are thinking of joining other professions to earn their livelihood.

He believes that the situation is worst in Lahore as only a very few films are being produced nowadays.Theater has totally collapsed due to repeated bomb attacks on the theater and drama centers during the past few months."Farshori cited bomb attacks by suspected Taliban at Al-Hamra art and cultural center, the country’s largest performing arts institution in the midst of Lahore.Not only actors and producers, but audiences are also scared, and are not thronging the cinemas and theaters compounding the hardships of producers and actors who have been reeling from financial crunch."Even the government's recent decision to lift a long-running ban on screening Indian films in local cinemas failed to attract the audiences.The film industry in Lahore, known as Lollywood, a portmanteau of the city's initial with Hollywood, started in 1929.After the partition, Lahore was the only film production centre in the newly-found Pakistan.Since then, film production centers have been opened in the cities of Karachi and Peshawar.

By Muhammad Hamza Zahid

Obscene Mujras have destroyed Lahore’s commercial theatre

Lahore was renowned for its experimental theatre and led the country’s art scene with its sizeable creed of artists, writers and directors. And, whilst that parallel culture of serious theatre is present, it has been sidelined by a crass and commercial brand of entertainment that was earlier popular for the lewd Punjabi jokes.However, the newest brand consolidated during the 1990s has integrated the old Mujra form albeit in its destroyed shape. What has been the effect of this trend: women, children and families are not found in theatre halls. The larger purpose of theatre as an inclusive form of entertainment, interaction and participation is all decaying. Such is the impact of greed and commercialism. Commercial theatre is now a preserve for the oversexed, possibly under-laid male Lahoris; and rich men from the outskirts come to get a visual-lay to be supplemented by a real one besides the grand old mosque.

Mohammad Fawad Riaz

Upcoming Films in cinemas

• Director Roshan Malik's film Azan is under production. Saima, Shaan and Moamar Rana are main actors in the film. He is also working on film Sohna Mahi with Shaan and Veena Malik.New actress Nadia Chodhary has signed producer Joni Malik and director Saeed Ali Khan's film Hony Moon. She will also appear in filmsRehna hay aap ke dil mein and Ghunda Punjab da. Her debuted films were "Gunahon ka Shehar and Ajj da Badmash.Producer Mohammad Jahangir will make film Baadal. Music composer is Wajahat Attre.Director Anjum Pervez will introduced new actor Aslam Raja as villain in his upcoming Punjabi film Shah ji. Main actors in this film are Saima, Imran Khan, Veena Malik, shafqat Cheema and Naghma.Famous singer Shahida Minni will compose music in director Javed Raza's film Do dilon ki dastan.Majajan fame Music director Zulfiqar Ali has completed music in new films like Channa sachi muchi, Gulabo, Zill-e-Shahand Tere ishq nachaya.Khalil-ur-Rehamn Qamar has almost completed his inaugural Punjabi film Channa sachi muchi.Reema's new film Koi mere dil se puchhey is under production, written by Pervez Kaleem.Famous novellist Razia Butt (film Naela, Saiqa, Khalish, Noreen fame) is back again with the story of Punjabi film Gulabo, directed by Sangeeta with Saima, Moamar Rana, Sana, Resham, Babar Ali, Saud, Raheela Agha and Shafqat Cheema. Producer is Chohdry Mohammad Aslam, writer Jaafar Arsh and music by Zulfiqar Ali.Director and actor Javed Sheikh's film Khulay Aasman ke neechay is completed and will be released soon.Senior actor Shahid will play a role in director and actor Shaan's upcoming film Zill-e-shah.Choorian (1998) fame producer Chodhary Karamat Ali will make film Aslam Bhai.Director and writer Naeem Yousuf's Sohni Kurri Chann wargi with Saima, Shaan, Moamar Rana, Sohni, Arbaz Khan and Shafqat Cheema.

By Khizer Shahid

Cheap jokes in Punjabi Theatres

The type of jokes in local theaters of Pakistan have zero value on moral and ethical basis.Most of the artists use jokes directly or indirectly related to mothers,sisters and all family relations.They don't give respect to females,gender is exploited in almost all the theater plays in Lahore, Faisalabad , Multan and Lahore.The words and language used about family relations are degrading to such extent that a person with nominal intellect will consider it worst exploitation of family relations and values.

By Muhammad Hamza Zahid

Pakistan Film Censor Board Invites Proposals for Revival of Film Industry

Chairman Sub Committee of Senate Standing Committee on Culture and Chairman Pakistan Film Censor Board Barrister Malik Shahnawaz Noon has invited proposals for the revival of film industry in the country.

In a statement, he asked the members of all segment of society including the film industry to submit proposals through email, post, phone and fax s that they could be finalized. He aid the recommendations will be presented before the Senate Standing Committee on Culture and they will be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval. He assured all out support for the revival of film industry.Malik Shahnawaz Noon said that Pakistan has great potential in the field of film technology and can produce best films. He said the member of the committee which was formed to prepare the recommendations belongs to film industry which will hold its first meeting on December 30 in Islamabad.He appealed to the masses to submit their recommendations regarding revival of film industry.

Written by Maman Afzal

Another controversy in film industry (Meeras Marriage Scandal)

In the bankrupt and aged Lollywood, the film industry of Pakistan, thing remain dull round the year and the same old heroines try to raise some stunts just to get their limelight in the media. Meera is famous for her immaculate English and her almost nude dances in the Indian movies. She has just found yet another chance.

Crying and trying to speaking her own version of English, Meera explained to the leery reporters that she was the country’s leading heroin, and that is why she was being setup by some Atiq ur Rehman, who claims that he is the husband of Meera. The man has also filed a report in the police station in Lahore, and has produced audiotapes and pictures of him with Meera, in which Meera is expressing her profound love with the Atiq.

Things are quiet interesting on this front. What do you think the real story is?

By Abuzar Salman Khan

Obcene and vulgar dance in theatres

Pakistani theatre is on the decline because of vulgar dances and cheap dialogue, speakers at a discussion titled Theatrical trends in Pakistan at the Kinnaird College University (KCU) said on Tuesday.The discussion was organised by the Kinnaird College Media Society and included representatives from various genres of theatre in Pakistan. Artist Usman Peerzada said theatre was losing its “golden traditions” because of commercialism. He said playwrights were not focusing on script and vulgar dances were being staged to attract the audience. He said Pakistani artists had to face humiliation abroad when dramas based on vulgar dances were referred to as Pakistani theatre.

Dance is a very important part of the theatre but obscene dances without a theme spoil the artistic touch,” he added. Dramatic clubs should be set up at schools and universities to promote theatre, he said.
Actor Irfan Khoosat said professionals were not contributing to promote theatre because they were not being paid appropriately. “Weak scripts and bias by art councils is the cause of theatre’s downfall,” he added. He criticised art councils for supporting selected people and the censor board for allowing dance on stage. He urged the government to patronise artists to promote theatre.

By Khizer Shahid

Ban imposed on cinemas by legal authorties on show of vulgar movies

Pakistan Film and Censor Board Chairman Barrister Shahnawaz Noon on Sunday night sealed two cinemas, acting upon public complaints that they showed vulgar movies. A seven-member team of the board, assisted by local police, raided Shabistan and Motti Mehal Cinemas and found that they were showing vulgar English movies. Shahnawaz Noon said the raids were made after receiving several complaints of vulgarity against these cinemas. “The team found that Shabistan and Motti Mehal Cinemas were showing vulgar movies. Hence, their machinery was taken into board’s custody and they were sealed till next order,” he said. He said administration of the cinemas managed to escape and investigations are underway

By Muhammad Fawad Riaz

The Restoration of Cinema's Past Glory is indispensable

Reminiscing about cinema one is automatically teleported to the 60s and 70s better known as ‘The Golden era of Pakistani cinema,’ the heydays when first-class movies were produced and cinema goers thronged the theatres. Lollywood was not only a source of pride but was also a reservoir of pure delight and pleasure for its viewers. It is during this era that the Pakistani film industry was commended for having produced some of the most memorable and recognised films such as Armaan and Teri Yaad.
Names like Waheed Murad, Nadeem and Muhammad Ali managed to change the face of cinema and earn the status of living legends. Even today these names are alive in the hearts of all, so much so that a simple mention of these names is enough to take someone down memory lane and bring a smile to their face. It is Lollywood’s glorious past that has kept cinema kicking and going and the faith of the people that has enabled it to survive all these years. The masses still believe that cinema has more to offer and that it will soon reach its true potential and deliver quality productions it once boasted.
The desire for Lollywood to make a comeback and create entertaining films with quality cast has been burning within the hearts of many Pakistanis for years now. And just when this flame was on the verge of dying out, it seems like efforts have been directed towards cinema’s uplift. The day the general public’s proclivity towards seeing new faces and more variety in their heroes and heroines translates into reality does not seem far now.

By Hussein Mehdi

indian cinema dominating pakistani cinema

The local film industry of pakistan is being dominated by indian cinema because of the provision by the government to allow indian movies to be allowed in pakistani cinemas.Since the inception of this order the indian movies have undoubtedly dominated pakistani movies,the condition of film industry is already presenting a gloomy picture,we think this will add more to the wounds.WE are destroying our culture,becasue movies reflect the culture that exists in our society and with the hegemony of indian movies we are creating a peculiar amalgam of mixed cultures shown by our cinemas.This realy is some thing which needs to be discussed and proper steps should be taked to save our industry.

By Abuzar Salman Khan

Down fall during Zias Regime

Many intelectuals and thinktanks consider Zia regime and its policies related to media were extremely rigid,that realy limited the potential of film industry and theatre to grow.What are your views about this proposition?

By Maman Afzal

Reason behind downfall of theatre and film industry

If you give a deep analytical rigour to the current situation of film industry and theater in pakistan you will draw one conlcusion i.e pathetic.What are the reasons behind such a huge change which is generating such magnitude of problems?

By Hussein Mehdi