Comments - Bollywood Needs Pakistan Market to Grow Sales - PakAlumni Worldwide: The Global Social Network 2024-03-28T20:52:41Zhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=1119293%3ABlogPost%3A110597&xn_auth=no‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’: #…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2022-10-18:1119293:Comment:4118992022-10-18T23:47:27.009ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’: #Pakistani Epic Sets Global Opening Weekend Record. Opening on over 500 screens in 25 markets, the action fantasy grossed PRK 51cr ($2.3M) globally, a new benchmark launch for a Pakistani title worldwide.#MaulaJatt <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/10/the-legend-of-maula-jatt-pakistan-global-box-office-record-1235147719/" target="_blank">https://deadline.com/2022/10/the-legend-of-maula-jatt-pakistan-global-box-office-record-1235147719/</a> via…</span></p>
<p><span>‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’: #Pakistani Epic Sets Global Opening Weekend Record. Opening on over 500 screens in 25 markets, the action fantasy grossed PRK 51cr ($2.3M) globally, a new benchmark launch for a Pakistani title worldwide.#MaulaJatt <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/10/the-legend-of-maula-jatt-pakistan-global-box-office-record-1235147719/" target="_blank">https://deadline.com/2022/10/the-legend-of-maula-jatt-pakistan-global-box-office-record-1235147719/</a> via @Deadline</span><br/><br/><span>A reboot of the 1979 cult Punjabi classic, Maula Jat, Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt is coming off of a record-breaking weekend for a Pakistan-made or Punjabi-language film. Opening on over 500 screens in 25 markets, the action fantasy grossed PRK 51cr ($2.3M) globally, a new benchmark launch for a Pakistani title worldwide. Check out the trailer below.</span><br/><br/><span>The movie (which The Guardian called Game of Thrones meets Gladiator) follows the titular Maula Jatt, a fierce prizefighter with a tortured past who seeks vengeance against his arch nemesis Noori Natt, the most feared warrior in the land of Punjab. Loyalties are challenged and families torn apart in an epic tale of truth, honor and justice. Fawad Khan (who appeared in Disney Plus series Ms Marvel), Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abassi and Humaima Malik star. Brian Adler (Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame) served as VFX supervisor.</span><br/><br/><span>From Encyclomedia and Lashari Films in association with AAA Motion Pictures, and overseas distributor Moviegoers Entertainment, this is said to be the largest-mounted Pakistan-made, Punjabi-language film to date.</span><br/><br/><span>In Pakistan, it took $517K, and in the UK picked up $355K from 79 locations. The latter is the highest opening weekend for any Pakistani or Punjabi film in the market where it entered at No. 9 on the chart.</span><br/><br/><span>In the U.S., The Legend of Maula Jatt grossed $290K and in Canada $235K, kicking off at No. 6. The UAE saw a No. 1 start with over $515K. In Australia, it opened at No. 6 with $160K. Other releasing markets included Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and South East Asia.</span><br/><br/><span>The filmmakers tell us demand has been extraordinary with exhibitors adding screenings throughout the weekend and into the week.</span><br/><br/><span>Lashari — who directed, co-wrote, lensed, edited and produced the movie — enthused, “I’m beyond overwhelmed by the love the film has received from audiences and critics alike the world over. We are so proud that The Legend of Maula Jatt has been instrumental in putting Pakistan-made cinema on the global map as it continues to win over hearts in theaters across the world.”</span><br/><br/><span>Producer Ammara Hikmat said, “The Legend of Maula Jatt has been our labor of love for a number of years. The pandemic came and returned but we knew we had to hold out for a theatrical release, as the film is undoubtedly a big screen experience… We’re so delighted that our film has broken previous records and set a new benchmark for Pakistan-made cinema, loved and lauded not only domestically but by audiences and critics globally.”</span></p> 13 years after 26/11, #India'…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2021-11-26:1119293:Comment:4047362021-11-26T18:34:20.539ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p>13 years after 26/11, #India's #Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan wants better ties with #Pakistan: "No single act of terror must be given the power to destroy the interconnectedness of our stories, our plural solidarities" #Pakistan #Hindutva #Islamophobia…</p>
<p>13 years after 26/11, #India's #Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan wants better ties with #Pakistan: "No single act of terror must be given the power to destroy the interconnectedness of our stories, our plural solidarities" #Pakistan #Hindutva #Islamophobia <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/13-years-26-11-attacks-promise-we-must-renew-amitabh-bachchan-7641716/" target="_blank">https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/13-years-26-11-attacks-promise-we-must-renew-amitabh-bachchan-7641716/</a><br/><br/>Mumbai had been attacked before, but not like this. This was a choreographed sequence of strikes, using hand-held weapons, by 10 terrorists who had come in by the sea. This time, Ground Zero was not a place, it was an arc. It was horror made for the age of the instantaneous spectacle, it foreshadowed the era where we define ourselves by our constant posts of image, text and video.<br/><br/><br/>---------<br/><br/>Thirteen years later, the question is, how do we pay the real tribute to the 166 people who died in the 26/11 attacks, in Mumbai, the one they truly deserve? How do we move out of the shadows of that paralysing moment? Are we, who survived in Mumbai and in India, free to tell new stories?<br/><br/>The reality is that 26/11 has had a long afterlife, and it has got entangled with the tumultuous history that still weighs down the Subcontinent. It is not yet clear that we have skirted all the traps it set for us. The danger was, and it still is, of letting ourselves be defined and deformed by fear, of making suspicion a habit, a guiding force for our institutions, and part of our political common sense.<br/><br/>For the last many years, I have been privileged to join The Indian Express and its community of readers in marking this day and each year, we celebrate the spirit of survival and understanding. Each year, I discover that the power of survival is linked to the power of humanity, of our collective commitment that we shall not let the terrorists define who we become.<br/><br/>This time, too.<br/><br/>True, 26/11 brought home the urgent need to shore up our policing systems and shake off the institutional lethargy that had set in on internal security. True, that we have to be lucky every day while the terrorist had to be lucky just once.<br/><br/>And yet, the danger is of letting the language and mantra of security spread and grow, till “we” are locked in constant and mortal combat with “them”, till accusation becomes more believable than proof, and only the spectres are clear and present, while everything else is looked upon as uncertain and subject to verification.</p>
<p class="comment-timestamp"></p> Can #India's #Bollywood Survi…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2021-06-10:1119293:Comment:4007112021-06-10T14:41:42.979ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Can #India's #Bollywood Survive #Modi? #Muslims have always had a disproportionate influence in Bollywood. Actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan have towered over the landscape of #Indian #cinema for the past 30 years. #BJP hates it.…</span></p>
<p><span>Can #India's #Bollywood Survive #Modi? #Muslims have always had a disproportionate influence in Bollywood. Actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan have towered over the landscape of #Indian #cinema for the past 30 years. #BJP hates it. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/07/can-bollywood-survive-modi/619008/" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/07/can-bollywood-survive-modi/619008/</a></span><br/><br/><span>“Everybody is just shit-scared and wanting to lie low,” a woman who is closely involved with the industry told me recently. “This is such a vindictive government.” The day before we spoke, tax authorities had raided the home and offices of one of the country’s finest directors, along with those of an actor he worked with. Both are outspoken government critics, and the raid was widely seen as politically motivated.</span><br/><br/><span>As we talked, a director friend sent me a vanishing message on Signal, the encrypted-communications platform, about a case before India’s Supreme Court. A senior Amazon executive in India was facing arrest, along with others, for a nine-part political drama called Tandav, which includes a portrayal of the Hindu god Shiva that some found objectionable. The director of the series had apologized, and removed the offending scene. And according to the message I received, the court had declined to offer protection (a decision it later revised). “The problem,” one senior executive for a major streaming service told me later, “is that the director is Muslim and the actor is Muslim.”</span><br/><br/><br/><br/><span>-------------------</span><br/><br/><span>Bollywood has been central to the creation of India’s national myth. Its movies are full of dance and song, but their genius lies in the ability to weave serious issues—social justice, women’s rights, gay rights, interreligious marriage—into entertainment. Bollywood films are at once commercial and political. They epitomize the pluralism of India.</span><br/><br/><span>And in today’s political climate, that makes them a target. In ways reminiscent of the old Hollywood blacklist, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using powerful tools to curtail the creative freedom of Bollywood—in particular the influence of Muslims, who have an outsize presence in the industry. The measures pushed by the Modi government include indiscriminate tax investigations, trumped-up accusations against actors and directors, intimidation and harassment in response to certain movies and TV shows, and the chilling rap of law enforcement at the door. Fearing worse to come, Bollywood has remained mostly silent in the face of the government’s catastrophic response to the coronavirus pandemic.</span></p> Meet Pakistani cinema's stars…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2020-03-09:1119293:Comment:1874382020-03-09T15:00:55.150ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Meet Pakistani cinema's stars of tomorrow</span><br></br><span>From Eman Suleman to Rehmat Ajmal and Parisheh James, here are some up and coming names</span><br></br><br></br><span><a href="https://gulfnews.com/photos/entertainment/meet-pakistani-cinemas-stars-of-tomorrow-1.1583667303547" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://gulfnews.com/photos/entertainment/meet-pakistani-cinemas-st...</a></span></p>
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Last year, there were some definitive trends…
<p><span>Meet Pakistani cinema's stars of tomorrow</span><br/><span>From Eman Suleman to Rehmat Ajmal and Parisheh James, here are some up and coming names</span><br/><br/><span><a href="https://gulfnews.com/photos/entertainment/meet-pakistani-cinemas-stars-of-tomorrow-1.1583667303547" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://gulfnews.com/photos/entertainment/meet-pakistani-cinemas-st...</a></span></p>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Mushk-Kaleem_170b9e505ca_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Mushk Kaleem" class="img-loaded"/><br />
Last year, there were some definitive trends set for the entertainment industry in Pakistan. Where there was a surge in production, an influx of talent was witnessed. As the first quarter of the year comes to a close in a few weeks, Gulf News tabloid takes the occasion to look at some of the most dynamic new entrants in the fields of acting and modelling. They are young, educated and self-assured individuals who are game for challenges and have no care for stereotypes, just as the millennials are expected to be. No wonder they are the industry’s best bets for the new decade. In no particular order…<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br />
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2017/4/14/1_16a0842fae0.2011514_497476354_16a0842fae0_original-ratio.jpg" alt="1.2011515-497476354" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Eman Suleman, model & actor: Model turned actor Eman Suleman exudes an old-world charm and at the same time has the disposition of a progressive, 21st century feminist. Perhaps, that’s what attracted acclaimed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Mira Nair to her when she was casting for BBC 1’s period play, ‘A Suitable Boy’, based on Vikram Seth’s novel of the same name. Suleman had to opt out because the project required her to shoot in Agra, India. At her much-talked-about wedding recently, she made the most unconventional — albeit gorgeous — Pakistani bride, for she refused to be a passive participant in the proceedings, as is the common practice. And when she went for a buzz-cut, it turned many a head. Her choices in work are no less atypical: she would rather act in film students’ thesis projects than in some mindless mainstream biggie which isn’t up her alley. This year she will make an appearance in Asim Abbasi’s web series, ‘Churails’, besides an English-language indie production. She is also due in the offbeat feature, ‘Zindagi Tamasha’, which is her second project with Sarmad Khoosat after 2018’s ‘Aakhri Station’. The film won the coveted Kim Jiseok Award at Busan last year, but back home it has hit a major roadblock with the censor board.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: AFP</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Ali-Kureshi_170b9e2a968_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Ali Kureshi" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Ali Kureshi, model & actor: Ali Kureshi’s defined jawline and lean, muscular physique have top menswear brands in Pakistan beating a path to his door — at Hum Bridal Couture Week ‘19, he walked the ramp for 10 different couturiers. At 6’ 2’, Kureshi stands taller than most male models in the industry. Though, he wouldn’t claim credit for anything except his body transformation, having slogged his way up from being a chubbier version of himself in his mid-twenties, to a fitness and Yoga fanatic (he even calls himself a “Yogi”). Kureshi recently gave a shot at acting in writer-director Sarmad Khoosat’s hotly-anticipated feature, ‘Zindagi Tamasha’. He doesn’t believe in comparing one’s journey with anyone else’s, because “that’s when you start to lose faith in yourself.” He is also secure enough to say, “I am NOT perfect!”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Amar-Khan-1-1583656109586_170b9428615_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Amar Khan 1-1583656109586" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Amar Khan, actor & screenwriter: It takes a young, pretty woman real guts to play the witch in her debut TV show. But Amar Khan is a bit of an anomaly. A film graduate from BNU, Lahore, Khan took up the eponymous ‘Belapur Ki Dayan’ (2018) most fearlessly, following it up with the period drama ‘Ghughi’, where she played a Hindu girl, and Dil-e-Gumshuda, as the antagonist. Her brilliant repertoire of work may be attributed to her training in theatre which had also led her to India where she attended masterclasses with film greats such as Shyam Benegal and Naseeruddin Shah. Her mother, Fareeha Jabeen, a noted TV actress, has been an influence too. This year, Khan will be seen in a movie, ‘Dum Mastam’, which is also scripted by her. Though, she studied to be a filmmaker, direction isn’t on the cards for now — “not in the next five or six years,” she says.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Momin-Saqib-1-1583656123751_170b942bd68_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Momin Saqib 1-1583656123751" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Momin Saqib, actor, activist & Instagram blogger: UK-based Momin Saqib, 26, admits to having “multiple personalities.” His much-loved “online family” (as he fondly addresses them in his Snapchat/Instagram stories) of nearly 200,000 followers looks up to him as their friend, philosopher and guide; while for some he’s a high-energy entertainer whose videos luckily broke the internet (remember the one where he’s ranting about Pakistani cricketers overindulging themselves ahead of a World Cup match that affected their performance?). The party circles of London see him as more of a socialite, while those who’ve attended his TED talks, perceive him as a motivational speaker. And if that’s not enough, people in the media are already rooting for his ability to act. So far Saqib has only signed on noted actor-director Ehteshamuddin’s feature film, ‘Dum Mastam’, shooting for which is currently underway in Karachi. He is also considering joining news anchor Waseem Badami’s popular show on ARY, ‘Har Lamha Pur Josh’.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Mushk-Kaleem-10-1583656125489_170b942c431_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Mushk Kaleem 10-1583656125489" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Mushk Kaleem, model: Smart and elegant, Mushk Kaleem is redefining standards of beauty in an industry obsessed with fair skin. Over the past two years since she began to model, she’s already been adjudged the Best Emerging Model at the LUX Style Awards and Rising Star at the Hum Style Awards. Make-up artists, fashion designers and photographers vouch for her amazing range and malleable looks. A glance at her portfolio on Instagram reveals how there isn’t an outfit or a style that she can’t pull off. But for 25-year-old Kaleem, a business graduate from IBA, Karachi, fashion modelling was more of a side hustle until, compelled by the financial situation at home, she quit her day job at a corporate firm. Her reason: “It pays better money.” Today, she has opened and stopped shows at bridal couture weeks, besides walking the runway at the Milan Fashion Week ‘19 for Italian designer Stella Jean. More recently, she shot a solo campaign of Elan, as the brand’s new face, in Kenya. This year she is looking forward to doing “more fashion weeks and brand endorsements.” She makes it clear that she “would never promote fairness products!”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Hamza-Khawaja-3-1583656116512_170b942a120_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Hamza Khawaja 3-1583656116512" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Hamza Khawaja, actor & fitness trainer: There’s a lot more to fitness trainer cum model and actor Hamza Khawaja than meets the eye. A graduate in Anthropology from LUMS, Khawaja says he’s “been an artist all my life — I paint and sketch.” Acting is another hobby he’s pursued since school. Later, he worked in a few short films. A chance audition for Sarmad Khoosat’s feature, Kamli, won him the lead part opposite an acting stalwart like Saba Qamar. A fan of method acting, Khawaja deep-dived into his role which “is completely unrelated to what I do or who I am.” He was duly helped by the intensive reading sessions and rehearsals that had gone before the shoot. The film is slated for an Eid Al Fitr release. Meanwhile, Khawaja is gearing up for an international bodybuilding competition. He’s already competed as Mr Islamabad. He also founded an online fitness start-up, called ‘Reconstruct.’<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Rehmat-Ajmal-5-1583656128627_170b942d074_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Rehmat Ajmal 5-1583656128627" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Rehmat Ajmal, model, actor & entrepreneur: Actor, fashion designer and model Rehmat Ajmal is one of Pakistan’s brightest showbiz hyphenates from the newer lot. In 2018, a modelling gig for top couturier Zara Shahjahan, while Ajmal was studying Textile Design at NCA, Lahore, “got the ball rolling” (in her own words). After graduation, she launched her online store, ‘Rehstore,’ where she puts out hand-painted and digitally printed saris. She calls it her “baby project.” Her first acting assignment — that is, if you discount her cameo as Fawad Khan’s fan-girl in ‘Jawani Phir Nai Ani 2’ (2018) — in the recently concluded mega (controversial) TV show, ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho,’ got noticed big-time. It wasn’t a meaty role, but Ajmal breathed life into what would otherwise have gone down as another one-dimensional supporting character we are used to seeing on prime-time television.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2019/06/10/Raza-Talish-1560144402972_16b3fda5a1d_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Raza Talish-1560144402972" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Raza Talish, actor: Last year, Raza Talish’s ‘child-man’ act as Mithu, the kohl-eyed, dhoti-kurta-wearing mama’s boy from a small town, with a funny Urdu accent and a pronounced romantic bone, in the sequel to the Ramadan special play ‘Suno Chanda’, scored big with the audiences. So much so that people took it to be his maiden venture, even though he had earlier appeared in a TV serial, ‘Tabeer’, albeit briefly. Offers of acting began to pour in, but this wunderkind had the wisdom to wait for the right roles where he wouldn’t be guilty of repeating himself. Today, there are a host of projects where he’s getting top billing. Up first are two web series for Zee5 — ‘Dhoop Ki Deewar’ and ‘Abdullahpur Ka Devdas’. In Dhoop…, he plays a Pakistani “fauji jawaan” posted along the Line of Control, who is up against Ahad Raza Mir’s Indian soldier; and in ‘Abdullahpur’…, he slips into the skin of a heart-broken, melancholy-prone lover. MD Productions’s ‘Dil Dukhta Hai’ will see him play a family man, whereas ‘Mushk’, which is directed by his father, Aehsun Talish, gets “a little dark.”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Parisheh-James-2-1583656126893_170b942c9ad_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Parisheh James 2-1583656126893" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Parisheh James, model & actor: Parisheh James is decidedly Pakistan’s youngest fashion model. Currently pursuing her degree in Media and Communications at a university in Canada, James began modelling at age five. Her first ramp walk happened in 2003. She also appeared in a few TV commercials before she left for her studies, only to return years later as top couturier Deepak Perwani’s show opener. The proud daughter of former model turned entrepreneur Frieha Altaf, James recently cameo-ed in 2019’s blockbuster movie ‘Parey Hut Love’. What with her spontaneity and a fresh charm, she was likened to Bollywood’s youth icon Alia Bhatt. This year, she is “looking forward to getting more involved in acting and dipping my feet into the radio world” with her own podcast.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Ameer-Gilani-1-1583656113342_170b94294c1_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Ameer Gilani 1-1583656113342" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Ameer Gilani, actor: Ameer Gilani often gets dubbed as the younger version of Bollywood heart-throb Varun Dhawan. Though, it’s a comparison this 24-year-old Islamabad-based actor, with just one soap serial (Loag Kya Kahenge; 2018) and a few commercials to his credit, does not know is flattering. “Because I don’t watch a lot of local or Indian stuff,” he explains. His role model is his grandfather, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, a former law minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government who “built an empire of his own!” Ameer also studied Law before he faced the camera. But today, he’s bitten by the acting bug. In his next TV play, Sabaat, he has a stellar role opposite Mawra Hocane. He even calls it “my relaunch!”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Agha-Talal-1-1583656100874_170b942640b_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Agha Talal 1-1583656100874" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Agha Talal, actor: In 2018, Agha Talal, the romantic lead in Hum TV’s ongoing soap, ‘Soya Mera Naseeb’, came close to doing a project that would have changed his fortunes overnight. It was a big-budget movie, helmed by Nadeem Baig, one of Pakistan’s most successful directors, and was supposed to star Bollywood’s ‘Sultan’ Salman Khan in a special appearance. According to sources, Khan had given the nod, and his part was to be shot in Dubai, but the volatile relations between India and Pakistan badly hit the project, and it was shelved. Talal turned to television. While Soya… has earned him a fan base, and Geo TV’s ‘Munafiq’ is minting TRPs, the handsome actor has already begun work on a short film, tentatively titled ‘Seema Aur Saiqa’.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Zainab-Shabbir-1-1583656132976_170b942e171_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Zainab Shabbir 1-1583656132976" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Zainab Shabbir, actor: Where most of her fellow actresses would put on greasepaint to look the ‘fairest of them all,’ Zainab Shabbir gladly coloured her skin a few tones darker for the 180-episode soap, ‘Sanwari’, her first major assignment on TV. A Commerce graduate, she says she could’ve picked a glamorous part instead but she didn’t feel compelled to do so: “I am not insecure on that front. I believe that good work will take you places anyway.” Indeed, Sanwari proved to be a milestone in her career. The emotional trajectory of her character in the drama serial, as well as her appearance as a plain-clothed, middle-class girl who does not step out of the house without a shawl and headscarf, are reminiscent of Sanam Saeed’s Kashaf in the iconic play, ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ (2012). Fortunately, ‘Sanwari’ pretty much did for Shabbir what ‘Zindagi…’ had done for Saeed: it fetched her important acting roles such as LTN’s ‘Emaan’ where she played the titular character. Next, she is due on Geo TV’s ‘Meharposh’, alongside top stars Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor.<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Mahmed-Ali-1-1583656118872_170b942aa5a_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Mahmed Ali 1-1583656118872" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Mahmed Ali, model: In his photoshoots where he’s sporting a stubble and medium-short hair, Mahmed Ali strikes you as a George Michael doppelganger, particularly from the legendary British pop singer’s early Wham! days. Though, this isn’t precisely why the 22-year-old fair-skinned Kashmiri is making noise as one of Pakistan’s hottest — not to forget, youngest — male models today. Ali has headlined major fashion campaigns within no time, and shared credits with supermodels like Emaad Irfani, Aimal Khan, and Shahzad Noor. 2020 has already begun on a promising note for him — he recently wrapped up shoot for a coveted textile brand where he was pitched next to senior actor and producer Humayun Saeed. Judging from the few behind-the-scene images that got leaked on social media, the two looked complete royalty, with Ali’s youthful freshness and bright disposition complementing Saeed’s maturity. Ali isn’t hung up on acting. But his mentor — fashion photographer Azeem Sani — believes he is “a complete film material!”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div>
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<img src="https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/08/Usama-Khan-4-1583656131141_170b942da46_original-ratio.jpg" alt="Usama Khan 4-1583656131141" class="img-loaded"/><br/> Usama Khan, actor: It wasn’t plain luck that Usama Khan lifted the Best Actor (Soap) trophy for his debut show, ‘Sanwari’, at the Hum Awards last year. A charming young man from Lahore, who studied ACCA, Khan had won over the voting public as well as jury members alike for his spirited performance in what remains Hum TV’s longest running soap. With ‘Bay Zuban’, where he played a negative character, and ‘Ghalti’, opposite Hira Mani, he cemented his position in the industry. This year, he has a slew of high-profile shows coming out. Topping them is ‘Tamanna’ on Geo TV, with Haroon Shahid (of ‘Verna’) and Nausheen Ahmad; which will be followed by ‘Urraan’, with Aijaz Aslam and Kinza Hashmi. Besides, Khan recently began shooting for ‘Chhalawa’, a 33-episode horror play, directed by Shamoon Abbasi. He is humble enough to say, “I’ve a long way to go!”<span class="image-credit">Image Credit: Supplied</span><br/></div> BBC News - #Bollywood and #Lo…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2020-01-12:1119293:Comment:1425772020-01-12T01:26:12.692ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>BBC News - #Bollywood and #Lollywood come together in #Scottish film. "The idea is to bring the two communities together from #India and #Pakistan. They can't work together in their own countries so we have to bring them over here." #SouthAsia #movie <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51024254" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51024254</a></span><br></br><br></br><span>A new film shot entirely in Scotland has brought in talent from Pakistan and India to showcase…</span></p>
<p><span>BBC News - #Bollywood and #Lollywood come together in #Scottish film. "The idea is to bring the two communities together from #India and #Pakistan. They can't work together in their own countries so we have to bring them over here." #SouthAsia #movie <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51024254" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51024254</a></span><br/><br/><span>A new film shot entirely in Scotland has brought in talent from Pakistan and India to showcase the best of Bollywood and Lollywood movies, according to its director Zulfikar Sheikh.</span><br/><br/><span>He said he had produced 17 serial dramas for Pakistani TV, all set in Scotland, and had always wanted to make a film.</span><br/><br/><span>"The idea is to bring the two communities together from India and Pakistan," he says. "They can't work together in their own countries so we have to bring them over here."</span><br/><br/><span>The film, Sacch, opens at selected UK cinemas, including Glasgow's Silverburn Cineworld, from Friday.</span><br/><br/><span>The film is scripted by Bollywood screenwriter Kumud Chaudhry and has dialogue by Pakistani playwright Haseena Moin.</span><br/><br/><span>Moin's only credit on a Bollywood film was Raj Kapoor's Henna, which was released in 1991.</span><br/><br/><span>The film was a box office success and was chosen as India's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars but Moin removed her name over tensions between Muslims and Hindus after a mosque bombing.</span><br/><br/><span>What are Bollywood and Lollywood?</span><br/><span>Bollywood is the nickname given to much of the Indian film industry.</span><br/><br/><span>The B comes from Bombay (now known as Mumbai), the base for the Indian Hindi-language film industry.</span><br/><br/><span>Bollywood makes up to 800 films a year - twice as many as Hollywood.</span><br/><br/><span>The most well-known type of Bollywood film is "masala" which combines songs, dances, love triangles, comedy and dare-devil thrills.</span><br/><br/><span>The scripts are usually written in an unadorned Hindi-Urdu, known as Hindustani, which would be understood by the largest possible audience.</span><br/><br/><span>Much of the Pakistani film industry has traditionally been based in the city of Lahore and is now often referred to as Lollywood.</span><br/><br/><span>First Pakistani film</span><br/><span>The new film is produced by the director's wife, Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh, the former SNP MP for Ochil and South Perthshire.</span><br/><br/><span>She says: "As far as we know this is the first Pakistani movie shot in Scotland."</span><br/><br/><span>Ms Sheikh is the daughter of an academic and an actress who toured with the Royal Shakespeare Company.</span><br/><br/><span>She grew up in Edinburgh and studied law at Strathclyde University in Glasgow.</span><br/><br/><span>She says that soon after her marriage in 1993 she appeared in Des Pardes, a drama portraying Scottish-Asian life, directed by her husband.</span><br/><br/><span>After that she returned to the law, working as a solicitor and later as a politician.</span><br/><br/><span>Most recently, she had been a producer and presenter on The Alex Salmond Show on RT.</span><br/><br/><span>She has now returned to working with Zulfikar, producing a "feelgood" movie in the best traditions of both Indian and Pakistani films.</span><br/><br/><span>"We wanted to produce something that young Scottish Asians could watch as well as an elder generation and indigenous Scots," she says.</span></p> Pakistani films and dramas re…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2019-07-02:1119293:Comment:1254562019-07-02T16:49:03.725ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p>Pakistani films and dramas reaching global audience through Netflix<br></br>* The Pakistani film industry that once was deemed to be dead has started its revival in recent years which caught the attention of international audience<br></br><br></br><a href="https://dailytimes.com.pk/419028/pakistani-films-and-dramas-reaching-global-audience-through-netflix/" target="_blank">https://dailytimes.com.pk/419028/pakistani-films-and-dramas-reaching-global-audience-through-netflix/</a><br></br><br></br>Several Pakistani…</p>
<p>Pakistani films and dramas reaching global audience through Netflix<br/>* The Pakistani film industry that once was deemed to be dead has started its revival in recent years which caught the attention of international audience<br/><br/><a href="https://dailytimes.com.pk/419028/pakistani-films-and-dramas-reaching-global-audience-through-netflix/" target="_blank">https://dailytimes.com.pk/419028/pakistani-films-and-dramas-reaching-global-audience-through-netflix/</a><br/><br/>Several Pakistani films and television series are being streamed on Netflix, helping Pakistani cultural boundaries to expand their horizon to global audiences.<br/><br/><br/>Renowned for their gripping storylines, strong characters and impressive performances over the years, Pakistani drama contents were being broadcast across Pakistani channels, but were not legally streamed which was now fixed through Netflix.<br/><br/><br/>The Pakistani film industry that once was deemed to be dead has started its revival in recent years which caught the attention of international audience as many Pakistani films were also successful in grabbing space on Netflix.<br/><br/>To now be placed on the world’s biggest streaming website with English subtitles magnifies Pakistani contents’ reach for global appeal. It also appears as a visual feast for oversees Pakistanis who were often deprived of seeing their national content on TV screens.<br/><br/><br/><br/>California-based streaming pioneer Netflix launched the super hit Pakistani drama serials on its application for streaming. The television and streaming app giant was launched in Pakistan in January this year.<br/><br/>To now be placed on the world’s biggest streaming website with English subtitles magnifies Pakistani contents’ reach for global appeal. It also appears as a visual feast for oversees Pakistanis who were often deprived of seeing their national content on TV screens<br/><br/>Some famous Pakistani shows were being exhibited on Netflix include Rangreza, Ho Man Jahan, Balu Mahi, Janaan, Waar, wrong No and others while drama included Hamsafar, Zindagi Gulzar hai and Sadqay Tumharay that had already been telecast on different TV channels.<br/><br/><br/>Netflix users can see these Pakistani drama serials on its application and it seems like Fawad Khan’s drama serials was dominating the entire list; Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Dastaan.<br/><br/>“Pakistani entertainment industry has improved a lot in terms of creative productions as films like Bol and Waar intrigues the social conscious in form of entertainment”, said Jawad sharif an independent Film Maker.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Jawad, the producer of award winning documentary Indus Blue, said that Pakistani dramas were always remained attractive for not only local but regional audiences as well. “Having our local content on international platform not only boosts our confidence but also creates a soft image of Pakistan as an art loving nation”, he added.<br/><br/>Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) partnered with Netflix, the world’s giant provider of on-demand Internet streaming media, to enable PTCL consumers for having access to entertainment shows from across the globe along with local content.<br/><br/><br/>According to an official from PTCL Shazia Khaliq, many customers had been enjoying the streaming of their favourite local contents on Netflix through PTCL’s broadband service that offered uninterrupted high speed internet connectivity.<br/><br/>She said PTCL offered this facility to help our creative industry in its international recognition for Pakistan digital industry.<br/><br/>Netflix is an American entertainment company founded in August 29, 1997 and its headquarters are in Los Gatos, California. It has now over 70 million subscribers, which pay a monthly fee for unlimited services.<br/><br/></p>
<p class="comment-timestamp"></p> The streaming site has had su…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2019-07-02:1119293:Comment:1253532019-07-02T16:41:56.909ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>The streaming site has had success with three original productions: anthology film Lust Stories, horror miniseries Ghoul and most assertively advertised, Saif Ali Khan series Sacred Games. While none of them have managed to blow up internationally, all three have proved to be extremely promising. Sacred Games continues to be a hit with Indian viewers and Lust Stories has been seen in India more times than House of Cards in the US.…</span><br></br><br></br></p>
<p><span>The streaming site has had success with three original productions: anthology film Lust Stories, horror miniseries Ghoul and most assertively advertised, Saif Ali Khan series Sacred Games. While none of them have managed to blow up internationally, all three have proved to be extremely promising. Sacred Games continues to be a hit with Indian viewers and Lust Stories has been seen in India more times than House of Cards in the US.</span><br/><br/><span><a href="https://www.globalvillagespace.com/where-does-pakistan-stand-on-netflix-chart/" target="_blank">https://www.globalvillagespace.com/where-does-pakistan-stand-on-netflix-chart/</a></span><br/><br/><span>Pakistani Dramas</span><br/><span>So what does this imply for our own entertainment industry? Quite a lot, if the stars align for us. In recent years, Pakistani dramas have taken off in a way that no one could have foreseen. With TV dramas like Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai becoming mega hits in Pakistan, India and the Middle East, and other shows doing well locally and on YouTube, the question isn’t whether Pakistani dramas can do well internationally but rather when we will get the opportunity to showcase our talents.</span><br/><br/><span>Another Pakistani hit, Daastan, a love story, featuring Fawad Khan and Sanam Baloch, stuck in the chaos of Indo-Pak partition, broke many hearts in the entire sub-continent. One does not have to look past the millions of views our shows enjoy on YouTube to ascertain that. Most recently, Khaani became the biggest Pakistani show, with its YouTube views exceeding 150 million.</span><br/><br/><span>The resurgence of interest in our local films should also prompt Netflix to invest into Pakistani entertainment portfolio, especially considering that unlike most of the world, our movie stars are essentially our TV stars, so there won’t be any sort of snobbery associated from them about working on TV shows. Netflix shows are marketed internationally and can provide a global platform for our stars.</span><br/><br/><span>Not to mention, studios here will have the option of selling their content to Netflix instead of Pakistani TV channels and movie distributors, bringing international revenue into the country. To Netflix’s credit, it isn’t like that they haven’t noticed all this untapped potential. The entertainment titan has attached Pakistani actor Zahid Ahmed to star in the first Pakistani original drama and hired actress Sana Fakhar to be part of another Netflix original.</span><br/><br/><span>Read more: Netflix criticized for banning anti-Saudi Arabia content</span><br/><br/><span>But as Ahmed recently stated to The News, the reason for the slow progress of the Pakistani Netflix show is the minimal subscription numbers in our country. According to the PTA, only 30% of all Pakistanis have access to broadband Internet. To foster growth, the company has signed a deal with PTCL and most recently, allowed Pakistani users to pay in Rupees, but these small steps and at Rs1500 per month, ultimately won’t do much to attract new customers.</span><br/><br/><span>Netflix in India is also facing similar problems where it only has mere 5 million subscribers and its two main competitors in the region Amazon (with $11 million subscribers value) and 20th Century Fox’s Hotstar ($150 million subscribers value) are faring much better. But Netflix plans to spend more than $8 billion on content in India alone, which ¬is likely to bring glad tidings across the border too. With Netflix slashing its prices to meet demands in different regions (like in India), the subscription in Pakistan could potentially grow.</span><br/><br/><span>Furthermore, the addition of Jazz’s Starz Play to Pakistan’s streaming service list of Iflix, Netflix and Amazon Prime, only encourages more competition, an environment where streaming emerges as the norm. Most likely, this will happen when TV Channels begin investing in exclusive streaming content, something that we haven’t heard of yet.</span><br/><br/><span>So it may be some time before we see Netflix produced Pakistani content but as the audience for Pakistani series continues to grow — in part due to the catalog of Pakistani Dramas available on Netflix —so will Netflix’s desire to produce Pakistani content.</span></p> Despite numerous efforts to i…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2019-07-02:1119293:Comment:1254552019-07-02T16:36:12.128ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Despite numerous efforts to introduce movies from other cultures, including dubbed versions of Turkish films, Bollywood remains the primary choice for moviegoers in Pakistan. The loss of Indian movies stung so hard because Pakistan was not yet able to produce and distribute enough movies to fill theaters every week. Though the number of screens in Pakistan increased from 30 in 2013 to almost 100 in 2017, producers and investors were being cautious. And most filmmakers realized that…</span></p>
<p><span>Despite numerous efforts to introduce movies from other cultures, including dubbed versions of Turkish films, Bollywood remains the primary choice for moviegoers in Pakistan. The loss of Indian movies stung so hard because Pakistan was not yet able to produce and distribute enough movies to fill theaters every week. Though the number of screens in Pakistan increased from 30 in 2013 to almost 100 in 2017, producers and investors were being cautious. And most filmmakers realized that reaching larger audiences wasn’t possible.</span><br/><br/><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/opinion/india-pakistan-movie-ban.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/opinion/india-pakistan-movie-ban.html</a><br/><br/><span>A few months later, Pakistani theater owners ended their self-imposed ban and Indian films returned to Pakistani screens in 2017. But investors started questioning whether the movie business was feasible if it suffered after every crisis between the two countries.</span><br/><br/><span>The first ban on the exhibition of Indian films was imposed by military ruler President Mohammad Khan Ayub after the second India-Pakistan war in 1965. The woes of the local cinema industry were further exacerbated during the era of Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq’s presidency, when higher taxation and strict censorship policies made it impossible for cinema to grow.</span><br/><br/><span>During those decades, as cinema was gradually fading away, Pakistan’s television soap operas boomed and provided entertainment for the middle classes. Most actors, directors and screenwriters focused on producing them. Film lovers had the limited choice of either watching second-rate vanity projects or pirated versions of Hollywood and Bollywood movies. The decimation of Pakistani cinema — particularly under the rule of General Zia — meant that the country lost most of its 700 single-screen cinemas.</span><br/><br/><br/><span>Pakistani cinema began to emerge from its long coma in 2006 when Gen. Pervez Musharraf removed the ban on showing Indian movies that had been in place since 1965. Within a few years new multiplexes sprung up in all major cities to meet the high demand for films.</span><br/><br/><span>By 2011 Pakistan had around 35 multiplex screens; more than a hundred more were being built. Sadly this new infrastructure was restricted to multiplexes as distributors focused almost entirely on attracting the middle classes who could afford higher ticket prices. Single-screen cinemas, along with their less-privileged audiences, were completely ignored and excluded.</span><br/><br/><span>The availability of screen space in turn encouraged local filmmakers to venture out and produce films. A turning point came with the success of Shoaib Mansoor’s Bol, the story of a religious family with a transgender daughter, which was produced in 2011 with a local cast and crew. It inspired more Pakistani filmmakers to jump into the fray.</span><br/><br/><span>Two years later, Pakistan had produced 20 films and many more were being planned. International festivals started showing interest by curating special segments on Pakistani films. The filmmaking fraternity was upbeat that Pakistan would soon be able to tell its own story through movies.</span><br/><br/><span>The removal of the ban on Indian films in Pakistan also led to talent sharing and creative cooperation between the two countries. Pakistani actors became stars in India; almost every major Indian movie commissioned Pakistani musicians to sing for them (songs are a key element of films in South Asia).</span><br/><br/><span>And then fate delivered another lethal blow: India and Pakistan almost went to war in February after a suicide attack on Indian forces in Kashmir. An official ban was imposed on exhibiting Indians films in Pakistan. Three and a half months later, theaters in Pakistan are almost empty again and their owners are now considering laying off employees.</span><br/><br/><br/><span>The arrival of online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon is helping film industries in various other countries grow and attempt new storytelling formats — but they have hesitated from exploring Pakistan and commissioning projects from Pakistani filmmakers. </span></p> 70 years of Pakistan’s film i…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2017-08-17:1119293:Comment:1163572017-08-17T17:58:56.042ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<h1>70 years of Pakistan’s film industry</h1>
<div class="excerpt-full"><p>A look at the good old days of the Pakistani film industry, which gave us immortal tunes, self made stars, and award-winning directors</p>
<p><a href="https://www.geo.tv/latest/153538-70-years-of-pakistans-film-industry" target="_blank">https://www.geo.tv/latest/153538-70-years-of-pakistans-film-industry</a></p>
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<p>The film industry in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. It has seen the best of its days,…</p>
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<h1>70 years of Pakistan’s film industry</h1>
<div class="excerpt-full"><p>A look at the good old days of the Pakistani film industry, which gave us immortal tunes, self made stars, and award-winning directors</p>
<p><a href="https://www.geo.tv/latest/153538-70-years-of-pakistans-film-industry" target="_blank">https://www.geo.tv/latest/153538-70-years-of-pakistans-film-industry</a></p>
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<p>The film industry in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. It has seen the best of its days, but sadly, the present situation is nowhere near to what it had been.</p>
<p>The good old days had given Immortal tunes, excellent films, self made stars and award-winning directors, but mostly depended on individuals.</p>
<h2>The initial decade (1948-1957):</h2>
<p>Despite lack of equipment and resources, country’s first film, Teri Yaad, was released in August 1948. Nasir Khan, brother of the famous actor Dilip Kumar, was the hero, with Asha Posley playing his love interest. Pakistan’s first Golden Jubilee film, Sibtain Fazli’s Dupatta, was released in 1952. The film was also appreciated in India at release. It had Noor Jehan as lead, while the music was composed by Feroz Nizami, who had earlier composed for Noor Jehan-Dilip Kumar starrer Jugnu in undivided India five years back. Like Nizami sahab, musicians Ghulam Haider, Rasheed Atre, GA Chishti and Khwaja Khurshid Anwar, opted to Pakistan and played an important role in establishing the industry.</p>
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<p>Many stalwarts from India, namely Munshi Dil, Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, Fazli brothers, also migrated, and by the end of the 50s, Pakistan had its set of directors. A young Allauddin, who played the role of Nargis’s father in Mela (1948), remained active for over 30 years, performing memorable roles in his career. The struggling days of the industry would have been different, if there had been no Santosh Kumar or Sabiha Khanum. The ‘first couple’ of the industry eventually tied the knot after giving hits like Do Aansoo (1950), Ghulam (1953) Qatil, Inteqaam (1955), and Sarfarosh (1956). Actor Sudhir was labeled an action hero with hits like Baaghi (1956) and Akhri Nishan (1958), while Syed Kemal, a replica of Indian superstar Raj Kapoor, came on the scene with Thandi Sarak (1957). He could dance as well as made you laugh. Phenomenal Rise of Aslam Pervez, first as a hero and later as a villain, was termed legendary in any phase of life.</p>
<h2>The peak years (1958-1967):</h2>
<p>It is credited as the golden period of the industry. With limited ban on Indian films, local productions thronged. Field Marshall Ayub Khan’s rule had restrictions on nearly everything, but it was the creative team of director Khalil Qaiser- music composer Rasheed Attre- writer Riaz Shahid who accepted the challenge and gave out exceptional films like Shaheed (1962), Firangi (1964) and Hukumat (1967) until Qaiser’s death in mysterious circumstances.</p>
<p>The eldest brother of the Fazli clan, after being forced out of his job by President Ayub Khan, turned to film making, producing Chiragh Jalta Raha (1962). The film gave the industry faces such as Zeba, Deeba and Muhammad Ali, who were to shine in the coming days.</p>
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<p>Indian films were completely banned in cinemas after the War in September 1965. Local films got an audience to itself, as late Shabab Kairanvi’s production house churned out quick films, to cater for the loss. The era also saw the rise of Waheed Murad and Nadeem, from Armaan (1966) and Chakori (1967) respectively. Armaan was country’s first Platinum Jubilee film and second super-hit film from the team of Waheed Murad-Pervez Malik-Sohail Rana-Masroor Anwar. Chakori was the biggest Urdu film from East Pakistan, which had earlier given films like Chanda (1962), Talaash (1964) and the first color film Sangam (1964). West Pakistan’s first Colour film Naela, directed by Sharif Nayyar, was released a year later. Naela had Santosh Kumar paired with Shamim Ara, who went on to become the country’s first lady producer and director. Pakistan’s first film to be shot abroad, Rishta Hai Pyar ka (1967), was filmed in Europe. It had Waheed Murad and Zeba in the lead. Jaan Pehchaan, country’s first ever co-production, was produced the same year by Mohsin Shirazi. Muhammad Ali was his choice for the lead while Shahpara was imported from Iran to play the love interest. Ali and Zeba tied the knot in 1966 in real life, and went on to become country’s most celebrated pair for nearly 40 years.</p>
<p>The sixties saw a shift in music scene as well. Nisar Bazmi, Sohail Rana, Lal Muhammad-Iqbal and Robin Ghosh took over while Ahmed Rushdi, Masood Rana and Mehdi Hassan displaced Munir Hussain and Saleem Raza. Noor Jehan was given tough competition by Mala, Naseem Begum and Runa Laila while legendary music composer Khwaja Khurshid Anwar ventured into production and gave hits like Ghunghat (1962), Chingari (1964) and Humraaz (1967), with an equally amazing soundtrack.</p>
<h2>From a living dream, to a nightmare: (1968-1989):</h2>
<p>Thriving in the late 60s, Pakistan film industry was rubbing its shoulders with their Indian counterpart. Rising star Nadeem gave tough competition to establish actors Waheed Murad, Kamal and Muhammad Ali. Kamal bowed out gracefully in early 70s, Muhammad Ali took to character roles by then, but Waheed Murad stayed till his death. The year 1970, saw another Pak-Iran co-production, ‘Jane Bond: Operation Karachi’ , where Raza Fazli, an Iranian actor/ producer vows Pakistan’s top model Rakshanda Khattak who played the female version of famous British Spy James Bond.</p>
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<p>Riaz Shahid, father of current filmstar Shaan Shahid, produced and directed Zarqa (1969), Gharnata and his last film Yeh Aman (both in 1971), highlighting struggles of nations around the world. Zarqa, starring her wife Neelo, went on to become Pakistan’s first diamond jubilee film.</p>
<p>With the separation of East Pakistan in 1971, the film industry suffered dearly. With this disconnect, atmosphere of ‘competitiveness’ was gone forever. Pakistani cinema also got deprived of a major market and production centre as there was no place for Urdu films in Bangladesh. Firdausi Begum, Bashir Ahmed, Subul Das were the casualties from the music department, while the production department lost gems like Captain Ehtisham, Mustafeez and Zahir Rehan. Music composer of many hit Urdu films produced in West, Muslehuddin, opted to settle in U.K. with his West Pakistan wife Naheed Niazi after the tragic split.</p>
<p>Pakistan’s greatest film ‘Aina’ (1977) was released amid political turmoil. It was a time when the country was going through the worst political crisis. It began with the general elections in March, the movement from opposition parties that followed and the eventual takeover by Army Chief Zia-ul-Haq in July. ‘Aina’ was directed by Nazrul-Islam, Shabnam was the heroine while her husband Robin Ghosh, the music composer. All three started their careers from former East Pakistan. Shabnam formed a hit pairing with Nadeem which continued till late 80s, while the soundtracks from Robin Ghosh’s movies Bandish (1980), Nahin Abhi Nahi can still give competition to the current movies produced in Pakistan.</p>
<p>The ‘Islamization’ by military dictator Zia-ul-Haq began in the 80s. This was the second blow in recent times to the industry after the failure to counter the influx of films on VCR. People from an entire locality could watch an Indian film at home on a rented VCR for 100 rupees, while taking a family of 4 to watch a Pakistani film would cost around the same. This was followed by new Censor laws and entertainment taxes, resulting in the closure of some cinemas, while many were turned into shopping centers.</p>
<p>Deaths of iconic figures like Santosh Kumar, Waheed Murad, Allauddin, Aslam Pervez, Khurshid Anwar and Ahmed Rushdi in the early 80s heralded the beginning of the end. A vacuum was created which was filled by Punjabi and Pashtu films. In a desperate attempt to keep the studios running, these films were dubbed in Urdu. The experiment of double version films failed, further distancing the audience further from cinemas. Region’s first sci-fi film Shanee (1989) gave hope to the viewers, but the industry could not capitalize on its success.</p>
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<p>There were mini-revivals for the ailing industry in 1995 with Syed Noor’s Jeeva , Shamim Ara’s Munda Bigra Jaaye and Javed Shaikh’s Mushkil, but it was legendary TV producer Shoaib Mansoor who was successful in bringing people back to the cinemas with Khuda ke liye (2007) and Bol (2011).</p>
<p>The Indian films were being allowed to screen in mid-2000s in Pakistan theatres and cinema business was thronging, but those who ruled the films in 80s, instead of improving their quality, went into hibernation.</p>
<p>It is finally people from TV who are trying hard to uplift the industry with some success. With Indian films getting major screenings at multiplexes, Pakistan industry needs to do a lot more to attract audience. The current crop of film makers have, on one hand, to fight technology as well as to come up with a script as powerful as Riaz Shahid’s, music as sweet as Nisar Bazmi’s, performances as natural as Nadeem and Shabnam’s and direction as thought provoking as Pervez Malik’s.</p>
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</div> Global box office barely grew…tag:www.pakalumni.com,2017-04-19:1119293:Comment:1138312017-04-19T16:56:47.210ZRiaz Haqhttp://www.pakalumni.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Global box office barely grew in 2016. Blame it on China</span><br></br><br></br><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-mpaa-box-office-20170322-story.html" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-mpaa-box-office-20170322-story.html</a><br></br><br></br><span>lobal movie box office revenue growth slowed last year as international receipts declined for the first time </span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">in 12 years</span></span><span>, reflecting a…</span></p>
<p><span>Global box office barely grew in 2016. Blame it on China</span><br/><br/><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-mpaa-box-office-20170322-story.html" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-mpaa-box-office-20170322-story.html</a><br/><br/><span>lobal movie box office revenue growth slowed last year as international receipts declined for the first time </span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">in 12 years</span></span><span>, reflecting a cooling in China’s once-red-hot film market, according to a new report.</span><br/><br/><span>The total worldwide box office rose 1% to a record $38.6 billion in ticket sales last year, according to a report from the Motion Picture Assn. of America, the lobbying group that represents the six largest film studios. In 2015, global revenues jumped 5%.</span><br/><br/><span>The leveling off at the box office underscored sluggish movie ticket sales in countries outside the United States and Canada. Foreign box office totaled $27.2 billion in 2016, down from $27.3 billion in 2015, thanks to a dramatic slowdown in box office growth in China. The increased value of the U.S. dollar compared with other currencies also dampened ticket revenues, the association said in a report released </span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday</span></span><span>.</span><br/><br/><span>"The Chinese market is a little concerning,” said Jeff Bock, a box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “They thought it was going to be some magical potion, and it's not."</span><br/><br/><span>Though the drop in foreign ticket sales was less than 1%, it’s the first time the international box office has failed to grow since 2005. That’s a worrisome trend for an industry that has grown increasingly dependent on the global marketplace. International markets made up 71% of the global box office in 2016, compared with 63% a decade ago.</span><br/><br/><span>The slowdown in China was particularly jarring for the industry, coming after years of speculation that the country would soon surpass the United States and Canada as the world’s largest film market.</span><br/><br/><span>Revenues from China fell 1% to $6.6 billion in 2016, in U.S. dollars, a surprising downturn from 2015, when ticket sales grew by 49%. A variety of factors hurt the box office in China, including a series of sub-par movies, a lack of discounts by China’s online ticket sellers, and greater government scrutiny of bogus box office statistics.</span><br/><br/><span>Foreign currency declines in countries such as Mexico, Argentina and Britain also depressed revenues in U.S. dollar terms. The British pound, for example, fell 12% against the dollar last year.</span><br/><br/><span>“A major issue is currency,” said Julia Jenks, vice president of worldwide research for the MPAA. “It’s hiding a lot of growth,”</span><br/><br/><span>The statistics were brighter for the domestic market.</span><br/><br/><span>Box office receipts hit a record $11.4 billion in the United States and Canada, up 2% from 2015, thanks to blockbusters such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” and “Captain America: Civil War.”</span><br/><br/><span>Nonetheless, the industry is facing some troubling head winds, including long-term stagnation in the number of tickets sold. Admissions totaled 1.32 billion last year, flat compared with 2015, and down from 1.4 billion a decade ago. The slide in attendance underscores the rising competition cinemas face to lure younger audiences who have more entertainment options in the home. Per capita attendance in the United States and Canada slipped 1% to 3.8 last year.</span><br/><br/><span>Despite the flattening attendance, revenue still grew because of an increase in ticket prices. The average ticket price hit a record $8.65 in 2016, according to the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, the result of cinema chains adding more advanced screening technology and more luxurious accommodations such as recliner seating.</span><br/><br/><span>“The question is, what's going to drive the North American box office to the heights we saw 10 to 20 years ago in terms of attendance?" Bock said.</span><br/><br/><span>Some young people went to the theaters more often last year. People ages 18 to 24 bought an average of 6.5 movie tickets in 2016, up 10% from 2015. Yet, the movie business took a hit among 12-to-17-year-olds, who went to the movies 16% less frequently than in 2015.</span></p>