Lollywood
Encyclopedia
Lollywood refers to the Pakistan
i film industry
based in the city of Lahore
. The word "Lollywood" was first coined in the summer of 1989 in the now defunct magazine "Glamour" published from Karachi by a gossip columnist Saleem Nasir. The film industry in Lahore started in 1929 with the opening of the United Players' Studios on Ravi Road. The cornerstone
for the studio was set by Abdur Rashid Kardar
. Since then the studio has managed various indigenous productions competing with other film production centres in the undivided India, namely Bombay
and Calcutta
.
Most of the feature films shot in Pakistan are in National Language Urdu
. Urdu (spoken elements of Hindi and Urdu are exactly the same) is often used in feature films of Bollywood and may also be included in films in local languages like, Punjabi
, Pashto
, Balochi
or Sindhi
.
The Pakistani film industry is credited with having produced some of the most notable and recognised filmmakers, actors, writers and directors, and for introducing pop music
to South Asia
.
Cinématographe showed six short silent films at Watson's Hotel
in Bombay. A few years later in 1898, Hiralal Sen
started filming scenes of theatre productions in Calcutta, inspired by English professor Stephenson who had brought to India the country's first bioscope. Harischandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar
imported a camera from London at a price of 21 guineas
and filmed the first Indian documentary
, a wrestling match in Hanging Gardens, Bombay, in 1897. He also filmed the first Indian news film, a record of Ragunath P. Paranjpe
's return from Cambridge University upon securing a distinction in mathematics. Bhatavdekar is however best known for filming the Viceroy of India Lord Curzon's Delhi Durbar
that marked the enthronement of Edward VII in 1903.
It was then that the commercial potential of the Indian cinema was realised. With F.B. Thanewala's Grand Kinetoscope Newsreels and Jamshedji Framji Madan
's Madan Theatres Limited
, India became counted amongst the largest distributors of American films after World War I
. Madan also hired foreign directors Eugenio De Liguoro and Camille Legrand to provide his productions with expertise, grand sets for popular mythological storylines and special effects which ensured good returns. Cinema houses were built in major cities in India. Newsreels of the Boer Wars were a regular show at make-shift theatres in Bombay. Tents were placed in vast spaces or maidans to accommodate a larger audience, giving birth to the term maidan cinema.
French film company Pathé
opened an Indian office in 1907, the first foreign film production company in the country. In the same year, a purpose-built cinema theatre was constructed.
With interests developing in film on the Indian soils saw support from various foreign production establishments in later years. 1910s saw the release of the first feature film at 1,500-feet of film made in India, a narrative named Pundalik, by N.G. Chitre and Ram Chandra Gopal Torne
. Later, Raja Harishchandra
would be considered the first full-length Indian feature film at 3,700-feet of film. The latter was released, without sound or music, in May 1913 by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke
who was supposedly inspired by the screening of The Life of Christ at P.B. Mehta's American-Indian Cinema. Phalke wanted to hire female actors but couldn't find any and instead resorted to using men dressed as women. He would later produce India's most successful mythological film
s. Prompted by the success of American films in India, Universal Pictures
set up Hollywood's first Indian agency in 1916.
Year 1918 saw the introduction of the Indian Cinematograph Act modelled on that of Britain defining issues like censorship and cinema licensing, and with the establishment of Phalke's Hindustan Film Company, the first Indian serial, Patankar's Ram Vanvas, with a length of 20,000 feet is created.
In the same year, the first South India
n feature, Rangaswamy Nataraja Mudaliar's Keechaka Vadham, is released followed by the film Draupadi Vastrapaharanam, featuring Anglo-Indian
actress Marian Hill playing the role of Draupadi. Following these successes, film operations started out in Lahore
, now in Pakistan. At the time, the first silent film, The Daughters of Today
, was released in 1924 in Lahore, the city had nine operational cinema houses. Movies shown at these cinemas were mostly local productions from Bombay and Calcutta, and seldom from Hollywood and London.
The Daughters of Today was a brainchild of G.K. Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railways who, much like Bhatavdekar, had imported a camera into the country. Mehta continued to produce newsreel coverage for companies abroad and delved into further film projects but his dedication gave way when he promptly left the film industry for more profitable ventures. But it was to be later in 1929–1930, when Abdur Rashid Kardar
's Husn Ka Daku was released that the film industry was established in essence in Lahore's Bhati Gate
locality. This would later be called Lollywood, a portmanteau of Lahore and Hollywood. Kardar, a professional calligraphist, was accompanied by his fellow-artist and friend Muhammad Ismail, who would make the posters for his films.
While the duo established their operations, director Ardeshir Irani
's Alam Ara
, aka The Light of the World released in 1931. The film would become the first Indian sound film
.
The duo modelled their films on American and English films with influences not just prevalent in actors' attires but the titles of the films and expressed a desire to seek all means necessary to make a sound film of their own. Actors that had worked for the studio included Hiralal, Gul Hameed, Nazeer, Pran Sikhand
, Kaushalya Devi, Gulzaar, Mumtaaz and Ahmed Deen. Husn Ka Daku, also known as Mysterious Eagle, Kardar's directorial début would firmly add him into the directors guild but the film that would make him further known in the film industry came later in 1932. Produced by Hakim Ram Prasad, Heer Ranjha
was the first sound film produced in Lahore at the United Players’ studio. Prasad provided the studio with the equipment necessary to direct the sound film marked as the last film directed by Kardar in Lahore, starring M. Ismail while launching the careers of Rafiq Ghaznavi, Nazeer and Anwari. Kardar later moved to Calcutta and then to Bombay where he continued filmmaking
.
Till date, Bhati Gate is known to have produced some of most notable actors, writers and artists but with tensions running swift towards partition of the land
, most of the actors travelled into areas which are now a part of modern India
. The industry left would later be termed as Lollywood.
, the newly founded Pakistan
faced a brain drain
where all its highly talented and skilled workers migrated to India, including most actors and directors. Shortage of filming equipment further paralysed the nation's film industry.
With much hardships faced, the new film industry was able to produce its first feature film, Teri Yaad
on 7 August, 1948, premièring at the Parbhat Theatre in Lahore. The following year, Evernew Studios established a studio in the country which would later become the largest film company of the time. Over the next few years, films that were released reached mediocre success until the release of Do Ansoo
on 7 April 1950
. Do Ansoo became the first film to attain a 25-week viewing making it the first film to reach silver jubilee
status.
Recovery was evident with Noor Jehan
's directorial debut Chanwey releasing on 29 April 1951
. The film became the first film to be directed by a female director. Syed Faqir ahmad Shah produced his first production 1952 The "Jagga Daku" Saqlain Rizvi was the Director, the film could not get much appreciation due to violence shown in it. As cinema viewership increased, Sassi released on 3 June 1954
reached golden jubilee
status staying on screens for 50-weeks. Legendary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi
started his career in April 1955 after singing his first song in Pakistan "Bander Road Se Kemari".Umar Marvi released on 12 March 1956
became the first ever Pakistani film made in the Sindhi language
. To celebrate the success of these endeavours, f ilm journalist Ilyas Rashidi launched an annual awarding event on July 17, 1958. Named Nigar Awards
, the event is since then considered Pakistan's premier awarding event celebrating outstanding performance in various categories of filmmaking
.
The '60s decade is often cited as being the golden age of cinema in Pakistan. Many A-stars were introduced in this period in time and became legends on the silver screen
. As black-and-white became obsolete, Pakistan saw the introduction of first colour films. Some that share the status of being firsts are Munshi Dil's Azra
in early 1960s, Zahir Raihan
's Sangam (first full-length coloured film) released on 23 April 1964
, and Mala (first coloured cinemascope film).
Although it seemed that the industry had stabilised to a certain extent, the relations between the two neighbouring countries were not. On 26 May 1961
, Kay Productions released a film titled Bombay Wallah, which did not came under scrutiny from the censor board for having a name that represented a city in India in the wake of the growing tension between the region. Later, the censor board was blamed for irresponsibility. It was the first time that a Pakistani film explored the realms of politics, but it would not be the last. In 1962, film Shaheed aka Martyr
, pronounced the Palestine
issue on the silver screen and became an instant hit. With the changing tide in the attitude of filmmakers, actress Mussarat Nazir who had reigned the industry for a while left for Canada
and settled with her family. Her much anticipated film Bahadur
was left unfinished and never released giving alternative films like Syed Kamal
's debutant acting role in film Tauba to be admired and fill the void.
In September 1965, following an armed conflict between India and Pakistan, all Indian films were taken off the screen from cinemas in Pakistan and a complete ban was imposed on the Indian films. The ban existed since 1952 in West Pakistan
and since 1962 in East Pakistan
(now Bangladesh
), but was exercised rigorously after the conflict. Pakistani cinemas did not suffer much from the decision to remove the films and instead received better viewership for their films. Realising the potential, Waheed Murad
stepped into the industry. His persona led people to call him the chocolate hero and in essence, he became the Marlon Brando
and Elvis Presley
of Pakistan.
In 1966, film Armaan
was released and became one of the most cherished accomplishments of the industry. The film is said to have given birth to Pakistani pop music
introducing playback singing legends – composer Sohail Rana
and singer Ahmed Rushdi
. The film became the first to complete 75-weeks screenings at cinema houses throughout the country attaining a platinum jubilee
. Another rising star Nazeer Beg with th stage-name Nadeem
received instant success with his debut film Chakori in 1967. The same year, he would act in another film of a different genre altogether. Horror films were introduced with the release of Zinda Laash
aka The Living Corpse making it the first film to display an R rating
tag on its posters.
Meanwhile Eastern Films Magazine, a tabloid edited by Said Haroon, became the most popular magazine for film buffs in Pakistan. The magazine had a questions and answers section titled "Yours Impishly" which the sub-editor Asif Noorani
took inspiration for from I. S. Johar
's page in India's Filmfare
magazine. Tabloid like these got their first controversial covers with the release of Neela Parbat
on 3 January 1969
, which became Pakistan's first feature-film with an adults-only tag. The film ran for only three-to-four days at the box office.
More controversial yet would be the offering of distribution rights in the Middle East
to the Palestinian guerrilla organisation, Al Fatah by the writer, producer, and director Riaz Shahid for his film Zarqa
released on 17 October 1969
. The film depicted the activities of the organisation.
, Pakistani film industry lost its Dacca
wing and number of cinema decreased rapidly. This caused brain drain. Veterans like Runa Laila
departed for Bangladesh.
Amidst concerns of a collapse, the film Dosti, released on 7 February 1971
, turned out to be the first indigenous Urdu film to complete 101 weeks of success at the box office dubbing it the first recipient of a diamond jubilee
, however it is reported that the first diamond jubilee status was celebrated by the Punjabi film Yakke Wali in 1957.
As political uncertainty took charge of the entertainment industry, filmmakers were asked to consider socio-political impacts of their films as evident by the fact that the makers of Tehzeeb
, released on 20 November 1971
, were asked to change the lyrics with a reference to ‘Misr’, Urdu for Egypt, that might prove detrimental to diplomatic relations of Eygypt and Pakistan. So vulnerable was the film industry to the changing political landscape that in 1976, an angry mob set fire to cinema in Quetta
just before the release of the first Balochi
film, Hamalo Mah Gunj, which was to be filmed in the same cinema.
The mid-1970s saw the introduction of video cassette recorders in Pakistan and instantly films from all over the world were copied onto tape, and attendance at cinemas decreased when people preferred to watch films in the comfort of their homes. This ushered the birth of the film piracy industry films began to be copied on tapes on the day they premiered in cinemas.
Javed Jabbar's Beyond the Last Mountain
, released on 2 December 1976
, was Pakistan’s first venture into English
film-making. The film's Urdu version Musafir
did not do well at the box-office. While the industry was revolutionising, Pakistan's government was in a state of turmoil. Aina
, released on 18 March 1977
, marked a distinct symbolic break between the so called liberal Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
years and the increasingly conservative cum revolutionary Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
regime. The film stayed in cinemas for over 400 weeks at the box office, with its last screening at 'Scala' in Karachi
where it ran for more than four years. It is considered the most popular film in the country's history to date.
's military coup, he began to Islamicise the country and one of the very first victims of this socio-political change included the film industry. Imposition of new registration laws for film producers requiring filmmakers to be degree holders, where not many were, led to a steep decline in the workings of the industry. The government forcibly closed most of the cinemas in Lahore. New tax rates were introduced, further decreasing cinema attendances.
Films dropped from a total output of 98 films in 1979, of which 42 were in Urdu, to only 58 films (26 in Urdu) in 1980. The filmmakers that remained employed flaccid storylines to present Punjabi
cult classics like Maula Jatt
in 1979, telling the story of a gandasa
-carrying protagonist waging a blood-feud with a local gangster. Growing censorship policies against displays of affection, rather than violence, came as a blow to the industry and as a result violence-ridden Punjabi films prevailed and overshadowed the Urdu cinema. The middle class
neglected the 'increasingly dilapidated and rowdy cinemas'. This film sub-culture came to be known as the ‘gandasa culture’ in the local industry.
Where veterans of this culture Sultan Rahi
and Anjuman, became iconic figure in the Punjabi films, Pashto
cinema took on a contrasting façade. Backed by powerful politicians, Pashto filmmakers were able to get around the censor policies and filled their films with soft-core pornography
to increase viewership. This threw away the romantic and loveable image of Pakistani cinema and less people were attracted to the prospect of going to a cinema. Being a female actor associated with film productions became an understandable taboo. Nevertheless influx of refugees from across the Afghan border, who were denied the entertainment in their country, kept the industry strongly active.
When it seemed the industry could not be further deteriorated, following years saw yet another blow to the fatal collapse. Waheed Murad, oft termed the chocolate hero died in 1983 due to alcohol abuse and stomach cancer, some however say he committed suicide. Media attributes the film star's death to his disheartened view in the wake of Pakistani cinema's collapse. Director of his unfinished film Hero, employed cheat shots to complete the last of this legend's memorable films to a packed audience. This enthusiasm soon disappeared and not even Pakistan's first science fiction
film Shaani
in 1987, directed by Saeed Rizvi
employing elaborate special effects could save the industry from failing. The sci-fi film received an award at the Moscow Film Festival and even in Egypt and Korea, but sadly was shelved in its country of origin.
The local industry succeeded to gain audience attention however in the mid- and late-1990s. With Syed Noor
's Jeeva
and Samina Peerzada
's Inteha, it seemed the cinema of Pakistan was headed towards a much needed revival but naught attendance recorded at the box-office for later ventures ushered a complete and utter collapse of the industry. Notable productions of the time include Deewane Tere Pyar Ke
, Mujhe Chand Chahiye
, Sangam
, Tere Pyar Mein
, and Ghar Kab Aao Gay
, which tried hard to get away from the formulaic and violent storylines but were not accepted fully amongst the lower middle class
cinema audience.
Controversy raged over the filming of Jinnah
in the late 1990s, a film produced by Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed
and directed by Jamil Dehlavi
. Objections were raised over the choice of actor Christopher Lee
as the protagonist depicting Muhammad Ali Jinnah
and inclusion of Indian Shashi Kapoor
as archangel Gabriel in the cast combined with the experimental nature of the script. Imran Aslam, editor of The News International
, said the author wrote the script in a ‘haze of hashish
’. Of all the controversies and hearsay, the film proved a point that Indian and Pakistani filmmakers and actors can collaborate together on any such cinematic ventures without the ban being lifted. Later years would see more actors travels traveling in and across the border on further cross-border ventures.
Late '80s had seen the death of Murad and towards 1989, Anjuman got married to Mobeen Malik, quitting from playback signing and finally Sultan Rahi
was murdered in 1996 as well as the actress Nadira in 1995. The already reeling industry lost viewership not just for its Urdu but Punjabi films following Rahi's death. Director Sangeeta
attended to her family life and Nazrul Islam died during the time. The industry was pronounced dead by the start of the new millennium. Syed Noor depressed at the sudden decline of cinema gathered investors for what was considered the only Pakistani film to have survived this chaos.
The year 1998 saw the release of Noor's Choorian, a Punjabi film that grossed 180 million rupees
. Directors realised there was still hope and Javed Sheikh
's Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa
released in 2002 grossing over 200 million rupees (US $3.4 million) across Pakistan
. The monetary prospects were then realised fully and for the first time in twelve years, investors starting taking keen interest in Pakistani films.
However, the short period of successes in the industry could not keep the cinemas afloat, and the same industry that at one time produced more than a 100 films annually a decade ago was now reduced to merely 32 per year, in the year 2003, with only one partial success called Larki Panjaban
(A Punjabi Girl). In August, 2007, a new film titled Khuda Ke Liye
was released. It became popular due to its controversial theme of the current problems faced in Pakistan. It was also released internationally, including in India, where it became the first Pakistani film released after four decades
was broadcast, primarily to broadcast films and productions made indigenously in the country. It was during this time that Mahesh Bhatt
, a celebrated Indian director visited Pakistan looking for talent, particularly singers who could lend their voices to his upcoming films in India. His visit to Pakistan was to attend the third Kara Film Festival
, for the screenings of his film Paap
in Karachi
. Bhatt would later hire Atif Aslam
for the soundtrack of his film Zeher
and Pakistani actress Meera
to play a lead-role in one of his films.
Later in 2005, industry officials realised that the government needed to lift the ban for the screening of Bollywood films in Pakistan. The issue was voiced by the Film Producers Association (FPA) and the Cinema Owners Association (CAO) of Pakistan after the release of the colourised
remastering of the 1960 classic Mughal-e-Azam
. When the government turned down the request, Geo Films, a subsidiary of Geo TV
took on itself to invest in upcoming Pakistani directorial ventures and dubbed their efforts “Revival of Pakistani Cinema” and on 20 July 2007
released Shoaib Mansoor
's cinematic directorial début Khuda Ke Liye
(In The Name of God). The film would later become the first ever Pakistani film since the imposition of the ban in 1965 to be released simultaneously in India and Pakistan. With its general release in India, the four decade ban was finally lifted. The film was released in more than a 100 cinemas in 20 cities in India.
Unbeknown to the local media scene, a Pakistani horror and gore film was already doing rounds in International film festivals. Another directorial début by director Omar Ali Khan, Zibahkhana
aka Hell's Ground premièred at festivals throughout the world gaining repute as the ‘first extreme-horror gore flick’ and received accolade wherever it screened. The film ushered a revival in the horror genre for Pakistani films. The film would also be the first Pakistani film shot on HD
. Where the horror genre seems to have been reincarnated in the industry, Freedom Sound, a science fiction
film would use the computer-generated special effect
s for the first time since 1989's Shaani
. The recent successes of issue-centered Pakistani films such has Khuda Ke Liye prompted director Mehreen Jabbar
to come forth with her instalment with the release of Ramchand Pakistani
which will mark the first true efforts of international collaboration towards the revival of cinema in Pakistan.
Next up are filmstar Reema Khan's directorial project based on Paulo Coehlo's Veronica Decides to Die, filmstar Shan's directorial project " Chup" introducing model Juggun Kazim to the silver screen, Syed Noor's " Price of Honor" based reportedly on the Mukhtara Mai Rape incident,Syed Noor and his wife Saima are also working on a comedy "Wohti le ke Jani Hai" after the recorded breaking success of 'Majajan'. Khamaj fame Music Video director Safdar Malik's Directorial debut "Ajnabi Sheher mein" starring Nadeem, Samina Peerzada, Ali Zafar and Model Tooba Malik, Shehzad Gul's "Iman" starring Shan and Nirma, Actor Humayun Saeed debut production BALAA with the support of Vishesh Films(Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt) to be directed by Script writer of Indian films 'Woh Lamhe' and 'Raaz the mystery continues' Shagufta Rafique(talks are on with Indian actress Tabu for the title role and Iman Ali and Juggan Kazim in Pakistan), Salman Peerzada's "Zargul" a major festival circuit success might also finally see mainstream release. Shoaib Mansoor is to bring his second film 'Bol' with stars Atif Aslam, Mahira Khan and Juggan Kazim. Also Syed Faisal Bokhari's 'Bhai Log',Shehzad Rafique's second film 'Mene Jeena Tere Naal' with Veena Malik and Adnan Khan. TV Producer Ejaz Bajwa's film directorial debut "Channa Sachi Muchi" starring Babar Ali, Momi Rana and Saima. Indo-Pak-American co production "Virsa" starring Arya Babbar from India and Mehreen Raheal from Pakistan will be releasing in Pakistan and India both after its world premier at the Dallas International Film Festival (the director, Pankaj Batra is Indian). Iqbal Kashmiri's second film 'Devdas' remake of Indian film, Devdas, and Bengali novel, starring Zara Sheikh, Meera and Nadeem Shah. Son of Pakistan
based on terrorism in Pakistan. Written, directed and produced by Jarar Rizvi. The film features Shamyl Khan, Sana Nawaz and Meera
in lead roles. Aamir Zafar, an filmmaking student, debut as director with film Victim which features Humayun Saeed
and Irtiza Ruhab in lead roles. Syed Faisal Bukhari's second film "Saltanat" featuring Lollywood debut Mona Laizza who also does an item number, Javed Sheikh
and Ahsan Khan
. Shaan Shahid's second film, script by Mashal Peezada featuring Vaneeza Ahmed and Natasha
.
and the Northern Areas
.
began to grow at a fast pace in the late 60's, and the price of the property shot up significantly. At the peak of Pakistani cinema industry in the mid 1970s, Karachi alone had more than 100 cinema halls and more than 200 films were produced and released each year. Now, fewer than ten of these houses remain. The same happened a little later in Lahore
as well. This caused the film industry to lose a lot of revenue, making the industry even less attractive for investment. Many professional financiers left the cinema industry of Pakistan.
The Universal Multiplex in Karachi opened in 2002. The future viability of film-making business in Pakistan is evidenced by the fact that now many global companies are interested in investing in the theater business in the country. Cinepax
is the first dedicated cineplex
company in Pakistan. They are building the country’s first nationally branded cineplex chain. The firm says that it is dedicated to introduce a world-class, film-going experience to the people of Pakistan by building state of the art film theaters in the urban areas. Cinepax will have multiple cinemas in each location and is committed to screening premium content in a family-friendly environment. Eventually, they intend to bring families back into the theaters by providing a quality experience, and assert that the multiplex culture can only help.
Cinepax is targeting the larger cities of Pakistan: Karachi
, Lahore
, Islamabad
, Faisalabad
, Gujranwala
, Multan
, and Hyderabad. Cinepax’s has an initial five-year build-out plan for the development of 120 screens.
Cinepax screens Hollywood
films within a month of their international release dates. Cinepax will also screen the best of international and Pakistani cinema. Before the first cineplex opening, Cineplex’s sister distribution company will screen Hollywood content in the existing cinemas around Pakistan.
News articles (web based)
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
based in the city of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. The word "Lollywood" was first coined in the summer of 1989 in the now defunct magazine "Glamour" published from Karachi by a gossip columnist Saleem Nasir. The film industry in Lahore started in 1929 with the opening of the United Players' Studios on Ravi Road. The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the studio was set by Abdur Rashid Kardar
Abdur Rashid Kardar
Abdur Rashid Kardar , often abbreviated as A.R. Kardar, was a pre-partition Lahore-born actor and later director. He is credited as establishing the film industry in the Bhati Gate locality of Lahore, British India ....
. Since then the studio has managed various indigenous productions competing with other film production centres in the undivided India, namely Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
.
Most of the feature films shot in Pakistan are in National Language Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. Urdu (spoken elements of Hindi and Urdu are exactly the same) is often used in feature films of Bollywood and may also be included in films in local languages like, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
, Balochi
Balochi language
Balochi is a Northwestern Iranian language. It is the principal language of the Baloch of Balochistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. It is also spoken as a second language by some Brahui. It is designated as one of nine official languages of Pakistan.-Vowels:The Balochi vowel...
or Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
.
The Pakistani film industry is credited with having produced some of the most notable and recognised filmmakers, actors, writers and directors, and for introducing pop music
Pakistani pop music
Pakistani pop music refers to popular music forms in Pakistan. Pakistani pop is a mixture of traditional Pakistani classical music and western influences of jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop and disco sung in various languages of Pakistan, including Urdu language...
to South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Birth of cinema (1896–1910)
Cinema was introduced to India on 7 July 1896, when the Lumiere brothers'Auguste and Louis Lumière
The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean , were among the earliest filmmakers in history...
Cinématographe showed six short silent films at Watson's Hotel
Watson's Hotel
Watson's Hotel, currently known as the Esplanade Mansion, is India's oldest surviving cast iron building. It is located in the Kala Ghoda area of Mumbai...
in Bombay. A few years later in 1898, Hiralal Sen
Hiralal Sen
Hiralal Sen was an Indian photographer generally considered one of India's first filmmakers. He is also credited with creating India's first advertising films and quite possibly India's first political film...
started filming scenes of theatre productions in Calcutta, inspired by English professor Stephenson who had brought to India the country's first bioscope. Harischandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar
H. S. Bhatavdekar
Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar , also known as Save dada, was the first Indian to make a film in India.-Biography:...
imported a camera from London at a price of 21 guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
and filmed the first Indian documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, a wrestling match in Hanging Gardens, Bombay, in 1897. He also filmed the first Indian news film, a record of Ragunath P. Paranjpe
R. P. Paranjpe
Sir Raghunath Purushottam Paranjpye was the first Indian to achieve the coveted title of Senior Wrangler at the University of Cambridge, and became a university administrator and Indian ambassador....
's return from Cambridge University upon securing a distinction in mathematics. Bhatavdekar is however best known for filming the Viceroy of India Lord Curzon's Delhi Durbar
Delhi Durbar
The Delhi Durbar , meaning "Court of Delhi", was a mass assembly at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the coronation of a King and Queen of the United Kingdom. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times, in 1877, 1903, and 1911, at the height of the British Empire. The 1911...
that marked the enthronement of Edward VII in 1903.
It was then that the commercial potential of the Indian cinema was realised. With F.B. Thanewala's Grand Kinetoscope Newsreels and Jamshedji Framji Madan
Jamshedji Framji Madan
Jamshedji Framji Madan , born in a Parsi family in Bombay, was one of the pioneers of the Indian film industry.-Early life:Madan's father suffered a huge monetary loss when Bombay Reclamation Bank, which was responsible for reclaiming land between the seven islands of Bombay, failed. JF Madan had...
's Madan Theatres Limited
Madan Theatre
Madan Theatre Company, also known as Madan Theatres Limited or in short, Madan Theatres was a film production company founded by Jamshedji Framji Madan, one of the pioneers of Indian Cinema....
, India became counted amongst the largest distributors of American films after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Madan also hired foreign directors Eugenio De Liguoro and Camille Legrand to provide his productions with expertise, grand sets for popular mythological storylines and special effects which ensured good returns. Cinema houses were built in major cities in India. Newsreels of the Boer Wars were a regular show at make-shift theatres in Bombay. Tents were placed in vast spaces or maidans to accommodate a larger audience, giving birth to the term maidan cinema.
French film company Pathé
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
opened an Indian office in 1907, the first foreign film production company in the country. In the same year, a purpose-built cinema theatre was constructed.
Silent era (1910–1930)
Dadasaheb Torne
Ram Chandra Gopal "Dadasaheb" Torne रामचंद्र गोपाळ "दादासाहेब" तोरणे was the first Indian to make an Indian language feature film, as established by an advertisement in the Times of India newspaper of 25 May 1912....
. Later, Raja Harishchandra
Raja Harishchandra
Raja Harishchandra , is a 1913 silent Indian film directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke, and is the first full-length Indian feature film...
would be considered the first full-length Indian feature film at 3,700-feet of film. The latter was released, without sound or music, in May 1913 by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke
Dadasaheb Phalke
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter, known as the father of Indian cinema...
who was supposedly inspired by the screening of The Life of Christ at P.B. Mehta's American-Indian Cinema. Phalke wanted to hire female actors but couldn't find any and instead resorted to using men dressed as women. He would later produce India's most successful mythological film
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
s. Prompted by the success of American films in India, Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
set up Hollywood's first Indian agency in 1916.
Year 1918 saw the introduction of the Indian Cinematograph Act modelled on that of Britain defining issues like censorship and cinema licensing, and with the establishment of Phalke's Hindustan Film Company, the first Indian serial, Patankar's Ram Vanvas, with a length of 20,000 feet is created.
In the same year, the first South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n feature, Rangaswamy Nataraja Mudaliar's Keechaka Vadham, is released followed by the film Draupadi Vastrapaharanam, featuring Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
actress Marian Hill playing the role of Draupadi. Following these successes, film operations started out in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, now in Pakistan. At the time, the first silent film, The Daughters of Today
Daughters of today
Daughters of Today was a 1928 silent film from Lahore, in present day Pakistan . It was produced by G.K Mehta and directed by Shankradev Arya....
, was released in 1924 in Lahore, the city had nine operational cinema houses. Movies shown at these cinemas were mostly local productions from Bombay and Calcutta, and seldom from Hollywood and London.
The Daughters of Today was a brainchild of G.K. Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railways who, much like Bhatavdekar, had imported a camera into the country. Mehta continued to produce newsreel coverage for companies abroad and delved into further film projects but his dedication gave way when he promptly left the film industry for more profitable ventures. But it was to be later in 1929–1930, when Abdur Rashid Kardar
Abdur Rashid Kardar
Abdur Rashid Kardar , often abbreviated as A.R. Kardar, was a pre-partition Lahore-born actor and later director. He is credited as establishing the film industry in the Bhati Gate locality of Lahore, British India ....
's Husn Ka Daku was released that the film industry was established in essence in Lahore's Bhati Gate
Bhati Gate
The Bhati Gate is located within Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Bhati Gate entrance is located on the Western wall of the Old City. It is one of the two oldest entry points into the Walled City which controlled the only major north-south thoroughfare during Ghaznavid period...
locality. This would later be called Lollywood, a portmanteau of Lahore and Hollywood. Kardar, a professional calligraphist, was accompanied by his fellow-artist and friend Muhammad Ismail, who would make the posters for his films.
Indigenous productions at Bhati Gate (1930s–1946)
Although Kardar had worked with G.K. Mehta on The Daughters of Today, he felt he needed to do more to stay in the industry after there was no work left for him to do once the production had been done. Along with Ismail, he sold all his belongings to set up a studio and a production company under the name United Players Corporation in 1928. Set up at Ravi Road what is now the Timber Market, the duo hired actors to work with them on their projects. Shooting was mainly done in daylight and limited their productivity but the area they encompassed was enriched with locations including important landmarks.While the duo established their operations, director Ardeshir Irani
Ardeshir Irani
Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani ; popularly known as Ardeshir Irani, was a writer, director, producer, actor, film distributor, film showman and cinematographer in the silent and sound eras of early Indian cinema. He was renowned for making films in Hindi, Telugu, English, German, Indonesian, Persian,...
's Alam Ara
Alam Ara
Alam Ara is a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani. It was the first Indian sound film.Irani recognized the importance that sound would have on the cinema, and raced to complete Alam Ara before several contemporary sound films. Alam Ara debuted at the Majestic Cinema in Mumbai on March 14, 1931...
, aka The Light of the World released in 1931. The film would become the first Indian sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
.
The duo modelled their films on American and English films with influences not just prevalent in actors' attires but the titles of the films and expressed a desire to seek all means necessary to make a sound film of their own. Actors that had worked for the studio included Hiralal, Gul Hameed, Nazeer, Pran Sikhand
Pran Sikhand
Pran is a multiple Filmfare and BFJA award-winning Indian actor, who is one of the most popular villains of Hindi cinema. He has appeared in over 350 films. Pran played the leading man in films like Halaku , Dharma, Jangal Mein Mangal , Gaddar and Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara...
, Kaushalya Devi, Gulzaar, Mumtaaz and Ahmed Deen. Husn Ka Daku, also known as Mysterious Eagle, Kardar's directorial début would firmly add him into the directors guild but the film that would make him further known in the film industry came later in 1932. Produced by Hakim Ram Prasad, Heer Ranjha
Heer Ranjha
For 1970 Hindi movie of same name and characters, see Heer Raanjha.Heer Ranjha is one of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab. The other three are Mirza Sahiba, Sassi Punnun and Sohni Mahiwal. There are several poetic narrations of the story, the most famous being 'Heer' by Waris Shah...
was the first sound film produced in Lahore at the United Players’ studio. Prasad provided the studio with the equipment necessary to direct the sound film marked as the last film directed by Kardar in Lahore, starring M. Ismail while launching the careers of Rafiq Ghaznavi, Nazeer and Anwari. Kardar later moved to Calcutta and then to Bombay where he continued filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
.
Till date, Bhati Gate is known to have produced some of most notable actors, writers and artists but with tensions running swift towards partition of the land
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, most of the actors travelled into areas which are now a part of modern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The industry left would later be termed as Lollywood.
Partition, brain drain and recovery (1947–1958)
Immediately following the partitionPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, the newly founded Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
faced a brain drain
Brain drain
Human capital flight, more commonly referred to as "brain drain", is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals...
where all its highly talented and skilled workers migrated to India, including most actors and directors. Shortage of filming equipment further paralysed the nation's film industry.
With much hardships faced, the new film industry was able to produce its first feature film, Teri Yaad
Teri Yaad (film)
Teri Yaad is the first-ever feature film released in Pakistan after the partition of India on 7 August 1948, on Eid day. It was the first film released after the birth of Pakistan, but certainly not the first to be produced indigenously in the newly-found land.-History:The year 1947 saw the...
on 7 August, 1948, premièring at the Parbhat Theatre in Lahore. The following year, Evernew Studios established a studio in the country which would later become the largest film company of the time. Over the next few years, films that were released reached mediocre success until the release of Do Ansoo
Do Ansoo
Do Ansoo, released in Pakistan on 7 April 1950, is the first film to attain a silver jubilee status.Lahore-based productions established audience patronage in local theatres as Do Ansoo attained a 25-week viewing after being released on 7 April 1950, rending it the first ever film to attain a...
on 7 April 1950
Pakistani films of 1950
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1950 and in the Urdu language:-External links:*...
. Do Ansoo became the first film to attain a 25-week viewing making it the first film to reach silver jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
status.
Recovery was evident with Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan
Noorjehan or Noorjehan was the adopted stage name for Allah Wasai who was a legendary singer and actress in British India and Pakistan. Her career spanned seven decades...
's directorial debut Chanwey releasing on 29 April 1951
Pakistani films of 1951
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1951 and in the Urdu language:-1951:-External links:*...
. The film became the first film to be directed by a female director. Syed Faqir ahmad Shah produced his first production 1952 The "Jagga Daku" Saqlain Rizvi was the Director, the film could not get much appreciation due to violence shown in it. As cinema viewership increased, Sassi released on 3 June 1954
Pakistani films of 1954
A list of films produced in Pakistan in 1954 and in the Urdu language:-1954:-External links:*...
reached golden jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
status staying on screens for 50-weeks. Legendary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi, SI, PP was a versatile Pakistani playback singer who worked in film music and was "an important contributor to the Golden Age of Pakistani film music." Rushdi is acclaimed as one of the greatest singers ever lived in south asia and was a natural baritone, yet could sing high tenor...
started his career in April 1955 after singing his first song in Pakistan "Bander Road Se Kemari".Umar Marvi released on 12 March 1956
Pakistani films of 1956
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1956 and in the Urdu language:-1956:-External links:*...
became the first ever Pakistani film made in the Sindhi language
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
. To celebrate the success of these endeavours, f ilm journalist Ilyas Rashidi launched an annual awarding event on July 17, 1958. Named Nigar Awards
Nigar Awards
The Nigar Awards, the official awards of Pakistani film industry, are the oldest awards to honour the show business personalities of Pakistan. The awards were first introduced in 1958 by Ilyas Rasheedi, the editor of weekly Nigar magazine, with a purpose to recognize the achievements of those who...
, the event is since then considered Pakistan's premier awarding event celebrating outstanding performance in various categories of filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
.
Golden age under President Ayub Khan (1959–1969)
The '60s decade is often cited as being the golden age of cinema in Pakistan. Many A-stars were introduced in this period in time and became legends on the silver screen
Silver screen
A silver screen, also known as a silver lenticular screen, is a type of projection screen that was popular in the early years of the motion picture industry and passed into popular usage as a metonym for the cinema industry...
. As black-and-white became obsolete, Pakistan saw the introduction of first colour films. Some that share the status of being firsts are Munshi Dil's Azra
Azra
Azra was a rock band from Zagreb that was popular across Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak and Boris Leiner . The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine...
in early 1960s, Zahir Raihan
Zahir Raihan
Zahir Raihan was a Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker. He is perhaps best known for his documentary Stop Genocide made during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He disappeared on December 30, 1972 trying to locate his brother, the famous writer Shahidullah Kaiser, who was captured and killed by...
's Sangam (first full-length coloured film) released on 23 April 1964
Pakistani films of 1964
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1964 and in the Urdu language:-1964:-External links:*...
, and Mala (first coloured cinemascope film).
Although it seemed that the industry had stabilised to a certain extent, the relations between the two neighbouring countries were not. On 26 May 1961
Pakistani films of 1961
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1961 and in the Urdu language:-1961:-External links:*...
, Kay Productions released a film titled Bombay Wallah, which did not came under scrutiny from the censor board for having a name that represented a city in India in the wake of the growing tension between the region. Later, the censor board was blamed for irresponsibility. It was the first time that a Pakistani film explored the realms of politics, but it would not be the last. In 1962, film Shaheed aka Martyr
Shahid
Shahid is an Arabic word meaning "witness". It is a religious term in Islam, meaning both "witness" and "martyr." While a martyr may die as a consequence of fighting, a shahid is a "witness" because he gives his life out of passion for truth. The shahid exchanges himself for the divine and thereby...
, pronounced the Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
issue on the silver screen and became an instant hit. With the changing tide in the attitude of filmmakers, actress Mussarat Nazir who had reigned the industry for a while left for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and settled with her family. Her much anticipated film Bahadur
Bahadur
Bahadur * Banda Singh Bahadur , a Sikh warrior and martyr* Coote Bahadur was a name given the Irish soldier Sir Eyre Coote by his troops* Bahadoor , a comedic actor in Malayalam-language films...
was left unfinished and never released giving alternative films like Syed Kamal
Syed Kamal
Syed Kamal was a Pakistani film and TV actor.Kamal was a popular film star of in the 1960s and the 1970s. Kamal, whose film Tauba became a success, has a striking resemblance with the Indian filmstar Raj Kapoor, and he is not evasive about this issue...
's debutant acting role in film Tauba to be admired and fill the void.
In September 1965, following an armed conflict between India and Pakistan, all Indian films were taken off the screen from cinemas in Pakistan and a complete ban was imposed on the Indian films. The ban existed since 1952 in West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
and since 1962 in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
(now Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
), but was exercised rigorously after the conflict. Pakistani cinemas did not suffer much from the decision to remove the films and instead received better viewership for their films. Realising the potential, Waheed Murad
Waheed Murad
Waheed Murad was a legendary Pakistani film actor, producer and script writer. Waheed is considered to be one of the most famous and influential actors of subcontinent. Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, he was the only child of well-off film distributor Mr. Nisar Murad. He got early education from...
stepped into the industry. His persona led people to call him the chocolate hero and in essence, he became the Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
of Pakistan.
In 1966, film Armaan
Armaan (1966 film)
Armaan is a Pakistani black-and-white film produced by Waheed Murad and directed by Pervaiz Malik. It was the first Pakistani film to complete 75 weeks in cinemas and, thus, became the first Pakistani "Platinum Jubilee" film...
was released and became one of the most cherished accomplishments of the industry. The film is said to have given birth to Pakistani pop music
Pakistani pop music
Pakistani pop music refers to popular music forms in Pakistan. Pakistani pop is a mixture of traditional Pakistani classical music and western influences of jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop and disco sung in various languages of Pakistan, including Urdu language...
introducing playback singing legends – composer Sohail Rana
Sohail Rana
Sohail Rana is a Pakistani music composer for films. He was introduced by actor Waheed Murad in Pakistan film industry and gained popularity when singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in such films like Arman and Doraha. He is now based in Canada.-Early Life and career:Sohail Rana was born in...
and singer Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi, SI, PP was a versatile Pakistani playback singer who worked in film music and was "an important contributor to the Golden Age of Pakistani film music." Rushdi is acclaimed as one of the greatest singers ever lived in south asia and was a natural baritone, yet could sing high tenor...
. The film became the first to complete 75-weeks screenings at cinema houses throughout the country attaining a platinum jubilee
Platinum Jubilee
A Platinum Jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary:* 70th in Commonwealth realms usage. For example, on 6 February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II could celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and rest of the Commonwealth realms. She would...
. Another rising star Nazeer Beg with th stage-name Nadeem
Nadeem
Nadeem is a masculine given name. It has the meaning "friend", "close companion", or "confidant"...
received instant success with his debut film Chakori in 1967. The same year, he would act in another film of a different genre altogether. Horror films were introduced with the release of Zinda Laash
Zinda Laash
Zinda Laash is a 1967 Pakistani Urdu feature film, directed by Khwaja Sarfraz. Its produced by Abdul Baqi, a Lollywood film starring by Asad Bukhari , Habib , Deeba , Rehan , Nasreen .Zinda Laash is also known as Dracula in Pakistan and The Living Corpse...
aka The Living Corpse making it the first film to display an R rating
Motion picture rating system
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content...
tag on its posters.
Meanwhile Eastern Films Magazine, a tabloid edited by Said Haroon, became the most popular magazine for film buffs in Pakistan. The magazine had a questions and answers section titled "Yours Impishly" which the sub-editor Asif Noorani
Asif Noorani
Asif Noorani is a Pakistani newspaper and television writer. He belongs to a Memon family migrated from Bombay, British India in 1950....
took inspiration for from I. S. Johar
I. S. Johar
Inderjeet s Johar , better known as I. S. Johar, was an Indian actor, writer, producer and director.-Early life:...
's page in India's Filmfare
Filmfare
Filmfare is an English-language tabloid-sized magazine about Indian cinema. Published by The Times Group, India's largest media services conglomerate, in Mumbai , it highlights the doings of the Bollywood film scene...
magazine. Tabloid like these got their first controversial covers with the release of Neela Parbat
Neela Parbat
Neela Parbat is a 1969 Pakistani Urdu film directed by Ahmad Bashir. It was Pakistan's one of earliest experimental feature films....
on 3 January 1969
Pakistani films of 1969
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1969 and in the Urdu language:-1969:-External links:*...
, which became Pakistan's first feature-film with an adults-only tag. The film ran for only three-to-four days at the box office.
More controversial yet would be the offering of distribution rights in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
to the Palestinian guerrilla organisation, Al Fatah by the writer, producer, and director Riaz Shahid for his film Zarqa
Zarqa
Az-Zarqāʔ is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman. With a population of more than one million 1000,000. It is the country's second largest city after Amman. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate . Its name means "the blue one".- Overview :Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre, home...
released on 17 October 1969
Pakistani films of 1969
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1969 and in the Urdu language:-1969:-External links:*...
. The film depicted the activities of the organisation.
Age of the VCR (1970–1977)
Following the Bangladesh SeparationBangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, Pakistani film industry lost its Dacca
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
wing and number of cinema decreased rapidly. This caused brain drain. Veterans like Runa Laila
Runa Laila
Runa Laila is a singer of the Indian subcontinent who is from Bangladesh. She started her career from Pakistan film industry and is effective in Ghazals also. She made a hit pair with famous singer Ahmed Rushdi after replacing Mala. She also has done numerous playbacks for movies in Bangladesh,...
departed for Bangladesh.
Amidst concerns of a collapse, the film Dosti, released on 7 February 1971
Pakistani films of 1971
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1971 and in the Urdu language:-1971:-External links:*...
, turned out to be the first indigenous Urdu film to complete 101 weeks of success at the box office dubbing it the first recipient of a diamond jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
, however it is reported that the first diamond jubilee status was celebrated by the Punjabi film Yakke Wali in 1957.
As political uncertainty took charge of the entertainment industry, filmmakers were asked to consider socio-political impacts of their films as evident by the fact that the makers of Tehzeeb
Tehzeeb
Tehzeeb may refer to*Tehzeeb from Pakistan*Tehzeeb from India...
, released on 20 November 1971
Pakistani films of 1971
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1971 and in the Urdu language:-1971:-External links:*...
, were asked to change the lyrics with a reference to ‘Misr’, Urdu for Egypt, that might prove detrimental to diplomatic relations of Eygypt and Pakistan. So vulnerable was the film industry to the changing political landscape that in 1976, an angry mob set fire to cinema in Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
just before the release of the first Balochi
Balochi language
Balochi is a Northwestern Iranian language. It is the principal language of the Baloch of Balochistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. It is also spoken as a second language by some Brahui. It is designated as one of nine official languages of Pakistan.-Vowels:The Balochi vowel...
film, Hamalo Mah Gunj, which was to be filmed in the same cinema.
The mid-1970s saw the introduction of video cassette recorders in Pakistan and instantly films from all over the world were copied onto tape, and attendance at cinemas decreased when people preferred to watch films in the comfort of their homes. This ushered the birth of the film piracy industry films began to be copied on tapes on the day they premiered in cinemas.
Javed Jabbar's Beyond the Last Mountain
Beyond the Last Mountain
Beyond the Last Mountain is a Pakistani English language film directed and written by Javed Jabbar. Pakistan’s first and only English language film, which was shown at the first Bombay International Film Festival in 1976...
, released on 2 December 1976
Pakistani films of 1976
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1976 and in the Urdu language:-1976:-External links:*...
, was Pakistan’s first venture into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
film-making. The film's Urdu version Musafir
Beyond the Last Mountain
Beyond the Last Mountain is a Pakistani English language film directed and written by Javed Jabbar. Pakistan’s first and only English language film, which was shown at the first Bombay International Film Festival in 1976...
did not do well at the box-office. While the industry was revolutionising, Pakistan's government was in a state of turmoil. Aina
Aina (film)
Aina, also known as The Mirror, is a 1977 Pakistani film directed by Nazr-ul-Islam. Singers are Nayyara Noor, Mehnaz and Alamgir. The film starred Shabnam and Nadeem in the lead roles and holds the distinction for being the longest running Pakistani film on record.-Plot:Aina is a love story of...
, released on 18 March 1977
Pakistani films of 1977
A list films produced in Pakistan in 1977 and in the Urdu language:-1977:-External links:*...
, marked a distinct symbolic break between the so called liberal Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
years and the increasingly conservative cum revolutionary Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
regime. The film stayed in cinemas for over 400 weeks at the box office, with its last screening at 'Scala' in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
where it ran for more than four years. It is considered the most popular film in the country's history to date.
President Zia-ul-Haq's Islamisation, Gandasa culture and the downfall (1979–1987)
Following Muhammad Zia-ul-HaqMuhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
's military coup, he began to Islamicise the country and one of the very first victims of this socio-political change included the film industry. Imposition of new registration laws for film producers requiring filmmakers to be degree holders, where not many were, led to a steep decline in the workings of the industry. The government forcibly closed most of the cinemas in Lahore. New tax rates were introduced, further decreasing cinema attendances.
Films dropped from a total output of 98 films in 1979, of which 42 were in Urdu, to only 58 films (26 in Urdu) in 1980. The filmmakers that remained employed flaccid storylines to present Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
cult classics like Maula Jatt
Maula Jatt
Maula Jatt is one of the most popular films in the history of Pakistani cinema.It is a Punjabi film starring actor Sultan Rahi in the lead role and with Aasia and Mustafa Qureshi as the villain Noori Natt....
in 1979, telling the story of a gandasa
Gandasa
A Gandasa is a Punjabi implement primarily used in cultivation and farming. It consists of a long stick of wood with a wide blade attached to one end...
-carrying protagonist waging a blood-feud with a local gangster. Growing censorship policies against displays of affection, rather than violence, came as a blow to the industry and as a result violence-ridden Punjabi films prevailed and overshadowed the Urdu cinema. The middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
neglected the 'increasingly dilapidated and rowdy cinemas'. This film sub-culture came to be known as the ‘gandasa culture’ in the local industry.
Where veterans of this culture Sultan Rahi
Sultan Rahi
Sultan Muhammad , popularly known as Sultan Rahi, in a Muslim family of Saharanpur, was a notable Pakistani film actor who was prominent in Pakistan in Punjabi films during the 1970s and 1980s. He was mostly popular among people in Punjab, Pakistan and among Sikh and Punjabi community of India...
and Anjuman, became iconic figure in the Punjabi films, Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
cinema took on a contrasting façade. Backed by powerful politicians, Pashto filmmakers were able to get around the censor policies and filled their films with soft-core pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
to increase viewership. This threw away the romantic and loveable image of Pakistani cinema and less people were attracted to the prospect of going to a cinema. Being a female actor associated with film productions became an understandable taboo. Nevertheless influx of refugees from across the Afghan border, who were denied the entertainment in their country, kept the industry strongly active.
When it seemed the industry could not be further deteriorated, following years saw yet another blow to the fatal collapse. Waheed Murad, oft termed the chocolate hero died in 1983 due to alcohol abuse and stomach cancer, some however say he committed suicide. Media attributes the film star's death to his disheartened view in the wake of Pakistani cinema's collapse. Director of his unfinished film Hero, employed cheat shots to complete the last of this legend's memorable films to a packed audience. This enthusiasm soon disappeared and not even Pakistan's first science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film Shaani
Shaani
"Shanee" is a 1989 Pakistani film starring Babra Sharif, Sheri Malik and Ghulam Mohiuddin and directed by Saeed Rizvi. The film was known for its special effects which were first used in Pakistan.-Summary:...
in 1987, directed by Saeed Rizvi
Saeed Rizvi
- About Him :He was born on March 8, 1944 and is the second eldest son of Rafique Rizvi and later married Shareen Rizvi. Known for making sci-fi films in Pakistan, he is also chairman of Pakistan's Film Producers Association. He made the first special effects film in 1989 for Pakistan...
employing elaborate special effects could save the industry from failing. The sci-fi film received an award at the Moscow Film Festival and even in Egypt and Korea, but sadly was shelved in its country of origin.
Collapse (1988–2002)
At the starts of the 1990s, Pakistan's film industry was gripped with certain doom. Of the several studios only 11 were operational in the '70s and '80s producing around 100 films annually. This number would lower further as studio went towards producing short-plays and television commercials and let the industry astray in the wake of cable television. By the early '90s, the annual output dropped to around 40 films, all produced by a single studio. Other productions would be independent of any studio usually financed by the filmmakers themselves.The local industry succeeded to gain audience attention however in the mid- and late-1990s. With Syed Noor
Syed Noor
Syed Noor is a Pakistani film director based in Lahore. He is considered as one of the best filmmaker of Pakistan and is famous for making issue-based films wrapped in entertainment...
's Jeeva
Jeeva (film)
Jeeva is an Urdu film directed by Syed Noor. It introduced Babar Ali and Resham into Lollywood and turned them into stars. The film was also acclaimed at the foreign festivals where it was screened....
and Samina Peerzada
Samina Peerzada
Samina Peerzada is a Pakistani television, film actress, and a director who has appeared in numerous films and television serials.-Early life:...
's Inteha, it seemed the cinema of Pakistan was headed towards a much needed revival but naught attendance recorded at the box-office for later ventures ushered a complete and utter collapse of the industry. Notable productions of the time include Deewane Tere Pyar Ke
Deewane Tere Pyar Ke
Deewane Tere Pyaar Key is an Urdu film which was released in March 1997. It was directed by Syed Noor and produced by Evernew Studios....
, Mujhe Chand Chahiye
Mujhe Chand Chahiye
Mujhe Chand Chahiye is a Pakistani Urdu film which was released in March 2000 in Pakistan. The film was Shaan's second directorial venture, and was met with a huge response at the box office. Stars included Moammar Rana, Atiqa Odho, Javed Sheikh and Reema...
, Sangam
Sangam (1997 film)
Sangam is a Pakistani feature film in Urdu released in 1997, directed by Syed Noor starring Resham, Shaan, Salim Sheikh and Sana. It was a comeback movie for filmstar Shaan, and the first credited movie for actresses Resham and Sana...
, Tere Pyar Mein
Tere Pyar Mein
Tere Pyar Mein is a Pakistani film which was released in December 2000. It launched the career of Zara Sheikh in Lollywood.-Plot:...
, and Ghar Kab Aao Gay
Ghar Kab Aao Gay
Ghar Kab Ao Gey is Pakistani Urdu language film directed by Iqbal Kashmiri which was released across theaters in Pakistan in Eid-ul-Fittar January 9, 2000.-Cast:* Saima* Shaan* Sana* Meera* Javed Sheikh* Zeeshan...
, which tried hard to get away from the formulaic and violent storylines but were not accepted fully amongst the lower middle class
Lower middle class
In developed nations across the world, the lower middle class is a sub-division of the greater middle class. Universally the term refers to the group of middle class households or individuals who have not attained the status of the upper middle class associated with the higher realms of the middle...
cinema audience.
Controversy raged over the filming of Jinnah
Jinnah (film)
- Awards :Jinnah received the Silver Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in 1999.- Reviews :* * * * * - External links :* *...
in the late 1990s, a film produced by Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed
Akbar S. Ahmed
Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, or Akbar Ahmed, is currently the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University in Washington, D.C., the First Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the...
and directed by Jamil Dehlavi
Jamil Dehlavi
Jamil Dehlavi is British film director/producer. He was born in Calcutta, India to an Indian father and French mother.-Filmography:* 1973 Guitarist* 1976 Towers of Silence* 1980 The Blood of Hussain* 1986 Born of Fire...
. Objections were raised over the choice of actor Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
as the protagonist depicting Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
and inclusion of Indian Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...
as archangel Gabriel in the cast combined with the experimental nature of the script. Imran Aslam, editor of The News International
The News International
The News International , published in tabloid size, is the largest English language newspaper in Pakistan. The News has an ABC certified circulation of 140,000. It is published from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad...
, said the author wrote the script in a ‘haze of hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
’. Of all the controversies and hearsay, the film proved a point that Indian and Pakistani filmmakers and actors can collaborate together on any such cinematic ventures without the ban being lifted. Later years would see more actors travels traveling in and across the border on further cross-border ventures.
Late '80s had seen the death of Murad and towards 1989, Anjuman got married to Mobeen Malik, quitting from playback signing and finally Sultan Rahi
Sultan Rahi
Sultan Muhammad , popularly known as Sultan Rahi, in a Muslim family of Saharanpur, was a notable Pakistani film actor who was prominent in Pakistan in Punjabi films during the 1970s and 1980s. He was mostly popular among people in Punjab, Pakistan and among Sikh and Punjabi community of India...
was murdered in 1996 as well as the actress Nadira in 1995. The already reeling industry lost viewership not just for its Urdu but Punjabi films following Rahi's death. Director Sangeeta
Sangeeta
Sangeeta is a successful Pakistani film actor and director. Her work includes Society Girl, Tarap and her latest film Gulabo.-Early life:...
attended to her family life and Nazrul Islam died during the time. The industry was pronounced dead by the start of the new millennium. Syed Noor depressed at the sudden decline of cinema gathered investors for what was considered the only Pakistani film to have survived this chaos.
The year 1998 saw the release of Noor's Choorian, a Punjabi film that grossed 180 million rupees
Pakistani rupee
The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...
. Directors realised there was still hope and Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh is a Pakistani actor, director and producer who is involved with Bollywood, Lollywood, and Pollywood films.-Career:Sheikh's first movie as actor was the Lollywood film Dhamaka, released on 14 December 1974. He since acted in over 100 Urdu films from the 1970s through to the early...
's Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa
Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa
Yeh Dil Aap ka Huwa is a 2002 Lollywood Urdu film starring Sana, Moammar Rana and Saleem Sheikh among others. It was directed by Javed Sheikh and ran successfully in theaters across Pakistan...
released in 2002 grossing over 200 million rupees (US $3.4 million) across Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The monetary prospects were then realised fully and for the first time in twelve years, investors starting taking keen interest in Pakistani films.
However, the short period of successes in the industry could not keep the cinemas afloat, and the same industry that at one time produced more than a 100 films annually a decade ago was now reduced to merely 32 per year, in the year 2003, with only one partial success called Larki Panjaban
Larki Panjaban
Larki Punjaban is a 2003 Pakistani film directed by Syed Noor and starring Saima, Shamyl Khan and Babar Ali....
(A Punjabi Girl). In August, 2007, a new film titled Khuda Ke Liye
Khuda Ke Liye
Khuda Kay Liye is a 2007 Pakistani Urdu-language drama film written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor, starring Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Afzal Khan and Hameed Sheikh...
was released. It became popular due to its controversial theme of the current problems faced in Pakistan. It was also released internationally, including in India, where it became the first Pakistani film released after four decades
Revival under President Musharraf (2003–2009)
In early 2003, young filmmakers took on a stance to demonstrate that high quality content could be produced by the local film industry using the limited resources available. Cinema was declining in all major cities of the nation and a need for revival was echoed in the media. With privatisation of television stations in full swing, a new channel FilmaziaFilmazia
Filmazia is a Pakistani Channel and the first channel that broadcasts Pakistani Movies from the Pakistani Movie Industry known as Lollywood.Its sister channel Filmax broadcasts english movies while its other sister channel Film World airs Bollywood films....
was broadcast, primarily to broadcast films and productions made indigenously in the country. It was during this time that Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
, a celebrated Indian director visited Pakistan looking for talent, particularly singers who could lend their voices to his upcoming films in India. His visit to Pakistan was to attend the third Kara Film Festival
Kara Film Festival
The KaraFilm Festival - Karachi International Film Festival is an internationally recognized film festival of Pakistan annually held in Karachi....
, for the screenings of his film Paap
Paap
Paap ) is a 2004 Bollywood film, directed by Pooja Bhatt in her directorial debut, and features John Abraham, Udita Goswami, Gulshan Grover and Mohan Agashe....
in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. Bhatt would later hire Atif Aslam
Atif Aslam
Atif Aslam is a Pakistani pop singer. He is widely recognized in South Asia and has given several hit songs such as Aadat, Woh Lamhe, Tere Bin, Bakhuda Tumhi Ho, Pehli Nazar Mein, Tera Hone Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane Na, Tere Liye. He is one of the most popular South Asian celebrity on Facebook with...
for the soundtrack of his film Zeher
Zeher
Zeher is a 2005 Hindi language Indian film directed by Mohit Suri. It is copy of the Hollywood movie Out of Time starring Denzel Washington and Eva Mendes released in 2003.-Plot:...
and Pakistani actress Meera
Meera (actress)
Meera is a film actress from Pakistan.Meera was born in Haroonabad Bahawalnagar Bahawalnagar. She is grand daughter of Manzoor Shah. Her mother's name is Shafqat. She three siblings – two brother and one sister out of which one brother expired...
to play a lead-role in one of his films.
Later in 2005, industry officials realised that the government needed to lift the ban for the screening of Bollywood films in Pakistan. The issue was voiced by the Film Producers Association (FPA) and the Cinema Owners Association (CAO) of Pakistan after the release of the colourised
Film colorization
Film colorization is any process that adds color to black-and-white, sepia or monochrome moving-picture images. It may be done as a special effect, or to modernize black-and-white films, or to restore color films...
remastering of the 1960 classic Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-E-Azam is a 1960 Indian historical epic film produced under the banner of Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt Ltd, and directed by K. Asif. With its unmatched production, K. Asif's magnum opus took nine years and $3 million to complete this movie. This was when a typical Bollywood film...
. When the government turned down the request, Geo Films, a subsidiary of Geo TV
Geo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
took on itself to invest in upcoming Pakistani directorial ventures and dubbed their efforts “Revival of Pakistani Cinema” and on 20 July 2007
2007 in Pakistan
-December:*December 27, 2007:* The former Prime Minister of Pakistan and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is assassinated during an election rally.*December 8, 2007:...
released Shoaib Mansoor
Shoaib Mansoor
Shoaib Mansoor , PP, SI, is an acclaimed Pakistani film and television producer, director, writer, lyricist and composer.-Career:...
's cinematic directorial début Khuda Ke Liye
Khuda Ke Liye
Khuda Kay Liye is a 2007 Pakistani Urdu-language drama film written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor, starring Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Afzal Khan and Hameed Sheikh...
(In The Name of God). The film would later become the first ever Pakistani film since the imposition of the ban in 1965 to be released simultaneously in India and Pakistan. With its general release in India, the four decade ban was finally lifted. The film was released in more than a 100 cinemas in 20 cities in India.
Unbeknown to the local media scene, a Pakistani horror and gore film was already doing rounds in International film festivals. Another directorial début by director Omar Ali Khan, Zibahkhana
Zibahkhana
Zibahkhana is an Urdu-English slasher film directed by Omar Khan. It premiered at the NatFilm Festival in Denmark and has since been screened at festivals all over the world including Toronto, New York City, London, Neuchatel, Stockholm, Cape Town, Austin, Philadelphia, Cambridge, Puerto Rico,...
aka Hell's Ground premièred at festivals throughout the world gaining repute as the ‘first extreme-horror gore flick’ and received accolade wherever it screened. The film ushered a revival in the horror genre for Pakistani films. The film would also be the first Pakistani film shot on HD
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
. Where the horror genre seems to have been reincarnated in the industry, Freedom Sound, a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film would use the computer-generated special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s for the first time since 1989's Shaani
Shaani
"Shanee" is a 1989 Pakistani film starring Babra Sharif, Sheri Malik and Ghulam Mohiuddin and directed by Saeed Rizvi. The film was known for its special effects which were first used in Pakistan.-Summary:...
. The recent successes of issue-centered Pakistani films such has Khuda Ke Liye prompted director Mehreen Jabbar
Mehreen Jabbar
Mehreen Jabbar , is a noted Pakistani film-maker and television director/producer. Mehreen is the daughter of well known media-person and businessman Javed Jabbar, she was born in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan....
to come forth with her instalment with the release of Ramchand Pakistani
Ramchand Pakistani
Ramchand Pakistani is a Pakistani Urdu film that tells a true story about a boy who inadvertently crosses the border between Pakistan and India and the following ordeal that his family has to go through.-Synopsis:...
which will mark the first true efforts of international collaboration towards the revival of cinema in Pakistan.
Future (2009-present)
Despite some optimism of a solid revival at the turn of the millennium, progress continues to be slow.Next up are filmstar Reema Khan's directorial project based on Paulo Coehlo's Veronica Decides to Die, filmstar Shan's directorial project " Chup" introducing model Juggun Kazim to the silver screen, Syed Noor's " Price of Honor" based reportedly on the Mukhtara Mai Rape incident,Syed Noor and his wife Saima are also working on a comedy "Wohti le ke Jani Hai" after the recorded breaking success of 'Majajan'. Khamaj fame Music Video director Safdar Malik's Directorial debut "Ajnabi Sheher mein" starring Nadeem, Samina Peerzada, Ali Zafar and Model Tooba Malik, Shehzad Gul's "Iman" starring Shan and Nirma, Actor Humayun Saeed debut production BALAA with the support of Vishesh Films(Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt) to be directed by Script writer of Indian films 'Woh Lamhe' and 'Raaz the mystery continues' Shagufta Rafique(talks are on with Indian actress Tabu for the title role and Iman Ali and Juggan Kazim in Pakistan), Salman Peerzada's "Zargul" a major festival circuit success might also finally see mainstream release. Shoaib Mansoor is to bring his second film 'Bol' with stars Atif Aslam, Mahira Khan and Juggan Kazim. Also Syed Faisal Bokhari's 'Bhai Log',Shehzad Rafique's second film 'Mene Jeena Tere Naal' with Veena Malik and Adnan Khan. TV Producer Ejaz Bajwa's film directorial debut "Channa Sachi Muchi" starring Babar Ali, Momi Rana and Saima. Indo-Pak-American co production "Virsa" starring Arya Babbar from India and Mehreen Raheal from Pakistan will be releasing in Pakistan and India both after its world premier at the Dallas International Film Festival (the director, Pankaj Batra is Indian). Iqbal Kashmiri's second film 'Devdas' remake of Indian film, Devdas, and Bengali novel, starring Zara Sheikh, Meera and Nadeem Shah. Son of Pakistan
Son of Pakistan
-External links:*...
based on terrorism in Pakistan. Written, directed and produced by Jarar Rizvi. The film features Shamyl Khan, Sana Nawaz and Meera
Meera
Meerabai was an aristocratic Hindu mystical singer and devotee of Lord Krishna from Rajasthan and one of the most significant figures of the Sant tradition of the Vaishnava bhakti movement...
in lead roles. Aamir Zafar, an filmmaking student, debut as director with film Victim which features Humayun Saeed
Humayun Saeed
Humayun Saeed is a Pakistani actor, model and producer.-Family:Saeed, who hails from a family of wrestlers from Punjab, has four younger brothers, Babar, Amir, Adnan and Salman...
and Irtiza Ruhab in lead roles. Syed Faisal Bukhari's second film "Saltanat" featuring Lollywood debut Mona Laizza who also does an item number, Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh is a Pakistani actor, director and producer who is involved with Bollywood, Lollywood, and Pollywood films.-Career:Sheikh's first movie as actor was the Lollywood film Dhamaka, released on 14 December 1974. He since acted in over 100 Urdu films from the 1970s through to the early...
and Ahsan Khan
Ahsan Khan
Ahsan Mohomed Khan was an Indian field hockey player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he was a member of the Indian field hockey team, which won the gold medal. He played one match as a halfback....
. Shaan Shahid's second film, script by Mashal Peezada featuring Vaneeza Ahmed and Natasha
Natasha
Natasha is a Russian female given name, originally a pet name of Natalia, which in turn derives from the Latin Dies Natalies, meaning "Natal Day" or "Birthday" in reference to the traditional birth of Jesus...
.
Decline of cinema theatres
Since 1995, the government of Pakistan has kept a close eye on the decrease of cinema halls and theatres in the country. Below is a chronological index of cinemas in Pakistan from 1995 to 2002. The country boasted 750 cinema theatres in 1990 (even more before then), but that number had declined to 175 by 2002. The remaining cinemas are reported to be in very poor condition, and in desperate need of attention. Numbers below do not include cinemas in Azad KashmirAzad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...
and the Northern Areas
Northern Areas
Gilgit-Baltistan , is the northernmost political entity within Pakistan. It borders Pakistan's Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province to the west, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, China to the east and northeast, Azad Kashmir to the southwest, and Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to the...
.
| Province/Division/District | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khyber Pakthunkhwa | ||||||||
| Peshawar District Peshawar District Peshawar is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Until divisions were abolished as part of local government reforms in 2000 it was part of Peshawar Division. The city of Peshawar, as well as being the provincial capital, is the capital of the district... |
17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Mardan District Mardan District Mardan is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The city of Mardan is the headquarters of the district. The district also contains the famous archaeological site of Takht Bhai, Jamal Ghari and Sawal Dher.-Administration:... |
4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Kohat District Kohat District Kohat is a district of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Kohat city is the capital of the district. It is inhabited by various Pashtun tribes such as Afridi,Khattaks, Bangash and the Orakzaies. The main language of the district is Pashto.... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Dera Ismail Khan District Dera Ismail Khan District Dera Ismail Khan is one of the 24 districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The capital of the district is the town of Dera Ismail Khan... |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Bannu District Bannu District Bannu District is one of the twenty four districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, it is represented in the provincial assembly by four MPAs. The chief city of the district is Bannu. The major industries are cloth weaving and the manufacture of cotton fabrics, machinery, and... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Hazara District Hazara District Hazara District was a district of Peshawar Division in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan until 1976.The Imperial Gazetteer of India described the district as follows..-Khatris and Khokhran:... |
6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Mansehra District Mansehra District Mansehra District is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, an area still unofficially known as the Northwest Frontier. Mansehra district and town are named after Man Singh, a leading general of Mughal Emperor Akbar... |
2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Malakand District Malakand District Malakand District is a district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.The District was formed in 1970 as a Provincially Administered Tribal Area, It had previously been a Tribal Area known as the Malakand Protected Area, part of the Malakand Agency... |
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Baluchistan Balochistan (Pakistan) Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of... |
||||||||
| Quetta District Quetta District Quetta is a district in the north-west of Balochistan province of Pakistan.It was part of Quetta Division until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished. The district is famous for its agriculture produce, most notably fruit orchards but also including apples and grapes. The Hanna Valley is an... |
7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Zhob District Zhob District Zhob is a district in the north west of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Zhob district is a Provincially Administered Tribal Area . Zhob district is subdivided into three subdistricts: Zhob, Kakkar and Sherani. The population of Zhob district is estimated to be over 500,000 in 2005... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sibi District Sibi District Sibi is a district in theBalochistan province of Pakistan. The main mountains range are Zen, Bambore and Dungan. The climatic and topography of Sibi District is quite varied compared to other districts of Balochistan. It is also known as the "Hot spot" of Pakistan where the temperatures in the... |
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Kalat District Kalat District Kalat or Qalat is a district in Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of 26 in that province, and encompasses an area of 6,621 km². The population of the district is estimated to be over 400,000 in 2005. The district is governed from the city of Kalat.... |
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| Makran District Makran Division Makran Division was an administrative division of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government.Disctricts of Makran DivisionGwadarTurbatPanjgoor-See also:*Makran... |
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| Nasirabad District Nasirabad District Nasirabad is a district in the centre-west of Balochistan, Pakistan. Nasirabad’s headquarters are at Dera Murad Jamali. The district was notified in 1974. For three years, from July 1987 to December 1990, it was known as Tamboo district. Tamboo is a small village 40 km west of Dera Murad... |
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| Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the... |
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| Lahore District Lahore District Lahore District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan that contains the city of Lahore, the district and provincial capital. The total area is... |
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| Sialkot District Sialkot District Sialkot District or the District of Sialkot , is one of the districts of the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located in the north-east of the province... |
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| Faisalabad District Faisalabad District Faisalabad District is one of the districts of Punjab province, Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 5,429,547 of which almost 42% were in Faisalabad City.... |
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| Jhang District Jhang District Jhang District is a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Jhang is the district's capital. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district's population was 2.8 million, of which 23 percent lived in urban areas. By 2008, according to estimates, the population had... |
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| Rawalpindi District Rawalpindi District Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished... |
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| Multan District Multan District Multan District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 3,116,851 of which 41.64% were urban. Its capital is the city of Multan.... |
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| Gujranwala District Gujranwala District Gujranwala District is a district in Punjab, Pakistan.- History :The village of Asarur which has been identified as the location of Taki, an ancient town, visited by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang contains immense ruins of Buddhist origin... |
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| Sargodha District Sargodha District Sargodha District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan, the capital of the district is Sargodha. It is an agricultural district, wheat, rice, and sugarcane being its main crops. The Sargodha district and region are also famous for citrus fruit; kino is a newly developed variety... |
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| Bahawalpur District Bahawalpur District Bahawalpur District is one of the districts of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1998 Census of Pakistan it had a population of 2,433,091 of which 27.01% were urban Bahawalpur district covers 24,830 km². Approximately two-thirds of the district is covered by the Cholistan Desert, which... |
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| Dera Ghazi Khan District Dera Ghazi Khan District Dera Ghazi Khan is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The district covers an area of 5,306 m² and it is a long narrow strip of country, 198 m... |
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| Sindh Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... |
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| Karachi District Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... |
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| Hyderabad District Hyderabad District (Pakistan) Hyderābād District , is a district of Sindh, Pakistan. It used to be an administrative division of the Sindh namely the Hyderabad Division, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government. Its capital is the city of Hyderabad. The Kirthar National Park is located in Hyderabad... |
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| Sukkur District Sukkur District Sukkur district is a district in Sindh Province in Pakistan. It is divided into 4 administrative strata , namely; Sukkur City, Rohri, Saleh Pat and Pano Aqil. Among them Sukkur city and new Sukkur are urban centre while Pano Aqil is famous for having one of largest military cantonment of the country... |
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| Larkana District Larkana District Larkana or Larkano is a district of Sindh province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, it had a population of 1,927,066 of which 28.70% were urban. Its main city is Larkana... |
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| Mirpur Khas District Mirpur Khas District Mirpur Khas District is one of the districts in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, it had a population of 1,569,030 of which 18.60%-Administration:* Digri* Kot Ghulam Muhammad* Mirpurkhas... |
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| Islamabad Capital Territory Islamabad Capital Territory The Islamabad Capital Territory is one of the two federal territories of Pakistan. It includes Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, and covers an area of 1,165.5 km² of which 906 km² is Islamabad proper... |
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| Islamabad District Islamabad Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011... |
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Pakistan's First Cineplex
As a city, KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
began to grow at a fast pace in the late 60's, and the price of the property shot up significantly. At the peak of Pakistani cinema industry in the mid 1970s, Karachi alone had more than 100 cinema halls and more than 200 films were produced and released each year. Now, fewer than ten of these houses remain. The same happened a little later in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
as well. This caused the film industry to lose a lot of revenue, making the industry even less attractive for investment. Many professional financiers left the cinema industry of Pakistan.
The Universal Multiplex in Karachi opened in 2002. The future viability of film-making business in Pakistan is evidenced by the fact that now many global companies are interested in investing in the theater business in the country. Cinepax
Cinepax
Cinepax is a cineplex company based in Pakistan. Cinepax Ltd is Pakistan’s first dedicated Cineplex Company, they have Pakistan’s first premier movie exhibition center at Jinnah Park Rawalpindi equipped with 5 screens Multiplex Cinema, Tribal Gaming Lounge and a Snooker Club.-The cinemas:Cinepax is...
is the first dedicated cineplex
Cineplex
-Specific multiplex groups:*Cineplex Entertainment, Canada*Cineplex Odeon Corporation, Canada*Loews Cineplex Entertainment, United States*MegaStar Cineplex, Vietnam*Cineplex Australia...
company in Pakistan. They are building the country’s first nationally branded cineplex chain. The firm says that it is dedicated to introduce a world-class, film-going experience to the people of Pakistan by building state of the art film theaters in the urban areas. Cinepax will have multiple cinemas in each location and is committed to screening premium content in a family-friendly environment. Eventually, they intend to bring families back into the theaters by providing a quality experience, and assert that the multiplex culture can only help.
Cinepax is targeting the larger cities of Pakistan: Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
, Gujranwala
Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, and Hyderabad. Cinepax’s has an initial five-year build-out plan for the development of 120 screens.
Cinepax screens Hollywood
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
films within a month of their international release dates. Cinepax will also screen the best of international and Pakistani cinema. Before the first cineplex opening, Cineplex’s sister distribution company will screen Hollywood content in the existing cinemas around Pakistan.
Pakistani actors and actresses
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Ghulam Mohiuddin Ghulam Mohiuddin is a Pakistani actor of Urdu and Punjabi films. His first film Mera naam hai mohabbat released in 1975, was a blockbuster in Pakistan and China. The film was inspired by a Chinese folk story. The opposite actress was Babra Sharif, whose this movie was the first as heroine... Sajid Hasan Sajid Hasan Urdu: ساجد حسن is a well known actor from Pakistan. He started off as a theater personality and then moved to television. Sajid Hasan's first major drama series was Khalij. He became more recognized from his involvement in the play Dhoop Kinare in which he played a comedic role. He has... Naeem Hashmi Naeem Hashmi was a famous actor, writer, poet, producer, and director in Pakistan. He was famous for his roles as a villain in the late 1940s and 1950s, but he later took character roles in over 100 films. His naats, or praises said for the Islamic prophet Muhammad also earned him much fame... Husna Husna was a Pakistani film actress in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She was first introduced as a child star in Jan-e-Bahar and played the role as the daughter of Sudhir and Muzarrat Nazir. Husna never became a top heroine and mainly played the side-heroine or vamp roles in Urdu and Punjabi... Ilyas Kashmiri Ilyas Kashmiri was a Pakistani film actor.Born in Muhalla Dara Shikoh, near Rewali Cinema, in Lahore, Punjab, British India, he started his film career from Bombay. In Bombay, the first film in which he appeared as a hero was Malika, directed and produced by Nazir... Iman Ali Iman Ali is a Pakistani actress and model.She is the second daughter of television/film actor Abid Ali with his first wife, Humaira Ali. She has two sisters, Maryam and Rahma Ali and both are actresses.... Noor Jehan Noorjehan or Noorjehan was the adopted stage name for Allah Wasai who was a legendary singer and actress in British India and Pakistan. Her career spanned seven decades... Sonya Jehan Sonya Jehan is a French Bollywood actress of Pakistani descent. Jehan's debut film was the big-budget period epic romance Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story in 2005... Jia Ali Jia Ali is a Pakistani model and an actress. Born in 1972. Coming from a Punjabi Christian family, Ali began her career at the age of nineteen when she was discovered while working at a Pakistani salon.... Syed Kamal Syed Kamal was a Pakistani film and TV actor.Kamal was a popular film star of in the 1960s and the 1970s. Kamal, whose film Tauba became a success, has a striking resemblance with the Indian filmstar Raj Kapoor, and he is not evasive about this issue... Shamil Khan Shamil Khan is a film and TV actor from Pakistan. He was introduced in "Larki Punjaban" by Syed Noor. Success of the film helped him gain recognition which earned him immediate offers from TV... Sabiha Khanum Sabiha Khanum is a Pakistani film actress. She was the leading star of Pakistani cinema in the 1950s and the 1960s, and played successful character roles later.... Veena Malik Veena Malik is a Pakistani actress, model and comedienne. Over a span of ten years, she has worked with news channels and in movies, garnering accolades and acclaim for most of her performances. Malik has since established herself as a leading actress of Urdu cinema... |
Meera (actress) Meera is a film actress from Pakistan.Meera was born in Haroonabad Bahawalnagar Bahawalnagar. She is grand daughter of Manzoor Shah. Her mother's name is Shafqat. She three siblings – two brother and one sister out of which one brother expired... Moammar Rana Moammar Rana is an actor from Pakistan's Lahore-based film industry called "Lollywood". Moammar also worked in the blockbuster TV dramas such as Dil, Diya, Dehleez. Moammar is son of former Pakistani cricketer Shafqat Rana.... Mohsin Khan Mohsin Hasan Khan is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 48 Tests and 75 ODIs from 1977 to 1986 mainly as an opening batsman.-Life and Career:... Moin Akhter Moin Akhtar was a Pakistani television, film and stage actor, as well as a humorist, comedian, impersonator, and a host. He was also a play writer, singer, film director and a producer.... Nadeem Nadeem is a masculine given name. It has the meaning "friend", "close companion", or "confidant"... Nargis (Actress) Nargis is a Pakistani film actress and a stage dancer, whose real name is Ghazallah . She was born in Chichawatni. She had the leading role in Idrees Khan’s Aalmi Ghunde , with a script written by Nasir Adeeb... Neeli Neeli is a Pakistani film actress.Neeli acted in both Urdu and Punjabi films. She was born in Hyderabad, Sindh on June 24, 1966. She went to Saint Mary’s Convent where she completed her intermediate in Arts.... Nirala Nirala is a Urdu word, its meaning is 'rare'.Nirala was a Pakistani comedian film star of the 1960s. He only appeared in the urdu films made in Pakistan. His very first film was Aur bhi gham hain... Noman Ijaz - Education :Noman Ijaz started his education at Cathedral High School in Lahore.Later Nauman Ijaz also attended Divisional Public School in Model Town, Lahore with his brother Awais. Then in Forman Christian College and then in University of the Punjab- Career :... Noor (actress) Noor is a Pakistani actress and model. She has mainly appeared in Urdu and Punjabi Lollywood films and several television commercials.-Early life:Noor was born in Lahore, Pakistan... Atiqa Odho Atiqa Odho is a Pakistani television and film actress and television host. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series Sitara aur Mehrunissa and later starred in a string of successful films, including Jo Darr Gya Woh Marr Gya, Mummy and Mujhe Chand Chahiye.-Biography:Odho was born in Karachi,... Samina Peerzada Samina Peerzada is a Pakistani television, film actress, and a director who has appeared in numerous films and television serials.-Early life:... Asha Posley Asha Posley was the first actress in Pakistani films.Asha Posley was the daughter of music composer Inayat Ali Nath and the sister of singer Kausar Perveen. She made her debut as an actress in the Hindi film Champa , filmed, shot and made in India... Sultan Rahi Sultan Muhammad , popularly known as Sultan Rahi, in a Muslim family of Saharanpur, was a notable Pakistani film actor who was prominent in Pakistan in Punjabi films during the 1970s and 1980s. He was mostly popular among people in Punjab, Pakistan and among Sikh and Punjabi community of India... |
Saeed Khan Rangeela Saeed Khan Rangeela was a Pakistani Lollywood actor, singer and director.His birthname was Mohammad Saeed Khan and he was born in Nangarhar, Afghanistan... Rani (actress) Rani was a Pakistani film and television actress. She gained success in late 1960s when she made a hit pair with famous actor and producer Waheed Murad. She remained one of the most successful actresses of subcontinent and was also popular for her dance performances in films... Rasheed Naz Rasheed Naz is a Pakistani film and television actor. He was born in Peshawar, N W F P.In 1971, he started his television career as an actor in Pushto television play. Rasheed Naz work in several Pashtu and Urdu language plays. His first Urdu play was Aik Tha Gaoon . His first popular play was... Rauf Khalid Abdul Rauf Khalid was a Pakistani actor, filmmaker and television writer/director. An ex-serviceman and bureaucrat, he worked in films and television plays after attendin Islamia College, Peshawar.-Career:... Reema Khan Reema Khan, known by her screen name Reema, is a Pakistani Lollywood film actress, director and producer. She has appeared in more than 200 films since making her debut in 1990.-Early life:Reema Khan was born in 1977 in Lahore, Pakistan... Resham Resham is a Pakistani film, television and theater actress based in Lahore. She debuted with Syed Noor's film, Jeeva in 1995 and later went on to star in a string of commercial hits in the late 1990s. She was noted for her performance as the upcoming model in Samina Peerzada's Inteha... Humayun Saeed Humayun Saeed is a Pakistani actor, model and producer.-Family:Saeed, who hails from a family of wrestlers from Punjab, has four younger brothers, Babar, Amir, Adnan and Salman... Saima Saima is a Pakistani actress from Multan, who appears in Punjabi and Urdu films.Saima's debut movie was Griban in 1987, as a supporting actress. Her second film was Khatarnaak directed by Akram Khan. She was cast for the main lead in it and released in 1990. She was discovered at the time when... Sajjad Ali Sajjad Ali is a Pakistani semi-classical, pop singer, film actor, director and producer. He is trained in classical singing.- Early life and education :... Saleem Sheikh Saleem Sheikh is a famous Pakistani film and television actor. As a child he first appeared in PTV Drama Shama in 1976, where he played only one scene as young Javed Sheikh, who is his real brother. He is brother-in-law of television actor Behroze Sabzwari... Salim Nasir Saleem Nasir was a Pakistani film and TV actor. He was born in Nagpur, India, with his experience in film and television acting, he developed mastery in artistic skills and built a career on based on his versatile... Salman Shahid Salman Shahid is an actor who has worked in many stage plays and tv shows. He recently appeared in the Bollywood film Ishqiya. The actor for many years has given Pakistan great comedy shows. His mother Khursheed Shahid was also a well known tv artist while his father Salim Shahid created programs... Sana (Lollywood) Sana Nawaz , often credited as Sana , is a Pakistani film actress and model. She has achieved particular success since the late 1990s. She was introduced to the Lollywood film industry by director Syed Noor in his film Sangam in 1997.-Acting career:Sana started her career as television actress... Sangeeta Sangeeta is a successful Pakistani film actor and director. Her work includes Society Girl, Tarap and her latest film Gulabo.-Early life:... |
Santosh Kumar Syed Musa Raza better known as Santosh Kumar was a famous Pakistani film actor of 1950s and 1960s era. He belonged to a well educated family from Uttar Pradesh, India. He was married to Sabiha Khanum. His brother Darpan was also a renowned film actor during that period. His other brother S... Saud (actor) Saud is a Pakistani film actor. He was born in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.Saud started his career with Pervez Kaleem's film Gunnah in 1993. He was later cast by Syed Noor for his blockbuster film Hawain. Saud has worked in more than 150 movies... Shaan (Actor) Shaan is a Pakistani actor, writer and director. Upon making his debut in Javed Fazil's Bulandi alongside Reema Khan, Shaan has acted in numerous commercially successful films and has established himself as one of the leading actors of Pakistan.- Family and early life :Armaghan Shahid was born... Shabnam Shabnam from the word meaning dew drops on the flowers) is a Pakistani stage and film actress of Pakistan. Shabnam was active in the Pakistani film industry, Lollywood in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and in the Bangladeshi film industry in the 1990s... Shafi Muhammad Shah Shafi Muhammad Shah PP was a Pakistani film and television actor. Famously known Shahjee was born in Kandiaro, in Naushahro Feroze District, Sindh in 1949.-Family:... Shahid (actor) Shahid Hameed , known as Shahid, is a Pakistani film actor who starred in many films of the 1970s and 1980s. His first film was Aansoo, released in 1971. Shahid worked in more than 150 films. Shahid's last film ZOR was released in 1998.- Career :Shahid entered in the film industry in 1970... Babra Sharif Babra Sharif is an actress in the Pakistani film industry during the 1980s and late 1970s. She started her career in television commercials. She made her presence felt in a 'Jet' washing powder commercial and came to be known as 'Jet' powder girl. Fair-haired, attractive and intelligent, Babra... Javed Sheikh Javed Sheikh is a Pakistani actor, director and producer who is involved with Bollywood, Lollywood, and Pollywood films.-Career:Sheikh's first movie as actor was the Lollywood film Dhamaka, released on 14 December 1974. He since acted in over 100 Urdu films from the 1970s through to the early... Talat Hussain (actor) Talat Hussain , is a Pakistani Film/Television/Stage actor. He was born in Delhi, India, His complete name is Talat Hussain Warsi. He is the son of Altaf Hussain Warsi and Shaista Begum. His family migrated to Pakistan in 1947.Talat Hussain started his career from PTV in 1967. His first television... Talish Agha Talish was a leading character actor of the Pakistani cinema. Talish's real name was Agha Ali Abbas Qazalbash, he was born in Ludhiana, India.... Waheed Murad Waheed Murad was a legendary Pakistani film actor, producer and script writer. Waheed is considered to be one of the most famous and influential actors of subcontinent. Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, he was the only child of well-off film distributor Mr. Nisar Murad. He got early education from... Zara Sheikh Zara Sheikh is a Pakistani model, actress and singer. She began her career through an ad campaign for Mobilink Jazz, working as a full-time model before making her debut on the cinema-screen.... |
Famous playback singers
- Ahmed RushdiAhmed RushdiAhmed Rushdi, SI, PP was a versatile Pakistani playback singer who worked in film music and was "an important contributor to the Golden Age of Pakistani film music." Rushdi is acclaimed as one of the greatest singers ever lived in south asia and was a natural baritone, yet could sing high tenor...
- Akhlaq AhmedAkhlaq AhmedAkhlaq Ahmed was a Pakistani playback singer. He was a member of a famous singing group with two other artists, singer Masood Rana and actor Nadeem. Akhlaq debuted as a singer in the 1973 film, Pazaib...
- A NayyarA NayyarA Nayyar is a Pakistani ghazal/film Singer.He started singing in 1974, beginning his career from film Bahisht. His first film song Yunhin din cut jayen, yuhin shaam dhal jaye... was a duet song with Rubina Badar in film Bahisht , composed by A. Hameed...
- AlamgirAlamgirAlamgir may refer to:*Alamgir I, also known as Aurangzeb, ruler of the Mughal Empire 1658–1707*Alamgir II, ruler of the Mughal Empire 1754–1759*Alamgir Hashmi, English avant-garde poet*Alamgir , a pioneer of pop music in Pakistan...
- Inayat Hussain BhattiInayat Hussain BhattiInayat Hussain Bhatti was a Pakistani singer, actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a protagonist of the development of Punjabi language and literature.- History :...
- Mehdi HassanMehdi HassanMehdi Hassan is a Pakistani ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood. He is famously known as the 'King of ghazal' . He has ruled the Pakistan film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi...
- Masood RanaMasood RanaMasood Rana was a Pakistani playback singer. He began his singing career in 1962 with the film Inqalab and became one of the top male singers in both Urdu and Punjabi films for more than three decades...
- Mujeeb AalamMujeeb AalamMujeeb Aalam was a Pakistani playback singer who had a short film career. His singing style was a mixture of Mehdi Hassan and Ahmad Rushdi's style. He sang dozen of hit songs in late 1960s and remained popular with cinema viewers...
- Atif AslamAtif AslamAtif Aslam is a Pakistani pop singer. He is widely recognized in South Asia and has given several hit songs such as Aadat, Woh Lamhe, Tere Bin, Bakhuda Tumhi Ho, Pehli Nazar Mein, Tera Hone Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane Na, Tere Liye. He is one of the most popular South Asian celebrity on Facebook with...
- Ali ZafarAli ZafarAli Zafar is a Pakistani musician, composer, song writer, singer, actor, painter and model, popular in Pakistan for his music, including his hit songs like "Channo", "Rangeen", "Chal Dil Merey", "Dekha", "Masty" and "Sajania"...
- Saleem RazaSaleem RazaSaleem Raza is a former cricketer. After playing in eight first-class games for his native Lahore City from 1986–87 to 1987–88, Saleem Raza emigrated to the United Arab Emirates, for whom he competed in the 1994 ICC Trophy...
- Waris BaigWaris BaigWaris Baig, is a Pakistani singer. He was born in Lahore, Punjab.Waris Baig started his career as a playback singer from Syed Noor's film Sangam released in 1997...
- Adnan Sami Khan
- Noor JahanNoor JahanNoor Jahan can refer to:*Nur Jehan , Mughal empress*Noor Jehan , Pakistani singer and actress...
- Irene Parveen
- MalaMala (Pakistani singer)Naseem Nazli popularly called Mala was a Pakistani playback singer of Urdu and Punjabi films. In 1960s, Mala had a hit pair with famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and they gave numorous hits to Pakistan film industry. She sung many super hit songs in almost two decades singing career in the...
- Runa LailaRuna LailaRuna Laila is a singer of the Indian subcontinent who is from Bangladesh. She started her career from Pakistan film industry and is effective in Ghazals also. She made a hit pair with famous singer Ahmed Rushdi after replacing Mala. She also has done numerous playbacks for movies in Bangladesh,...
- Naheed AkhtarNaheed AkhtarNaheed Akhtar is a Pakistani playback singer. She was discovered by veteran musician M. Ashraf in the mid-1970s.Naheed Akhtar was a successful replacement for Runa Laila, who left Pakistan the same year. Her debut film was "Nanha Farishta" in 1974 and that year she climbed to the top with super...
- Naseem BegumNaseem BegumNaseem Begum was a popular, and well known Pakistani playback singer. She rose to prominence towards the end of the fifties, and by 1964 had managed to win the prestigious Nigar award on five separate occasions...
- MehnazMehnazMehnaz is a female singer from Pakistan, well-known for her film appearances. She has sung a variety of genres but specializes in ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal, drupad and reciting salam, noha and marsiya. She is the daughter of celebrated sub-continental singer Kajjan Begum...
- Tassawar KhanumTassawar KhanumTassawar Khanum is a Pakistani Ghazal singer. She is most known for singing in Urdu and Punjabi in Pakistani films and television during the 1970s and 1980s. Her most popular songs are perhaps Tu Meri Zindagi Hai and Agar Tum Mil Jao.-Early life:...
- Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanRahat Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanRahat Fateh Ali Khan is a Pakistani musician, and primarily a singer of Qawwali, a devotional music of the Sufis. He is the nephew of the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In addition to Qawwali, he also performs ghazals and other light music...
See also
- Cinema of the world
- Nigar AwardsNigar AwardsThe Nigar Awards, the official awards of Pakistani film industry, are the oldest awards to honour the show business personalities of Pakistan. The awards were first introduced in 1958 by Ilyas Rasheedi, the editor of weekly Nigar magazine, with a purpose to recognize the achievements of those who...
- Pakistan's oldest film awards - Kara Film FestivalKara Film FestivalThe KaraFilm Festival - Karachi International Film Festival is an internationally recognized film festival of Pakistan annually held in Karachi....
- International Film Festival held annually in KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... - Cinema in KarachiCinema in KarachiCinema in Karachi or Kariwood had its golden days in 1960s when some of the prominent film studios were located in Karachi, making films for the viewership of a large and growing working-class population....
- List of Pakistani films
- List of Pakistani film actors
- List of Pakistani film actresses
- List of Pakistani actors
- List of Pakistani actresses
- List of films set in Lahore
- Shahnoor StudiosShahnoor StudiosThe Shahnoor Studios is the studio founded by Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi and his first wife, Noor Jehan. The studio is one of the oldest studios in Lahore....
- One of the oldest film studios in LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
External links
- A Comprehensive Guide on Pakistani Cinema
- News about Lollywood
- The Central Film Censor Board of Pakistan - official site
- Pak Vision (Lollyood Movies)
- Landmarks in Pakistani Cinema
- FILMAZIA - TV Channel showing Lollywood movies
- Images of Lollywood through the ages
- The comeback of urdu cinema...Not
- Pakistan Film Magazine
- Complete website of Laliwood
- Pakistan Film Magazine
- IMDB - A database of Pakistani movies
- IMDB - A database of Urdu language movies
- IMDB - A database of Pashtu language movies
- IMDB - A database of Sindhi language movies
News articles (web based)
- Pakistani Film Industry Fights for Survival, Voice of America---2007
- First modern Pakistani horror movie
- BBC report on Pakistani Cinema 2003
- Pakistan's dilemma - Bollywood or bust? 2005
- Cinema's taboo on partition
- Reema In India
- First multiplex theatre inaugurated in Pakistan
- http://tribune.com.pk/story/28481/tamanna-aims-to-revive-lollywood/ Tamanna aims to revive Lollywood
- http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\05\12\story_12-5-2010_pg9_5/ Tamanna aims to capture Pakistan’s collective human experience