As Pakistan witnessed its first-ever IMAX and a general ascent of multiplexes and single-screen cinemas, one city struggled amid closing movie theatres and a dwindling local film scene.
Peshawar, the breeding ground for what was once the most lucrative regional language film industry after Punjabi cinema, now strives to re-establish a market for Pashto films. Only, this time, Pashto filmmakers are not just making efforts to rekindle the industry but also shift their focus to where they see lies the future of their films – Karachi.
With Karachi being home to a dominant Pashtun population, it seems that this move will augur well for the Pashto film industry. Pashto film producer and actor Shahid Khan feels it is imperative to experiment with diverse cultural concepts to make Pashto films more suitable for audiences in the metropolis. “We cannot limit our films to Pashtun culture as we have to exhibit them in other markets,” he tells The Express Tribune.
Shahid and his brother Arshad Khan, both leading Pashto filmmakers, have often been criticised for distorting Pashtun culture and making violence-packed films, but they have stood their ground and continue to make films they believe in. The duo recently completed two Pashto films, Pakhtun Pa Dubai K (Pakhtun in Dubai) and King Khan. The films are expected to be released by next month. Shahid feels that audiences in Dubai would laud the film, which stars Shahid, Meera, Sobia Khan, Babrik Shah and Jahangir Khan.
In Peshawar, Pakhtun Pa Dubai K will reportedly be released in Arshad Cinema, and King Khan, in Naz Cinema. Cinemas, such as Picture House, Sabrina, Tasweer Mahal, Capital and Shama will have to wait for new Pashto films. On the international front, Shahid states that efforts are being made to “introduce Pashto films to Dubai,” where a large number of Pashtuns reside.
Although Quetta and Kabul have been supplementary markets for Pashto films, the compromised security situation in the cities makes them inadequate to be launch pads for their revival. “We are working day and night to make our films flourish and introduce them to other parts of the country. But the security situation and lack of governmental support have tarnished our efforts,” laments Shahid. The filmmaker shares that militant attacks in Peshawar, with the most recent being the school massacre, have served as obstacles in way of Pashto filmmaking. But that hasn’t deterred them.
Commenting on the overall dearth in new Pashto films, Shahid shares that almost all cinemas across the city have been screening old films, some even dating back to Eidul Azha last year. Cinema owners continued to introduce latest Bollywood and Hollywood films but that didn’t work in their favour, as cinema goers in the city prefer watching Pashto films. Efforts were also made recently to dub Pashto films in Punjabi and vice versa, but to no avail.
“People don’t come to watch the movies,” states Muzaffar Khan, whose 2014 hit film Love Story, which released on Eidul Fitr last year, is still being screened at Picture House. “How can people come to the cinema to watch films when there is bloodshed in the city? Even filmmakers would not wish to make movies in such a situation,” he laments.
Shahid shares that Pashto films are currently being exhibited at seven cinema houses in Karachi and that three cinemas, Afshan, Nasheman and Musarrat, will showcase them regularly. Films are also being released in Rawalpindi. Interestingly, none of the Pashto movies are being screened in Lahore.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2015.
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