Pakistani cinema owners all set to lift self-imposed ban on Indian films

[Tera Gawaandi]

Cinema owners would begin screening Indian films across Pakistan from December 19 (Monday).


“Cinema business has been hit immensely and all stakeholders felt it was the right time to begin screening Indian films. It was always a self imposed suspension, not a ban. So I’ll be releasing Freaky Ali in our cinemas and other cinema owners will follow suit,” said Chairman Film Exhibitors Association Zoraiz Lashari.

“A big media group and film exhibitors/distributors in India are trying to release Dungal in Pakistan. They are testing public sentiments and also the government’s reaction by releasing Freaky Ali at CineStar cinema,” he added.

“We will first test waters with these unreleased films and then begin negotiations with Indian distributors to continue the import of movies into Pakistan,” he added.

Source: Click on Link Tribune.com.pk/

 

[Tera Gawaandi]

This self imposed ban lasted only 2 months.

 

[Slog]

Good decision

Most of our people don't understand English and our own movies are terrible so it's not right to deprive them of cinema in a medium which they can understand.

 

[Tera Gawaandi]

Standard of Pakistani movies have improved by leaps and bounds. But sheer volume is not there.

Locally produced films alone can't sustain Pakistani cinemas.

Iranian and Turkish content is superior in quality but people do not relate to them culturally, watching free Turkish TV serial on cable is one thing, but paying ticket price for an Iranian movie is another. Same with Chinese. Korean/Japanese thrillers are too much for desi audience.

Pakistan film industry has actually benefited after Musharraf lifted ban on Indian movies.

 

[www787]

Good!!

imposing ban on entertainment, sports, and culture is ridiculous and only satisfy weak minded people to satisfy them.

 

[JaDed]

Terrible,the Pakistani citizens should enforce it back or boycott the bollywood movies. Every alternate Pakistan person on forums/social network consistently criticizes bollywood movies ,degrading them.

This will also in turn boost Pakistani cinema and later on we will see even lot of posters and citizens from across border looking down on bollywood.

Pakistan have their own cinema and they can anyhow download bollywood movies illegally so not a biggie,should enforce the ban and keep their movies and Iran/Turkish movies running across theatres.

 

[Hornbill]

Are they doing it to release sharuk's upcoming film, Indian government should investigate his business dealings outside India mainly dubai and reason behind frequent detention at US airports.

 

[Major]

The boycott by the cinema owners were stupid

The bycott would had made sense if the govt had used propaganda to unite the Pakistanis against the Indians. Thus, this would had create more hate for Indians in our hearts and we would had stopped our selves by using their products or services. A patriotic propaganda

But when such a thing does not exist, thus demand for it won't be affected.

Thing is, our own movies are a joke. Our picture quality might have improved, but the acting is terrible over here. Our directors are also terrible. Here we don't know how to act in movies, models and singers become actors and then they lie to themselves as they consider themselves to be big celebrities when they arnt...

English cannot be understood here, thus Bollywood movies is what is needed to help these cinemas survive.

From a business point of view, these people made a bad decision, but its looks like they finely found their brain.

 

[Major]

Terrible,the Pakistani citizens should enforce it back or boycott the bollywood movies. Every alternate Pakistan person on forums/social network consistently criticizes bollywood movies ,degrading them.

This will also in turn boost Pakistani cinema and later on we will see even lot of posters and citizens from across border looking down on bollywood.

Pakistan have their own cinema and they can anyhow download bollywood movies illegally so not a biggie,should enforce the ban and keep their movies and Iran/Turkish movies running across theatres.

Let me point out one thing here.

You cannot generalize or survey a whole population based on Social Networks or forums. If we go based on that then Imran Khan would have majority and be the prime minister

People might act they hate the movies. but in reality they love Indian movies and love to talk about it. The songs that are used in our marriages are all bollywood songs. Those songs itself promote the movies.

Pakistani cinema sucks, the acting is terrible no one wants to watch the crap we produce.

 

[Saeed]

It was a dense decision to follow India's lead and ban them in the first place. Pakistan should stop being emotional about anything Indian and be reasonable.

 

[PakLFC]

Pak movies are improving but you can't expect Lollywood to churn out classics just yet. With the PM being pro-Indian it was just a matter of time before the ban was lifted.

 

[czar]

Pakistanis cannot live without Bollywood and majority of them in the Middle East / Uk / USA / Canada come across as the most Bollywood obsessed Qoum on this planet.

On being told that I am from Mumbai, the common reply from numerous Pakistanis was " Waah, Bhaijaan fir Toh aapne Shah Ruka Khan ka Bangla jarur dekha hoga ". ( As if it's some 8th Wonder of the World )

And nearly every Pashtun either claims to live in proximity to Shah Rukhs ancestral home or he is a distant cousin of the actor. Initially I believed these claims by a couple of guys to be true , but after every 2nd guy started making the same claim I realized that Shah Rukh can't have hundreds of cousins back in Pakistan.

 

[santos11]

Pakistanis cannot live without Bollywood and majority of them in the Middle East / Uk / USA / Canada come across as the most Bollywood obsessed Qoum on this planet.

On being told that I am from Mumbai, the common reply from numerous Pakistanis was " Waah, Bhaijaan fir Toh aapne Shah Ruka Khan ka Bangla jarur dekha hoga ". ( As if it's some 8th Wonder of the World )

And nearly every Pashtun either claims to live in proximity to Shah Rukhs ancestral home or he is a distant cousin of the actor. Initially I believed these claims by a couple of guys to be true , but after every 2nd guy started making the same claim I realized that Shah Rukh can't have hundreds of cousins back in Pakistan.

Agree with that, atleast in the UK i can confirm that there are more Pakistanis than Indians lining up in Cinema houses to catch the latest bollywood flick.

 

[Metron]

Pak movies are improving but you can't expect Lollywood to churn out classics just yet. With the PM being pro-Indian it was just a matter of time before the ban was lifted.

It is said, " Don't take a hostage you are not willing to shoot"
Pakistan cinema bowed down too soon. Ban on Pak artists remain but Pakistani cinema's boycott fizzled out.

 

[PakLFC]

It is said, " Don't take a hostage you are not willing to shoot"
Pakistan cinema bowed down too soon. Ban on Pak artists remain but Pakistani cinema's boycott fizzled out.

The government not cinema bowed out here. NS has again been exposed as being pro-Indian. Padosi has called his bluff!

 

[Metron]

The government not cinema bowed out here. NS has again been exposed as being pro-Indian. Padosi has called his bluff!

I thought the cinemas were private. (I would rather not get into the domestic political affiliations of PPers. Its worse than on this side of the border tbh).

Basic point is that Pakistani cinemas could ill afford to boycott Indian movies. Bollywood does lose out on its second largest market but it can manage.

 

[Tera Gawaandi]

The government not cinema bowed out here. NS has again been exposed as being pro-Indian. Padosi has called his bluff!

Bhai mere Cinemas are private and they have spent Crores to provide you world class facilities, without footfall they will be forced to shut down their operation and suffer huge loss.

Fault lies completely on middle class Pakistanis who have not supported this move, who deserted Cinemas after ban on Indian movies.

Government has no role, demand = supply.

 

[Madplayer]

It wasn't right to ban them to begin with. The hooliganism that some extremist Indian agencies like SS or MNS or VHP do should not be a bench mark for Pakistan.

 

[JaDed]

It wasn't right to ban them to begin with. The hooliganism that some extremist Indian agencies like SS or MNS or VHP do should not be a bench mark for Pakistan.

Don't think Indian movies are released in Kashmir as well(correct me if i'm wrong),if that's the case surely Pakistan can survive without Indian movies considering everyone is a descendant of "Turkish,Iranis,Afghans" according to them etc.

 

[hussain123]

Bhai mere Cinemas are private and they have spent Crores to provide you world class facilities, without footfall they will be forced to shut down their operation and suffer huge loss.

Fault lies completely on middle class Pakistanis who have not supported this move, who deserted Cinemas after ban on Indian movies.

Government has no role, demand = supply.

Supply creates its own demand.maybe had cenima houses been more persistent with the ban,people maybe left with no option but to resort to watching lollywood films.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

It's pretty clear why they are doing it. Dangal will be releasing on 23rd dec and SRK-Mahira starrer Raees next month. These two movies are money maker so they couldn't resist.

Pak govt didn't ban indian movies to begin with so its not their fault.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Supply creates its own demand.maybe had cenima houses been more persistent with the ban,people maybe left with no option but to resort to watching lollywood films.

Easier said than done. They were watching indian movies even before those cinema halls were built too. Watching movies in the cinema hall is not the only option for them they can easily download or buy the pirated copies from their local market.

 

[enkidu_]

Proof these paindoos deserve PML-N. Perhaps in 200 years they will eventually mature.

 

[Thivagar]

Easier said than done. They were watching indian movies even before those cinema halls were built too. Watching movies in the cinema hall is not the only option for them they can easily download or buy the pirated copies from their local market.

But there is nothing like watching a 50 year old's abdomen when he surfaces out of a water topless while running his fingers through his hair on a big screen.

 

[Ankit007]

Pak movies are improving but you can't expect Lollywood to churn out classics just yet. With the PM being pro-Indian it was just a matter of time before the ban was lifted.

So you cant live without it right

 

[PakLFC]

So you cant live without it right

We can! I hardly watch Bollywood but the cinema owners in Pak have their own agenda.

 

[Ankit007]

We can! I hardly watch Bollywood but the cinema owners in Pak have their own agenda.

Its ok buddy... it was for fun. Just bcoz of our long debate on this earlier. I dont intend to disrespect you in anyway. Cheers...

 

[Syed1]

Big hearts strike again


Ae Khuda itna bara dil kyun diya hai humain..

 

[Madplayer]

Don't think Indian movies are released in Kashmir as well(correct me if i'm wrong),if that's the case surely Pakistan can survive without Indian movies considering everyone is a descendant of "Turkish,Iranis,Afghans" according to them etc.

Yes they arent released in kashmir because most if not all theatres are occupied by army men and bases/torture centres have been set up there.

 

[JaDed]

Yes they arent released in kashmir because most if not all theatres are occupied by army men and bases/torture centres have been set up there.

So that's the only reason its not released there?The Grand Mufti will be ok if girls started singing and movies being shown in Kashmir incase AFSPA is removed?

 

[Madplayer]

So that's the only reason its not released there?The Grand Mufti will be ok if girls started singing and movies being shown in Kashmir incase AFSPA is removed?

Lol so movies were never released in Kashmiri cinemas? Not even before army started living in those theatres?
About the grand mufti, he never says anything which would upset the government so dont worry there. And what are these snides about girls not allowed to sing? we have a massive number of female singers ,established and upcoming. As an example, Mehmeet syed has been performing all over the world including Kashmir.

 

[JaDed]

Lol so movies were never released in Kashmiri cinemas? Not even before army started living in those theatres?
About the grand mufti, he never says anything which would upset the government so dont worry there. And what are these snides about girls not allowed to sing? we have a massive number of female singers ,established and upcoming. As an example, Mehmeet syed has been performing all over the world including Kashmir.

You know what I meant about the female singers,and Mehmeet Syed is an exception tbf and good to know that you think bollywood movies would release incase AFSPA is removed.

 

[Madplayer]

You know what I meant about the female singers,and Mehmeet Syed is an exception tbf and good to know that you think bollywood movies would release incase AFSPA is removed.

No i dont know what u meant. I can only guess. It would be Better if u point out sonething to me so i could answer appropriately.

And please , mehmeet isn't an exception. She just happens to be more popular. Shazia bashir (became popular when she won a local singing competition which used to be aired on DD kashmiri channel), raj begum ( legendary singer, passed away recently), shameema azad etc are just few other names. I dont follow kashmiri singers much so i dont know many names, love to hear the songs though.

 

[JaDed]

No i dont know what u meant. I can only guess. It would be Better if u point out sonething to me so i could answer appropriately.

And please , mehmeet isn't an exception. She just happens to be more popular. Shazia bashir (became popular when she won a local singing competition which used to be aired on DD kashmiri channel), raj begum ( legendary singer, passed away recently), shameema azad etc are just few other names. I dont follow kashmiri singers much so i dont know many names, love to hear the songs though.

Do you remember the teenage rock band from Kashmir who were made to give up music - Pragaash, you can let me know if its Indian propaganda and Grand Mufti didn't say anything like its being reported.

http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/after-grand-muftis-fatwa-kashmirs-allgirls-band-pragash-calls-it-quits/1069090/

 

[Madplayer]

Do you remember the teenage rock band from Kashmir who were made to give up music - Pragaash, you can let me know if its Indian propaganda and Grand Mufti didn't say anything like its being reported.

http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/after-grand-muftis-fatwa-kashmirs-allgirls-band-pragash-calls-it-quits/1069090/

This was pretty much a petty issue which could happen anywhere and could have been handled easily by police action. That way the matter would have remained low profile. Unfortunately, Indian yellow journalism made this issue so big that it swayed the emotions of the conservative population in an opposite direction and they began to see those girls as villains and as a cause of the ridicule they were getting. This sensationalism jeopardised the safety of the girls.

People wanted them to adhere to the norms of the society which they live in while performing. Nobody should have forced them to do anything and i dont think anybody did that. A fatwa ( which is just an opinion) by someone is no binding. But when you antagonise people by portraying them as evil, things are bound to get hostile and people might lean towards the traditional norms and values (which they dont even follow normally) which they feel are being targetted. This can happen anywhere in the world and you can actually find a lot of examples of it in today's world.

You might not know this but the grand mufti is known to be very friendly with the government agencies and he could have been silenced very easily. Even hurriat didnt support him on this. Interestingly there were some developments going on in India at that time which i cant recall. it was believed in Kashmir that the way media is making a mountain out of a molehill , it is being done to take people's attention away from it.

Nevertheless it shouldnt have happened.

 

[hussain123]

So that's the only reason its not released there?The Grand Mufti will be ok if girls started singing and movies being shown in Kashmir incase AFSPA is removed?

Jade the grand mufti is a govt appointed person no one except the govt recognizes him such.if you some day find time to tour kashmir i wish you go to the radio kashmir and see for youself the number of female singers there who even outnumber the male singers there.pragaash band is just one of the all female member band here not the only one and an odd statement by the so called grand mufti and 10 odd comments on the wallpage of that band was blown out by indian media which was a total non issue on ground.

 

[JaDed]

This was pretty much a petty issue which could happen anywhere and could have been handled easily by police action. That way the matter would have remained low profile. Unfortunately, Indian yellow journalism made this issue so big that it swayed the emotions of the conservative population in an opposite direction and they began to see those girls as villains and as a cause of the ridicule they were getting. This sensationalism jeopardised the safety of the girls.

People wanted them to adhere to the norms of the society which they live in while performing. Nobody should have forced them to do anything and i dont think anybody did that. A fatwa ( which is just an opinion) by someone is no binding. But when you antagonise people by portraying them as evil, things are bound to get hostile and people might lean towards the traditional norms and values (which they dont even follow normally) which they feel are being targetted. This can happen anywhere in the world and you can actually find a lot of examples of it in today's world.

You might not know this but the grand mufti is known to be very friendly with the government agencies and he could have been silenced very easily. Even hurriat didnt support him on this. Interestingly there were some developments going on in India at that time which i cant recall. it was believed in Kashmir that the way media is making a mountain out of a molehill , it is being done to take people's attention away from it.

Nevertheless it shouldnt have happened.

Thanks for the detailed reply its good to have a different perspective on the issue,i agree on dont poke the bear scenario but still feel conservatives get away with the "bear" tag way too often.

Also i think this journalism has become part of any media nowadays,even guardian uk a reputed paper has taken enough digs on BREXIT and Trump so one cant blame Indian journalism alone.

 

[JaDed]

Jade the grand mufti is a govt appointed person no one except the govt recognizes him such.if you some day find time to tour kashmir i wish you go to the radio kashmir and see for youself the number of female singers there who even outnumber the male singers there.pragaash band is just one of the all female member band here not the only one and an odd statement by the so called grand mufti and 10 odd comments on the wallpage of that band was blown out by indian media which was a total non issue on ground.

Thanks, my mother and maternal grandmother have very fond memories of the valley whenever they have toured,somehow I feel im close minded on the same and never gave it a chance ,hope to evolve.

 

[hussain123]

Thanks, my mother and maternal grandmother have very fond memories of the valley whenever they have toured,somehow I feel im close minded on the same and never gave it a chance ,hope to evolve.

Most welcome bro.

 

[Madplayer]

Thanks for the detailed reply its good to have a different perspective on the issue,i agree on dont poke the bear scenario but still feel conservatives get away with the "bear" tag way too often.

Also i think this journalism has become part of any media nowadays,even guardian uk a reputed paper has taken enough digs on BREXIT and Trump so one cant blame Indian journalism alone.

Not isolating Indian media. But blaming those who were guilty in this particular case. Agree with conservatives getting away with it far too often but imo if the case is handled like any normal case without inflaming emotions, no such person will get away.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Terrible,the Pakistani citizens should enforce it back or boycott the bollywood movies. Every alternate Pakistan person on forums/social network consistently criticizes bollywood movies ,degrading them.

Well I criticise them, having a British mentality I just find these films unwatchable for the most part. That said, I know you guys are very proud of your film industry so I am happy for you that you can reach the hearts and minds of your brothers across the border. I get the feeling there is more fans of Bollywood in Pakistan than in south India.

 

[Muhammad10]

Govt likely to allow screening of Indian films

LAHORE: Cinemas in Pakistan will again start screening Indian movies nearly four months after imposing a ban on films from across the border over military tensions.

Sources in the federal information ministry told The Express Tribune on Tuesday that the PM’s Secretariat is likely to allow the release of Indian movies in the country and hopefully a notification in this regard will be issued soon.

Two Indian movies ‘Raees’ and ‘Kaabil’ are likely to be screened in cinemas this week.

The suspension of Indian screenings came after Bollywood producers banned Pakistani artists in Indian films. Financial considerations also motivated the lifting of the ban as cinema owners made losses.

Cinema owners were lobbying Nawaz Sharif to lift the ban and last week the prime minister constituted a committee in which all stakeholders were given representations.

The committee under the supervision of Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb and Irfan Siddiqui had forwarded its recommendations to the PM’s Secretariat after holding negotiations with all stakeholders.

According to the recommendations, it was advised that the old policy that was in place before the screening of Indian films was suspended in the country should be maintained.

According to the sources, during its third meeting held on Tuesday, the committee finalised its recommendations and sent a summary to the PM’s Secretariat.

Film Exhibitors Association Chairman Zoraiz Lashari confirmed the development to The Express Tribune.

“According to the recommendations, the federal information ministry will issue the NOC for the import of Indian films while provincial censor boards will review them,” adding, “There will be no change in the criteria for the release of Indian films.”

Meanwhile, anticipating the lifting of the ban, a private TV channel has already purchased Indian movies ‘Raees’ and ‘Kaabil’ after paying advance money to Indian distributors.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1306099/entertainment-govt-likely-allow-screening-indian-films-soon/