I support the movie within limits, after all many bollywood movies are simply propaganda films. But the competition would do them good, they should bring in other langauge movies as well, like Iranian and syncrhonise launches with English movies as well. Pakistan’s Cinema’s need to become family places again..and you have the knock of gain in revenue.
By Shoaib Ahmed
LAHORE: Pakistan’s film stars have called on the government to lift the ban on Indian movies and performances by Indian artists in the country.
Film and television actor Usman Pirzada believes maintaining the ban would be foolish. “If the two countries can play a cricket match, why can’t the two film industries compete?” he asked. He said it was true that Indian movies had a technological advantage over Pakistani movies, “but the format of the films in both India and Pakistan is the same. We should not be scared of competition”.
Mr Pirzada said the Pakistani film industry was suffering from stagnation and could do with a boost from Bollywood. “We have dug our own graves. Pakistanis have stopped watching Pakistani cinema because the films are substandard. If the Pakistani industry can show its films in India that is an immediate advantage because India has a huge market. And once Pakistani films are competing with Indian, standards will gradually improve.
He said Pakistani filmmakers had a habit of copying movies from across the border. “It’s almost like you’re showing people the same movie twice, once the Indian version and then the Pakistani version.”
Actress Meera also sees competition as the main benefit of allowing Bollywood films to be screened in Pakistan. “I think it’s a very good idea. It would create a more competitive environment and open new avenues for Pakistani films and artists. The Indian and Pakistani film industries could also collaborate. Co-productions would have a positive impact on Pakistani films,” she said.
Veteran actress Babra Sharif also thought this would be a positive development. “There are people in the Pakistani film industry who are against co-productions, but I think that is only because they are afraid of competition,” she said. “I think if the ban is lifted it will give Pakistani artists an opportunity to show their worth.”
Laila also supported lifting of the ban on Indian cinema. “There should be an exchange of artists between the two countries,” she said. “Lifting the ban on Indian movies in Pakistan would be a positive step,” film and television star Veena Malik said.
Film star Sana said allowing Indian artistes to visit and perform in Pakistan would be a generous gesture by the Pakistani government towards the Indian glamour world. “If the ban is lifted, the Indians will at least get to see how talented Pakistani film actors and actresses are,” she added.
Daily Times asked Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed if he would be discussing the lifting of the ban on Indian cinema and artists in Pakistan with his counterpart Ravi Shankar Parsad at a South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference starting November 10. “It is not a separate agenda item, but I shall see what they say when I go there,” he said.
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