Here are a few opinions put forth in the News. The first quote is from the article on Border and the other one is from the article “Where models fear to tread”. I urge you all the read these articles if you’re interested on our film industry since it offers good criticism as well as some hope that there are people who are interested in making films, like jami, etc.
<There is an unbreakable border of fear, sleaze and mediocrity around the film industry that keeps it caged in a time warp. Lollywood seems to be safely ensconced in its own crumbling fortress and cries “war” every time someone attempts to make a change. When Samina Peerzada set up offices at Shahnoor after the success of Inteha, other directors got cold feet and started to woo her with offers of lead roles. Anything, obviously, to get her out of the Director’s chair.
Our film industry has narrowed its borders down to a minority that has acquired a taste for the garbage it has to offer. These are borders that need to be broken, not defended. They may not be as obvious as Wagah, but they are far more menacing in their own right. There exists around Lollywood an LoC that makes good cinema improbable at best, impossible at worst.>
citation – News, Instep, March 17
<Contrary to prevalent trends elsewhere our desi models run miles away from Lollywood. From Aaminah Haq to Zoella the Pakistani ramp queens prefer the mini-screen. Most of them have either rejected offers from local cinema or they have repented their decision to join the big bad world of Lollywood just after a few assignments…Now the million-dollar question as to why the Pakistani models shy away from Lollywood despite all its glamour is repeated once again. The answer is simple, most of the models come from educated families while unfortunately (with a few exceptions) uneducated producers, directors and actors dominate the film industry. Scared of the wayward and bizarre ways and sleazy atmosphere of the tinsel town, the models prefer to satiate their desire for acting on the small screen rather than take a risk and navigate through murky waters at Lollywood studios. And till such time as Lollywood faces reality we will never have an Aishwarya Rai of our own.>
citation – News, Instep,March 17
These are some good points and its the frank truth of the Pakistani film industry right now. I think it was Andhra who was curious on why things are the way they are and I hope this gives some insight to people as to what is the root problem of the industry. Anyone who is interested in film-making or doing anything related to films ought to consider these points and I urge those people to come and work in Pakistan. Our film industry needs talented individuals and I think a lot of the people there are already very talented and waiting for good directors and producers to use their talent the way it should be used.
Hmmm change towards better movies is envitable because you can only go so low that coming back up is the only option. (hopefully) I think change is envitable as well, as I see people like Shaan and Samina Pirzada coming towards producing and directing. Nonetheless, there still exists a desperate need for educated folks in direction and production and we can only hope that more people will come around.
I think we have plenty of talented people in Pakistan related to the performance arts field. Its just that who ever associates with the films gets a bad reputation. And I mean who blames them. Look at the films they are just pathetic.
And these films are pathetic that they are directed towards a low class illeterate audience not exposed to good films. We really need a couple of revolutionary directors in the film industry so they can revolutionize our movies. Perhaps someone from TV should step in and use expertise in the movies.
Well, we've got Javed Sheikh, Sameena Peerzada, Shaan did really well with mujhe chand chahiye, although with moosa he went mushy and gave in to pleasing the demented intellect of our illiterate, perverted, immoral, and belligerent crowds (a sizable population, ya know)
oh yeah as Ali mentioned...Educated and talented directors/producers can't do jack when there's an illiterate audience who goes to see movies for specified reasons. I mean its cheap entertainment, they simply can't afford anything higher. Producers of crappy movies give the audience what they want. The theatres in Pakistan are mostly filled with lucha lafangas who eyeball every female in the audience, like they've never seen a woman before. Hence, you don't often see many women going to the the movies.
All in all, what good is a well made movie when there's an audience who's not willing to appreciate it?
i'm sorry, i don't accept this argument that there's not an audience for well made movies. if that was the case, Indian films wouldn't be so popular amongst Pakistani households (not that indian films are great either - but they are of a higher quality than Pakistani in many areas).
If women won't go to film theatres in Pakistan because of lucha lafangas then that's a law and order problem that needs to be looked at and dealt with. I don't see why our film industyr should go downhill because we aren't prepared to deal with poor behaviour.
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Originally posted by Mr Xtreme:
i'm sorry, i don't accept this argument that there's not an audience for well made movies. if that was the case, Indian films wouldn't be so popular amongst Pakistani households (not that indian films are great either - but they are of a higher quality than Pakistani in many areas).
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Xtueme Unkle i was pointing towards threatres cinemas, thats primarily where movies make the money, no?
[This message has been edited by ~Sehar~ (edited March 20, 2002).]
okay Sehar, let's accept then that there is a market for Indian videos in Pakistani households, in other words, for less vulgar or violent films - but the 'significant' amount of lucha lafangas makes theatre-going an unpleaseant experience for women, and non-luchay men, for that matter, in Pakistan.
It still seems a shame that our film industry is catering for illiterates as a result of a lack of will to make cinemas a more pleasant environment for families.
If the root cause is, as you suggest, stupid behaviour, then why not address that?
It's not just in Pakistan this happens btw. In England for years, football grounds were no-go areas for families because of the violence associated with the hooligans. There were a number of ways that steps were taken to put that right. Better stadiums with better facilities creating a more pleaseant atmosphere, special sections for families, higher prices, and most importantly of all, tougher stewarding, meaning anybody who misbehaved got chucked out.
The problems of the lucha lafangas can definitely be taken care of. But that isn't the only problem, everything ties in together. There's a need for a drastic change all throughout.