Many issues are at stake. Many TV directors and producers have tried their hand at movies, but failed miserably, or at least didn’t rope in the profit they were expecting. I think around the time projects like Laaj, Pyar hi Pyar Mein, etc were being produced - there were a number of films in the pipeline and there was a lot of excitement. I think by then Javed Sheikh’s Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua was in theatres and doing booming business, and people were really excited to make a movie, hoping that with ONE film project they could make way more money than doing a TV serial (I’m sure there were other intentions involved also). However, these string of films didn’t do so well, and I think it became obvious to television folks that making movies is a different animal - that either its not cut out for them, or they’re not cut out for it, or its just not the right time.
Another factor that came into play was that over the past few years, people like Syed Noor, have stopped tapping into the Urdu industry. Much attention has shifted back onto the Punjabi industry and even Pushto movies are now being made (Arbaz Khan and his family have shifted to Pushto movies, now). So, since Urdu still does remain the national language, tying everyone together, a lack of good Urdu films is a serious problem, and the market has dried up. People aren’t even demanding good Urdu films anymore, like the were when Syed Noor took the industry by storm with his early movies like Jeeva and Sargam. Now Syed Noor is courting his new wife Saima, casting only her in almost every movie he makes (big depart from his earlier fame for bringing in new people into the industry), which has slowed the industry down - I mean how many Saima movies do you expect me to watch, really?, and now Rukhsana noor isn’t writing his scripts anymore, and I don’t blame her. What woman would if her husband was having a clear affair with a film actress for so many years, and then had the nerve to marry her on top of it?
Movies like Shohaib Mansoor’s KKL - was a big investment. He faced massive hurdles, which would have forced anyone else to give up earlier. He ended up being jilted with foreign Pakistani investors, and resorted to taking a bank loan with interest. I don’t know if he’s paid it off yet, but the fact is that no one else would have risked taking out such a big loan from a bank.
There are no schools in Pakistan that train people on how to make films as oppose to TV serials. You want to learn how to make a TV serial - you can do that in Pakistan. There are writing courses in universities, etc and the TV field is so big in Pakistan that getting an internship or apprenticeship is really easy. So many channels, so if you make SOMETHING, you’ll find some channel willing to air it more easily. You make a film, and look at the market. Where are you going to put up your film? In the dark disgusting unsafe cinema halls where families can’t go with their women because of the dirty public? There are like 2 or 3 new cinemas that have opened up that show American movies, but 2 or 3 cinemas wont bring in revenue you need to even cover COST of your movie.
Editing equipement, etc - you have to go abroad to finish up the film, because Pakistan’s studios can’t deliver that quality anymore. So, that adds to your expenses. And if you’re making a movie abroad, essentially, and your viewership is Pakistanis who make their income in ruppees, then even less likely that you’ll cover cost.
The economics of film-making in Pakistan is really stopping a lot of people from trying to experiment. As oppose to TV - you can create a low budget documentary and get it aired and make some cash off it. How many blair witch type projects can you do on a big-screen in Pakistan of all places?
There’s some hope, but the fact of the matter is that between the economics, and the corruption of the people already in the industry, there are more challenges to movie making in Pakistan. Therefore, many talented people just don’t bother experimenting with it.