I was in high school when I started posting here, and it was because this was the ONLY place you could talk about Lollywood and actually have a lucid conversation.
All the things I said need to be done, the industry is seeing finally come to bloom:
-TV professionals need to invade the vacuum of the industry providing proper story lines, and professionalism they’ve picked up being self-taught in the TV industry.
-Camera work needs to improve; Technology needs to be updated.
-Private TV stations can become production houses since they are the only ones with the $$$ to provide a budget for a film.
-All these models that are trying to make the TV industry would be better fit in a film industry - most of them their acting is way too over the top and dramatic for TV anyway, and they’re just ruining the TV industry.
So what are your criticisms of the move industry now? What else do you want to see from Lollywood? What are the reasons you STILL wont give Pakistani movies a chance over Indian movies?
I'll start, I think they need to work harder on their scripts which need to be less TV play and more film-ish. The films - some of them - still have a TV play feel to them.
So what are your criticisms of the move industry now? What else do you want to see from Lollywood? What are the reasons you STILL wont give Pakistani movies a chance over Indian movies?
I want them to make their movies available to purchase, on amazon or some thing. So we can support them.
They seriously need to focus on their storytelling - write better scripts, create interesting plots and present memorable characters. The TV industry is quite good with giving very relatable hero/heroines or side characters - for example, Ashar/Khirad from Humsafer, Afzal from Pyare Afzal, Saima Chaudary from DKAGB. So movies need to have strong central characters, not just big name 'actors'.
Originality! Yes, no one wants to watch a Pakistani movie that looks like a second grade Bollywood movie. For Bollywood stuff, there is Bollywood for the audience. So the need to create your own cinematic identity and taste is quite important.
More realism. The biggest factor behind the success of Pakistani TV industry and Iranian Cinema is that it is based on very realistic way of storytelling, blurring the lines between reality and fiction so the audience can relate to it, engage with it. It's more artistic in nature and creates a strong creative dialogue. Brain dead comedies, predictable romantic flicks or item song culture are not enough to sustain that quality.
About time we stopped cribbing, each one of us has their own unique ideas about what Pakistani films should be like, and is entitled to it. However do bear in mind that film making is still rather an expensive proposition, and those who are investing their money, energy and passion trying to establish themselves and the industry need to be lauded, encouraged and supported.
Someone mentioned Iranian cinema -- I just would like to point out that Iranian films are heavily subsidized/supported by the Iranian state aparatus and are otherwise commercially non-viable, even on their home soil. A few which have done well have done so on western theatrical runs, which happen like for 1 or 2 films every few year. Self-sustaining viable cinema frankly cannot be as dry as arthouse Iranian films.
You are going to have plenty "brain dead" films as cinema is primarily meant for entertainment, it is not a tool for revolution or cerebral development. In the midst, you will also have a few thought provoking ones, the kind we have seen too often in Pakistan (Bol, Khuda Ke Liye, Manto, Moor, Dukhtar, Zinda Bhaag etc.) some of which end making you question your decision to pay for being depressed. While such films hold interest for foreign/non resident audiences, all Pakistanis in Pakistan seek is entertainment to be very honest.
The current crop of film makers is the best Pakistani will see in a long long time -- people like Saqib Malik, Jami, Shoaib Mansoor, Asim Raza, Ahsan Rahim, Nasir Khan, Bilal Lashari, Nadeem Baig/Hamayun Saeed, Yasir Jaswal etc. These guys have already made or are in the process of releasing their films, and they all have done a tremendous job in changing the face of cinema. Now it's up to the audience to turn up and support the cause.
I have recently seen Seedlings on Netflix and Namaloom afraad and some time ago Khuda kay liye. Yes agree that Pakistani Cinema is much better now compared to when I was growing up and seeing Singapore kay Sholay in Drive in :) I think for me it will be real stories that are relevant to our society now, original ideas. Also, need to make these available for viewing. I have been wanting to see Good morning Karachi and Yeh Jawani phir naheen aani, but cant figure out where. Missed theater showing of Yeh Jawani though.
They seriously need to focus on their storytelling - write better scripts, create interesting plots and present memorable characters. The TV industry is quite good with giving very relatable hero/heroines or side characters - for example, Ashar/Khirad from Humsafer, Afzal from Pyare Afzal, Saima Chaudary from DKAGB. So movies need to have strong central characters, not just big name 'actors'.
Originality! Yes, no one wants to watch a Pakistani movie that looks like a second grade Bollywood movie. For Bollywood stuff, there is Bollywood for the audience. So the need to create your own cinematic identity and taste is quite important.
More realism. The biggest factor behind the success of Pakistani TV industry and Iranian Cinema is that it is based on very realistic way of storytelling, blurring the lines between reality and fiction so the audience can relate to it, engage with it. It's more artistic in nature and creates a strong creative dialogue. Brain dead comedies, predictable romantic flicks or item song culture are not enough to sustain that quality.
