The masses want sensible topics, great acting and direction. Moreover a great storyline to begin with. Our drama's and music video's are superb while our movies havn't changed in decades.
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
our dramas like a fashion parade .no substance whatsoever.
our films industry has been in dilapidation for long. But even then, Shoaib mansoor managed to make Khuda Ke Liye. while our tv industry has not been able to make another waris. I feel our dramas have declined in quality just like our films.
Then why dont the likes of Saqib Malik, Jaami, Ahsan Rahim and etc stand up to these stupid people by producing their own indie flicks.
All these three blokes are par excellence! but they have limited resources and sonay pe suhaga ye ke aap aur hum...ne apni dunya ya zehan BHARTI filmoun mein itna phansa liya hai...ke Pakistani Director agarr jaan bhi de de...humein koi na koi aieb nazar zaroor ayega!:)
Huzoor..................Bharati movies go as high as 80-90 crores in budget funded by syndicates.........back home.....we cannot even INDICATE such budget...the reason that our bag of surprises come out with movies like KKL and YDAKH...once in a blue (or purple) moon! and as I still see...we keep on drum rolling on them for ages! because it does take time to bring out such stuff (and that too when you are funded by some 'important' agency back home--for KKL!)
Samjhay? Nahin Samjhay:)
we have people praising dramas that were telecast fifty years back. atleast KKL is just two years old ...
I think our industry is in dilapidation because we are back-biting each other.we should encourage people when they do well instead of pulling each others leg and spreading rumors abour falana agencies being involved blah blah. we need to praise and promote each other irrespective of personal grievances. hum logon ko negative soch khatam karni chahiye tabhi agey barhein gei.
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
good insight, arjay. i see a lot of people speculating and moaning and groaning about the decline in the industry but no one really has a clue unless one is an insider. in this industry, there is tons of red tape and politics like everywhere else and we, the general public, just does not get to see that.
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
Since when did agencies get inolved in lollywood?? Strange...
Anyway i've noticed that jami, saqib and ahsan have bein doing ads and music videos for a very long time.....they must be sick of it esp when their dream is to make a movie. If multinational companies such as Pepsi and Lux can sponsor their vids then y not their movies?
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
i dont buy that Cinema in Pakistan went on its knees just because some dictator tried to make it "Islamic". No one but people from Industry have big hand in downfall. Formula movies, group politics, 0 budget movies ...this was bound to happen.
Pakistani TV not only survived Indian TV onslaught but came out victorious. Even today, Pakistani DRAMAS are way ahead of Indian drama even if you take Pop music, Pakistani pop music is head and shoulder above Indian why? because people in Music Industry WORKED HARD, came up with brilliant Ideas and film industry? just for an example, Reema-Baber ali did now work with any other hero/heroine for around 3/4 years. That was some "un written" pact b/w them. I am sure they made around 20/25 movies together in those 4 years ..and then they expect people to watch those movies?
Pakistan film Industry's main problem is (/was) that k yee JAHILOON k hath main thee (aur hai). Tell me one name from any field in Cinema who is a educated guy/girl ...just one name ...anyone pls?
I think there is a misconception that people in Pakistan don't watch Pakistani movies. I was told on GS a while back that people (such as families and the non Rickshaw driving crowd) in Lahore do watch Pakistani movies.
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
I watch them - I dont like them but I watch them. I dont know why -
wait I do..
I heart Shaan -- and his moochai.
i dont buy that Cinema in Pakistan went on its knees just because some dictator tried to make it "Islamic". No one but people from Industry have big hand in downfall. Formula movies, group politics, 0 budget movies ...this was bound to happen.
So true, countries such as Iran have coped well despite the censor boards being very strict in terms what can and cant be shown in Iranian cinema...Zia's regime is one factor amongst many factors that contributed to cinema 'collapse'.
For once, please stop using the Indian film industry as a benchmark for comparison. It's really pathetic to always see your own industry through their prism. They have a totally different set of dynamics in play that govern their films that may not apply to Pakistan -- the cultural environment, the proclivity of the masses for arts, affinity for foreign cultures etc.
Its really quite simple -- good stories with engaging, involving screenplays that connect with the audience, adequately shot and acted in, with decent technological back up will always attract masses. It happened with Khuda Ke Liye and to a lesser extent with Zibahkhana.
The problem with Pakistani films is that they are** NOT** engaging enough -- they have never been -- they employ far too many plot-distracting and destroying tools.
You can have an occasional totally non-engaging/film with a threadbare script which may become a "hit" (case in point being Yeh Dil Aap ka Huwa) but eventually the audience does see through and clones that were made subsequently (Khullay Asmaan Ke Neeche, Pyar hi Pyar Mein, Tere Bin Jiya Na Jaye, Pehla Pehla Pyaar) bombed though they **all **had beautiful songs just as well shot like Yeh Dil but completely banal storylines and non existential screenplays like that film as well.
So yes, they need to have really good storylines and competent actors backed by an adequate technical infrastructure if they ever want the audiences to watch their movies. Cinema and film are no longer a novelty like the 50s or 60s when Pakistani films worked despite their placid story lines and weak technicalities.
Lets not discuss why our film industry is in a decline lets discuss how we can make it better because, i believe everyone knows that the film industry is suffering and suffering bad so lets leave it at that.
Lets not discuss why our film industry is in a decline **lets discuss how we can make it better **because, i believe everyone knows that the film industry is suffering and suffering bad so lets leave it at that.
AMEN..to that !
I think there is a misconception that people in Pakistan don't watch Pakistani movies. I was told on GS a while back that people (such as families and the non Rickshaw driving crowd) in Lahore do watch Pakistani movies.
Some families still go to movies, last one I saw was "Salakhein". We need more family oriented movies.. with no dhak dhak songs or vulgar dances and dialogues. :(
For once, please stop using the Indian film industry as a benchmark for comparison. It's really pathetic to always see your own industry through their prism. They have a totally different set of dynamics in play that govern their films that may not apply to Pakistan -- the cultural environment, the proclivity of the masses for arts, affinity for foreign cultures etc.
Its really quite simple -- good stories with engaging, involving screenplays that connect with the audience, adequately shot and acted in, with decent technological back up will always attract masses. It happened with Khuda Ke Liye and to a lesser extent with Zibahkhana.
The problem with Pakistani films is that they are** NOT** engaging enough -- they have never been -- they employ far too many plot-distracting and destroying tools.
You can have an occasional totally non-engaging/film with a threadbare script which may become a "hit" (case in point being Yeh Dil Aap ka Huwa) but eventually the audience does see through and clones that were made subsequently (Khullay Asmaan Ke Neeche, Pyar hi Pyar Mein, Tere Bin Jiya Na Jaye, Pehla Pehla Pyaar) bombed though they **all **had beautiful songs just as well shot like Yeh Dil but completely banal storylines and non existential screenplays like that film as well.
So yes, they need to have really good storylines and competent actors backed by an adequate technical infrastructure if they ever want the audiences to watch their movies. Cinema and film are no longer a novelty like the 50s or 60s when Pakistani films worked despite their placid story lines and weak technicalities.
thumbs-up well put
Re: Pakistan's film industry is in collapse!
well the way we can make it better is very simple, firstly stop blaming the gujjar and badmash punjabi film makers of ruining the industry and keeping people out, they are not a barrier there preventing you from making a film, forget about them, if we keep discussing about them we will never move forward.
the only thing we need is some serious good film makers with a passion for film making to get the cameras out and start filming, people like jami and saqib malik are now being stupid, they are just waiting for investors to throw 5 crores at them to make a film, they have a script and im sure they can get hold of a camera and a small film crew and thats all they need. the maker of zimbakhana showed it and now the maker of slackistan has proved it that you can make a film if you have a passion for film making, no matter what the cost is, that australian guy who made son of lion in peshawar made a great movie with just 2 laks, these are one man shows,
all you need is a great script and a camera with a film crew, you dont need an investor with 5 crores.
we have great stories to tell, why cant we make films on the suicide bombers, how india is funding taliban, stories on pakistan, islamic history, why cant we make our own james bond series on ali imran series or jasoosi dunya, and at a critical time like this in our contry why cant we make films to give hope to the youth, a film about a revolution in the country.
we have the talent, but they are just hiding and are not coming out, kudas to film makers like omar khan and hammad khan for actully going out there are taking action rather then sitting back and criticing the industry, i hope jami and saqib malik learn from them.
^ That's only possible if the old 'khaapar's' budge and let new talent in. The story-writers are fixed, the cast is limited and it's a complete monopoly of a few names. A good/decent movie can be made in a small budget as well..the story/plot has to be strong that's IT! U really don't need extravagant outfits, 50 dancers etc.. just a meaningful story and concept.
If movies like Ramchand Pakistani can be made and video's, then we really have no excuse.
^^ excellently put.
Some other points:
Quit the musical - since we are hoping to move away from the romantic melodramas that have been recently released, there really is no excuse for throwing in filmi songs which does huge damage to the credibility of movies that want to convey a message. If music is so important then we should simply make soundtracks that are not fully picturised but are used in the background e.g. KKL.
Make it shorter - 3 hours in a cinema? Thats just asking for trouble, in this fast-paced world people have no such patience. A 2 hour film or shorter requires sharp editing but nevertheless makes it worthwhile.
I'm sorry for being blunt but did it even exist that tis collapsing now?
^^ excellently put.
Some other points:
Quit the musical - since we are hoping to move away from the romantic melodramas that have been recently released, there really is no excuse for throwing in filmi songs which does huge damage to the credibility of movies that want to convey a message. If music is so important then we should simply make soundtracks that are not fully picturised but are used in the background e.g. KKL.
Make it shorter - 3 hours in a cinema? Thats just asking for trouble, in this fast-paced world people have no such patience. A 2 hour film or shorter requires sharp editing but nevertheless makes it worthwhile.
That is exactly what we need to do!!