Downfall Of Pakistan Industry Film Studies Essay

Downfall Of Pakistan effort pip Studies EssayPakistan occupy persev datence started off as a mighty empire, perseverance of the chocolate heroes and bonny heroines. This is known as the Golden era of the manufacture where movie theaters were fil lead with listenings enjoying their local anesthetic movies which would touch the sensitive issues of the society. The assiduity flourished, boomed and grew mightier e very(prenominal) day. An article in LA times sums up the story of Pakistan charter effort, In their heyday, theaters such as the Odeon had queues of Pakistanis snaking far beyond the box-office window and down Lahores bustling sidewalks. Moviegoers dressed in their snazziest salwar kameezes and arrived two hours before a showing to secure tickets. Today, Pakistani picture has all scarce(prenominal) if vanished, a victim of the VCR, cable television, professorship Muhammad Zia ul-Haqs Islamization of Pakistani society, and finally DVD piracy. In 1985, 1,100 movi e houses operated in Pakistan today, nevertheless 120 atomic number 18 in line of business. The few directors, producers and pic owners often swear on second jobs to convey ends meet (Rodriguez). The Islamization reforms introduced by the President Zia-up-Haq led to the deterioration of the industry and finally to its downfall. Stereotypical thinking, lack of Government pay and support, uneducated actors/actresses/writers/directors, lack of acting schools and production houses, and lately the entranceway of the Indian movies in our local cinemas has c recurd down the industry completely.The role of cinemas in the downfall of the ingest industry excessively inevitably to be discussed. It highlights the willingness of cinema owners to show Indian and English movies in their cinemas.Although it might be askd that the cinemas adjudge shown willingness to show Pakistanis movies as well. For example, the DHA cinema in Lahore is currently a Pakistani movie CHANNA SACCHI MUCHI, along with former(a) Indian and Hollywood movies. Furthermore, several cinemas go on to show Pakistanis movies despite incurring losses but even this tendency is changing as no cinema owner would continue to lose revenue by not showing Indian and English movies as also suggested by Jam Hussains article in The Nation newspaper, darn the Pakistani films deliver vanished from the cinema, the screening of impertinent movies is in full pretermit these age. Al nearly every cinema in the City including those located in the Northern Lahore and Walled City known for displaying Punjabi movies, has switched over to either Indian or English film. The cinema-owners ar going for the foreign flicks after the Pakistani films failed to imbibe viewers in a sizable number to sustain the cinema industry. One of the reasons for the intromission of Indian movies in Pakistan was to bring back audience to the cinemas so as to ensure the survival of cinemas but the cinema owners, alternatively of screening both local and foreign films, are switching towards foreign films only which is effecting our film industry quite negatively.It is said that the downfall of the film industry started with the introduction Islamization policies indroduced by President Zia-ul-Haq. Advocates of General Zias regime argue that following the Bangladesh liberation war, the number of cinemas decreased rapidly and as semipolitical uncertainty similarlyk charge of the industry filmmakers were asked to consider socio-political impacts of their films. So the film industry was already on decline but the imposition of new modification laws for film producers requiring to be degree holders, where not many of them held one, led to a steep decline in the workings of the industry, the forcible closure of nearly of the cinemas in Lahore by government and the introduction of new tax judge which further decreased cinema att get intopsichores is proof enough of the fact that the policies introduced by Gene ral Zia was a major blow to the film industry. There were other implications as well, according to the article How Pakistan Fell in Love with the Bollywood make in Foreign Policy magazine by Anuj Chopra, General Zia-ul-Haqs Islamization policies resulted in the artificial split between Indian and Pakistani culture. Basically entertainment, peculiarly Indian entertainment, was labeled as fahashi (vulgar). Classical Indian music and dance were banned, and colleges were instructed to shut down their music societies. Sari, a Hindu garment, was banned, which according to him revealed too much of a womans body. Moreover, it has also been noted that in state TV programs, women playing negative roles were shown wearing Indian clothes (mainly saris), while the level-headed ones were shown wearing salwar kameez(traditional Pakistani outfit) and a dupatta (a shawl covering the head). General Zias Islamization function was a huge setback to Pakistans film industry and it is appease regain from those setbacks as the process permanently changed the way people thought slightly films and the industry.The Pakistani movies have been stereotyped as bad and low tone and also that people with low standards come to these academies and work in this industry. It is commonly accepted that respectable people dont go to Pakistani cinema houses anymore, unless of phone line it is to watch a special screening of some Hollywood smash hit (Minhas). It might be argued that people still watch and appreciate Pakistani movies and also that many people are entering this field with prospects of b highroad future. Some of the many new talents that have entered the industry include names like Fawad Khan, Imran Abbasi and Imaan Ali. Their acting in Khuda Key Liye, regarded as one of Pakistans outgo movie, was commendable. They are a source of inspiration for other individuals, especially those who are passionate about acting but feel that there is no future in it. However, a few except ions cannot real account for the execution of the whole industry.Most of us are aware of the fact that a government can play a key role in promoting the film industry of a particular country. This notion obviously applies to Pakistan also, but the ill-fate of our country is such that the government has shown little interest in the training of this industry. The point is also backed by Amna Nasir Jamals article The Pakistani pullulate Industry Struggles to Survive in which she says that due to governments laxity in the prehistoric two decades, the film industry has deteriorated and most of the technical facilities have been closed. It is identifiable that throughout Pakistans history most of the governments have been hesitant to promote the film industry because of the opposition from religious factions. What the government does not realize is that the film industry has a potential of playing an important role in portraying a better image of Pakistan. Recently, the government, under President Asif Ali Zardari, form United scoot Association of Pakistan (UFAP) which aims to bring back the golden era of the film industry and also, according to the newspaper article Taxes Everywhere and non a Film to Screen in The Express Tribune by Saadia Qamar, levied a 65 percent tax on the screening of foreign films in Punjab. These are positive steps and whether they will bear fruits or not, only the future can tell but what the industry really needs is economic and technical assistance which every government has failed to provide.It is argued that the introduction of Indian and Hollywood movies has provided a competitive base for Pakistani movies so that only good quality movies come forward. The argument is backed by the introduction of movies such as Khuda Key Liye but the situation of the whole industry needs to be taken into account first. The film industry is on the brink of collapse, Pakistani movies have been stereotyped as bad so there is very little demand, f ew cinemas that are still run are unwilling to screen Pakistani movies, the industry lacks technical equipment and expertness and there is very little government support. In 2009 an article, Pakistan Film Industry Bombarded by Bollywood published in Times of India by Bhariti Dubey quite accurately sums up the impact of Indian movies on Pakistans films industry, This year, the Pakistani film industry produced only nine films. The reasons for this dwindle are many but most fingers point to one culprit who, they claim, has killed their industry Bollywood.In the recent past, closely every film released in India has simultaneously been released in Pakistan and done business of about Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore. Our local industry is unarguably very weak and needs support and exposing it to foreign competitors would never allow it to grow.It is also suggested that instead of putting restrictions on Indian movies, the Indian movies should be allowed to be screened and promoted in Pakistan i f the Indians agree to screen Pakistani films. This would improve cross ensnare relations and also give Pakistani actors, who do not arrive enough work here, an opportunity to work in India. Meera and Javed Sheikh have already worked in Indian movies and as more people enter Bollywood, they could bring investment into our industry. However, this school of thought does not realize that Pakistani movies can only be screened in India if they are made of the equivalent caliber and are able to compete with their films otherwise the Indian cinema owners would have no incentive of screening Pakistani Film. The introduction of Indian movies in Pakistan was only intended to increase the revenue of cinema owners and act our producers/directors to work harder and compete with them. However, this introduction took a wrong turn and still faces a lot of opposition.Islamization policies, lack of financial support by the government, introduction of foreign movies in local cinemas and stereotypi cal thinking of the locals have really dented the film industry. The Pakistan film industry is now a drop ship, which needs a captain who cannot only secure the future of the industry but can also lead the ship to its destination. The Pakistani Film Industry went through a smooth and a bumpy road altogether. There was a time when the industry maxim good days as well as the bad days. But changes can be inflicted to make sure that the industry revives and sees those heights once again that it saw previously. The government support, educated youngsters, and establishment of more acting schools, cinemas, and production houses are the elements which should come on one platform in order to make the revival possible.Works Cited PageRodriguez, Alex. Pakistans Film Industry is in Collapse.LA Times08 Nov. 2009. Print.Chopra, Anuj. How Pakistan Fell in Love With Bollywood.Foreign Policy clipping15 Mar. 2010. Print.Minhas, Shandana. The Second Wave.Chowk22 Nov. 2004. Web.Jamal, Amna N. Pakis tani Film Industry Struggles to Survive. underlying Asia Online. Web.Qamar, Saadia. Taxes Everywhere and Not a Film to Screen.The Express Tribune19 Apr. 2010. Print.Dubey, Bhariti. Pakistan Film Industry Bombarded by Bollywood.The Times of India1 Nov. 2009. Print.Hussain, Jam S. Indian Movies dwarf Lahore Cinemas. The Nation Lahore 3 Aug. 2009. Print.