ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s film industry is sick, so sick that cinema houses have closed and the 150 which are still open survive on charity.
“If the government did not permit Indian films, the remaining 150 cinema houses would also be converted into commercial plazas and wedding halls.
The situation is bad. Out of these 150 less than 70 are showing films,” officials with the ministry of culture said.
“The only reason Pushto films are being made is that they have a market in Afghanistan,” said an official.
Pakistan’s film industry has fallen on such bad days that the people who had brought glory to it in the past are seeking handouts to survive.
In a recent meeting with USAID, it was sad to learn that a delegation headed by chairperson Senate standing committee on culture Nilofar Bakhtiar and comprising of representatives from the ministry of culture, actors and producers was begging the Americans to save the dying film industry.
Sources in the ministry said USAID was ready to fund only if feasibility plans included job creation, sustainability as well as accounting, auditing and transparency.
The USAID officials said money could be provided only through proper channels for maximum utilisation.
According to the ministry of culture, lack of expertise in making good films was the major reason for the slum in the industry.
“It does not matter how good the direction, acting, music and script is. Everything suffers if quality is poor,” said a source in the ministry.
He said the government was also considering post-production facilities. “A delegation headed by Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar is likely to meet the prime minister to convince him for funds for film processing labs at Pakistan National Council of the Arts,” he said.
The source said film producers spent $70,000 to $100,000 to get their films processed from Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai that not only increased the costs manifolds but also discouraged investors.
“Cinema houses already converted into commercial plazas and wedding halls are in violation of laws because the land had been provided to them only to build cinema houses,” he said.
In an attempt to revive the cinema- going tradition, the ministry of culture had suggested to the provincial governments to include cinema houses in housing schemes. This was done following recommendations from the Senate standing committee on culture.
According to the ministry, downfall of the film industry had also rendered thousands of people unemployed.
“Directors, actors, musicians and writers alike are miserable. Some renowned musicians did not have money to buy medicines,” he said.
