No more 'gujjars' and 'badmashs' for Sangeeta
EMANUEL SARFRAZ

LAHORE - Respect is more important to me than money. I have decided never to make low standard action movies. It was a difficult decision because it meant financial loss to me. But I vow to keep the pledge.
Leading film director of Lollywood Sangeeta maintained this while talking to The Nation. "I will put my heart and soul into making feature films of high standard like my earlier hits 'Nikah' and 'Muthi Bhar Chawal'. I know people have very high expectations and I will do my best to live up to them.
"The films are made the way producers want them to be. Love stories and family films were considered a risk and no producer is ready to lose his investment as many such flicks had bombed at the box office. Now the winds of change are blowing and I believe that people are ready films having good subjects. Some new producers have come into the field who are ready to invest in projects other than action films about gangsters. They are ready to make films on family issues and social problems," Sangeeta explained.
She said it was not easy to change the minds of producers. "I had threatened not to direct any movie. I did not sign any film for three months. At last they agreed to support me and not make low standard films," she averred.
Sangeeta has directed about 70 films, a number not matched by any other director in Lollywood. Film 'Society Girl' in 1975 was her first project as director. She made many quality flicks like 'Gharana', 'Ishq Ishq', 'Naam Mera Badnam', 'Nikah' and 'Khilona'. But in recent years she came under a lot of criticism for making films that had a lot of violence and obscenity. These films like 'Wehshi Hasina', 'Yaar Badmash' and 'Daku Hasina' did well at the box office but were criticised by film critics.
Sangeeta said her film 'Tarap' being released on Eid will prove to be the harbinger of good movies to follow. Major portion of the film has been shot in Dubai and stars Nadeem and Resham. The post production work of the film has been done in Bangkok.
"Overall the things are improving in the film industry. Shahnoor Studios has bought two latest cameras that would improve the filmmaking. We just need a modern lab and sound system, which the government has promised to provide. Their addition in the industry will give it a lot of boost," she was of the view.
The film industry is now pinning hopes on Sangeeta and some other directors like Syed Noor for reversing the decline.