Sequence 

• Introduction
• Statement of the Problem
• Key Questions
• Past, Present & Future
• Analysis
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
Definition
Introduction 
•D

• During the last few years Pakistan has seen some successful films
• Which has rekindled the hope of its revival
• Some movies have earned international fame
• Earned hugely at the box office
• New crop of producers, directors, artists, etc have joined the film industry 
Statement of the problem

Pakistani cinema was a booming

industry prior to turning into ashes. The
downfall of the Industry was mostly
due to its own incapacity to adapt , our
sociocultural passivity and
government negligence, let alone
international movie piracy. 
Key question

Is it sufficient to say that the

recent commercial success of
some films portends the
resurgence of Pakistani
cinema , in future context ?
 Past: 1896 – 1913:
Silent era
• The United States, France, and Germany,
invented the motion picture as a commercially
viable form of recreation in 1895.
• The Lumiere Brothers of France exhibited their
short  films in December 1895 at Grande Cafe,
Paris.
•  The following year, they brought the show to
India and held its premiere at the Watson Hotel
in Bombay on 7 July 1896.
• In the next eighteen years, cinemas were built,
exhibiting silent films from the West, mostly
from the United States. 
 Past: 1913 - 1931
• In 1913, Raja Harishchandra, was produced
in Bombay by Dhundiraj Govind, the first
full-length local feature film though it had
no sound and music. 
• In 1931 Alam Ara, the first full length
locally-produced talkie film, was released at
the Majestic Cinema, in Bombay. 
• Lahore’s first silent film, The Daughter of
Today, was made in 1924, was the brainchild
of G.K. Mehta, 
• A.R. Kardar and M. Ismail established
United Players Corporation studio in 1928
in Lahore
 Past: 1947-1956:Growth Era 

• After independence there were three main centers of

films in Pakistan i.e. Karachi, Lahore and Dhaka
• Shahnoor Studios, the first Pakistani film studios after
independence. 
• The first film released after partition was ‘Teri Yaad’
in 1948 directed by Daud Chand. 
• Initially the film industry was still dependent on the
exhibition of Indian movies also
• A.J. Kardar’s Jago Hua Savera (1959) earned
Pakistan international prestige as it won gold medal at
Moscow Film Festival.
Past: 1957-1977: Golden Era
• Transition from black & white to colour movies
• Ban on Indian movies in post 1965 war context
• It opened a new free and non-competitive market
for local productions. 
• This period also saw the production of Bengali,
Sindhi and Pashto cinema
• Iconic movies i.e. Mera Naam Hai Muhabat, Aik
Gunah Aur Sahi, Mutthi Bhar Chawal, Aina and
many more
• In 1977 the film industry of Pakistan enjoyed its
boom with 700 cinemas, 8 film studios and over
111 films being made. 
Past: 1978-2002:Decline & Fall
• In 1979 director Younis Malik’s Maula Jatt 
• A new wave of Punjabi violent movies and the
Gandassa culture that lasted for many years. 
• Good films were few and far between. 
• A few exceptions like Syed Noor’s Choorian ,
Sangam, Ghoonghat, and Samina Peerzada’s Inteha 
• Oxygen for a dying industry
• Many newspapers were witting obituary for a dying
industry
• The new millennium began with gloomy setting for
Pakistani Cinema
Past: Decline & Fall:Reasons

• 1971 loss of Dhaka, a thriving film center with studios, hundreds of cinemas,
artists, musicians etc
• Gen Ziaul Haq’s regime and strict censorship
• Low quality, violent and vulgar and technically low
• Video piracy from across the border and VCR ruined the box office with
uncensored films. 
• Cinemas and studios began turning into shopping centers and wedding halls.
• Film was reduced to cheap and low-grade entertainment. 
• Roadside tea stalls showing pirated movies with cup of tea 
2003–Present: The Rise of Phoenix 
• Karachi slowly becoming new hub for
Pakistani cinema
• A new channel Filmazia began airing old
Pakistani films 
• Film Khuda Kay Liye 2007, was released,
which brought the middle class back to the
cinemas 
• Opened  doors for many filmmakers and
new talent to enter the film industry
• The film also introduced Pakistan in foreign
territories, including India
 • Many professionals from the TV industry started making
films. 
• Big media houses like Geo, ARY, Hum, A+ etc
• Big push from TV networks in terms of financing,
production, marketing, distribution and casting 
• ISPR also financed some movies  
• With the opening of more and more luxurious and
2003–Present: modern multiplexes cinema 
The Rise of Phoenix  • More movies like Bol, Waar, Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Punjab
Nahi Jaungi, Na Maloom Afraad, Operation 021, Legend
of Moula Jatt  etc.    
Analysis
• No longer entertainment for the masses with ticket prices starting from 800
Rupees and above (this is excluding popcorn and drinks)
•  ​
• Film production has improved technically but good scripts and storytelling
is still lacking.
•  ​
• Narrative and composition for film is different from that of television
•  ​
• Many film directors are coming from the TV industry which is why our
films look like teleplays and soap operas
• ​
• Films that are currently being made contain elements of glamour and
follow the Bollywood formula. 
The Future: The Flight of Phoenix..??
Screen Ratio
Country Films Screens 1 : 100,000
USA 22792 39,783 14
India 2104 11,081 0.9
Turkye 1063 2,170 3.7
Iran 92 415 0.5
Pakistan 63 72 0.62

https://www.extracharts.com
 The Future: The Flight of Phoenix..??
Cinemas in Pakistan Seating Capacity
125480
203

77200
123

82 45482
56 29730
54 27857
15650
12 22 8514 2400 500
10 4 1 0 3 7950 278 883
Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan ICT Total Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan ICT Total

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

2008 2019
• In 1979 NAFDC (National Film Development
Corporation) was set up by the government 
• For promotion of films through film export, quality
film imports, new cinemas and better films.
• Introduced National Film Awards in 1983, lasted for
twenty years.
• In 2002 NAFDEC was dissolved and closed. 
• All its film promotional activities came to an end
including film festivals, film export, seminars,
conferences and the National Film Awards. 
The Future: The Flight of Phoenix..??

• Where we are heading and where do we need to head

• Our film industry does not have an identity of its own. Filmmakers are copying Bollywood in
order to shine at the box office.
• This has and will continue to damage our cinema industry and audience.
• With advancements in film technology and more multiplexes opening films too will have to be
revamped.
• Focus on storytelling and scripts will be vital.
• Our films should be made on unexplored topics like superheroes, depicting of real life, simplicity,
glamour is to be added with action and narrative not with cheap songs and dialogues.
• Such films if made can boost our film industry and can be easily exported and distributed to
other countries.
The Future: The Flight of Phoenix..??

• Filmmakers would need to experiment in new genres.

• International distribution companies (including OTT networks, over-the-top such as Netflix)
and audience are interested in watching stories from the real culture of Pakistan,
something which only we can do as filmmakers and citizens.
• The future nonetheless looks bright with new young educated and qualified talent in every
discipline of filmmaking ranging from direction, acting to music and cinematography.
• Films have come out of the studios to filming in houses and real locations.
• Hopefully, the new writers and directors would opt for more meaningful scripts, not always
depending on the wins of box office and commerce.
• This would also give our film industry an identity of its own and after all, media is the
reflection of the society.
 Policy
Pakistan Film and Broadcasting Policy 2018
• Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, National History & Literary Heritage

Institutional: Fiscal Incentives: Film infrastructure:

• Film Directorate • Customs duty • Studio complex
• BoG for the effective waivers on imports • Film Academy
implementation of • Sales Tax / Income • Post Production
policy framework Tax holidays for
• Screen Tourism
• Film Drama Finance filmmakers
Fund • Tax concessions for
• Artists Assistance cinema owners
Fund
Policy

• The problem in Pakistan is that there is no concept of the film industry.

Speaking of paradigm shift of any entity requires its existence in the first
place
• Filmmaking is a business and also a form of artistic expression and to run a
business a certain set of policies is required.
• The way our industry is structured nowadays is not very conducive to
independent filmmaking.
• For the first-timer, the filmmaker has to be his/her marketer, distributor,
director, producer, and exhibitor.
Policy
• There can be multiple sources of generating resources, building
cultural capital, and developing the cinema community for the
progression of filmmaking in Pakistan; one such instance was KaraFilm
Festival. Such festivals must be revitalized.
• The facilitator role of the government must include relaxing or even
removing tariffs on the importation of filmmaking equipment and
entertainment tax. This one step will venture into developing a
business model based on more economically viable yet high-quality
filmmaking in Pakistan.
Thank You