LAHORE:
At a time when the entertainment industry in Pakistan isn’t doing well, the music industry and musicians are the ones making fortunes. Be it Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, all are in high demand in India, as well as in Pakistan. The most recent to join the music industry is none other than film star Meera.
The latest venture that she has announced in India is Mausiqui, which is being recorded in Mumbai, the entertainment capital of India. Meera, who is updating her viewers through Twitter, is busy practicing singing to give ‘the best’ to her fans, a source close to the actor told The Express Tribune when we tried to contact her in India.
“I am taking singing classes in India,” she tweeted last night, while her latest tweet after the practice was: “I am the best.”
“Meera is working quite hard to leave a mark in singing and that’s why she has put all her film projects on hold for the time being,” a source close to her said.
Interestingly, Meera had gotten the title of her first film registered with Pakistan Film Producers Association. The film, named Oscar, will be the first film to be produced by her. However, she has postponed the project to concentrate on the singing in India. According to the source, the actors that were being considered and approached for the film, will be reconsidered once Meera comes back from India and starts working on the film project.
While Meera is creating waves by joining the music industry in India, the music scene in Pakistan is also gearing up. A German jazz concert organised by the German Cultural Center will open at Peeru’s Cafe on Wednesday, May 4, while the International Sufi Festival by Rafi Peer Theater Workshop is also set to open at Alhamra a day after the jazz concert.
Meanwhile, Ali Zafar’s Bollywood project titled Luv Ka The End, is expected to be released on May 6.
While people from the film industry are joining the brigade of the music industry, film studios in Lahore are still awaiting any activity. All the major studios in Lahore including Bari Studios are without any film activity these days with technicians and crew facing tough days.
“The stars that work onscreen have many options, but people like us who work behind the camera are the ones who have suffered the most with the decline of cinema in Pakistan,” said Iftikhar, who assists different film directors on set. “The last film that I worked for was released on Eid and since then I have been waiting for some new project,” he added.
Film critic Zahid Akassi said, “It was common practice that singers and actors from TV used to move into films when they got fame on the small screen. However, the practice in Pakistan is quite the opposite. Over here, no films are being made and the stars from the big screen are either working on the small screen or trying to make their careers in the music industry.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2011.
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