One Eid, 16 films, and Pakistani cinema’s desperate attempt at survival

It’s Shahroz Sabzwari vs Diljit Dosanjh as over a dozen films aim for glory

KARACHI:

A record 16 films are being released this Eidul Fitr in Pakistani cinemas. Among them are six Pakistani films, two Hollywood, three Indian Punjabi films and four foreign horror films from several countries. It’s almost as if it’s an attempt to break Kung Fu Panda’s Po’s record of holding as many dumplings in his mouth as he can.

One reflects, scratch that, questions the choices we made along the way that led to this. The meme writes itself: someone(s) somewhere may have thought, “How do we end this drought in cinemas?” and came up with the idea to release everything everywhere all at once.T he result isn’t merely due to a lack of strategy, but a desperation to fill the void.

With no tentpole films releasing this Eid, the game is quantity over quality. Once, our cinemas were alive. The screens weren’t being shut down at a record pace; enough Indian and Hollywood films came through to sustain the ecosystem and allowed the local industry to keep running. But that was many moons ago. The tide has turned and washed away what we believed was a long-lasting state of flourish.

Between hope and delusion

Now to repopulate these urban Mohenjo Daro multiplexes, we are breaking the dams and letting the cinemas flood with films. But is throwing everything at the wall, hoping something would stick, a good strategy?

With the number of screens almost halved since 2018, is it a good idea to divide the remaining even further by releasing half a year’s slate on one holiday? I’d think twice before chasing this mirage. It’s clear that the industry is in a panic mode and this attempt is just one more trick being pulled out of a magic hat to get the audience’s attention.

However, delusion dresses herself up like hope. And blind hope is as dangerous as despair. Look at the lineup of local films: Shaz Khan’s The Martial Artist, Kabeer, Ishq-e-Lahore, Qulfee, Abu Aleeha’s Half Fry, and Lambi Judai.

Now add to it A Minecraft Movie, Disney’s disastrous Snow White, Indian Punjabi films in Diljit Dosanjh’s Sardaarji 2, Tenu Ghodi Kinney Chadaya, and Mithde, Bill Skarsgard-starrer Locked, Indonesia’s Anak Kunti and Almarhum, Germany’s The Bitter Taste, the re-release of the anthology Teri Meri Kahaniyaan and Carry on Jatta 3.

One wonders, how many shows can each of these sixteen films land at just a little over 100 screens? It’s highly likely, if not a certainty, that none of these sixteen films would turn a profit.

It’s not like we expected the Shahroz Sabzwari-starrer Qulfee to bring back audiences to cinemas anyway. But perhaps The Martial Artist could have, if marketed properly.

The foreign horror stack is an experiment because the Indonesian film Sijjin made more than PKR50 million last year. At least we are now more open to films from other countries. Though, it would be wiser to spread them out instead of pile them up over Eid.

As it stands, cinemas in Punjab are relying on Indian Punjabi films to carry them through the season. They have almost always done well and helped cinemas in the province sail through the storms. Carry on Jatta 3 made PKR30 million during its original run in 2023.

However, that poses another problem. Citing the Mawra Hocane-starrer as an example, exhibitor Nadeem Mandviwalla said, “Sanam Teri Kasam was a flop when it was released in 2016. The re-release made it successful. The films that have made money the first time around don’t see much of an increase.”

By re-releasing successful films at the same time as the new films, you divide the screens further until each film will play two shows and then disappear. Mandviwalla also agreed that it’s not possible for cinemas to play all the films. They will naturally pick two or three at best, depending on the number of screens available.

A major issue here is the absence of any star-studded film which would attract anybody. Most of the local releases this Eid are the kind of films which lost the audience’s trust over the years. It doesn’t mean that only star-studded films should be released in cinemas, but that the quality of said films must be taken into consideration. I doubt any Pakistani is thinking, “Oh man, I can’t wait to watch the re-edited version of Half Fry” or “I am dying to watch Shahroz Sabzwari dance wearing an unbuttoned flowery shirt in the mountains.”

Eid release fixation

Under the current precarious circumstances, it would be a miracle if any film stands out and reigns supreme this Eid. This also points to our obsession with releasing films over Eid. Twice a year, people flock to the cinemas and then, we wait for the rest of the year. This is the same (lack of) strategy that has caused this implosion in the industry.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it, once again, points to the idea that we don’t trust our own films enough and have to rely on Eid, arguments in favour of reduced ticket prices, and blaming the audience for not supporting Pakistani cinema and a bag full of conspiracies to deflect from the fact that we produce half-baked, stylistically outdated films.

Some major releases are slated for the next Eid and a few more films this summer. But after that, nothing until 2026. The desperation and panic has led to planning for the next year instead. Whatever happens, rest assured, this Eid could very well be a filler as we wait for the meat at the next.

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