KARACHI:
Actor and social activist Atiqa Odho’s compilation, titled The Role And Responsibility To And Of Mass Media In Pakistan — which was submitted to the Planning Commission of Pakistan in December 2009 — is now, according to the actor, “work in progress”. Without naming people or entities, she says it has “received support from many groups”.
Odho, a communications adviser of the All-Pakistan Muslim League headed by Pervez Musharraf (former president of Pakistan), has implied that there should be a partnership between Pakistani and Indian media, so that Pakistani viewers do not get exposed to illegally transmitted Indian channels, which may spread content that is harmful to Pakistan’s ideology.
In an interview with The Express Tribune, Odho says that she believes legalising media exchange will serve as a buffer and might even open doors for Pakistani content in the Indian market.
One of the clauses in her compilation states, “Similar language (Urdu) speaking foreign broadcasters [in India] must always have a local partnership tie-in [between India and Pakistan] to be able to broadcast to the Pakistani public so that accountability comes under Pakistani law. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) must never give a broadcast license to a similar language speaking broadcasting entity on its own, as national security could be compromised by incorrect/misleading information being transmitted to a large national audience.”
Further explaining this, Odho states, “Language is key and even though Pakistan and India are separate countries, their languages are almost the same. Five years ago, Pakistani cinema owners brought in substandard films to Pakistani cinema houses and today we find that people enjoy watching Bollywood films more than anything else.” She adds, “Sadly, we don’t try to make our Pakistani market sustainable nor do we find means and ways to promote our television content. We have no long-term planning and our ideas are focused on short-term framework.”
The actor asserts that she is not anti-India, but believes, “One should look at the entire picture of today’s media houses. We are certainly not serving the people of Pakistan nor do we understand what a powerful animal the media is. We make and break people as well as governments, but we cannot see the circumstances under which our national interest is at stake.”
Odho is of the view that Pakistani cinema and television are basically ‘cottage industries’ because they, “Don’t have a tie-in partnership. Nobody from the corporate world, banking industry or multinationals is willing to invest in Pakistan. Sadly, our products are also termed substandard, because there is no one to promote a positive image of our products in the international market.” She then adds, “The international scene only shows us as terrorists. We need to give a clear image of a county, which shows a reflection of liberal Pakistanis.”
However, Odho says what is most important to her is helping those who do not have a voice in the film industry. She feels that the craftsmen and technicians of Lollywood, “who have always been so committed to their craft” have no say in the contemporary ‘rat race’. She asserts that, “Awards are awarded to an actor of a film, TV drama, but never to the man working behind the actor; behind the screen. The technician, who provides technical expertise in the areas such as dubbing and/or editing, stays in obscurity.”
With Pakistani films failing to entertain viewers, Lollywood is suffering greatly and so are its workers. Odho feels that she has an ‘emotional connection with the people,’ which is why she aims to voice their concerns. “Whatever has happened in the last couple of years is unjust to our workers. We need to protect Pakistani market, Pakistani trade and Pakistani workers.”
Odho’s Compilation Advocates:
• Securing workers’ rights
• Securing the Pakistani market and trade
• Safeguarding Pakistani national interest
• Promotion of the brand ‘Made in Pakistan’
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011.
COMMENTS (10)
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@peace lover:
Sorry, hypocrites should be exposed to what they are.
@Pakistani: I have done O Levels and A Levels dear, I dont need to say anything else.
I endorse whatever she is trying to do. We are left with only a few pepole who live with reality and try to promote reality. At least she is not a hypocrite.
@atr what's wrong with that. stop this personal character assassination.
When is she Going to Take "the" Stand? Easy for everyone to preach... difficult to follow!
@ATR And might I also add, your thinking is not yours but the credit goes to something else. http://tribune.com.pk/story/289703/religious-bias-of-textbooks/
She also tried hard to join Bollywood. In fact she has even participated in Indian stage shows where she sang Dil Dil Pakistan, Jaan Jaan Hindustan (I attended the event in New jersey, where she performed with Mr. Nitin Mukesh). Since things did not work out now she is on a Bollywood bashing spree.
Err...What national ideology is she talking about? the one manufactured by the propogandists of military dictators? And what moral authority does she have to "Take a stand". she was caught breaking the law, trivial perhaps but the law nonetheless, and while lesser Pakistanis would have to cough up a bribe, she pulled some strings and is now roaming around talking about national ideology!
@BRUISED INDIAN: "Umm no offense, but wasnt she the one who was on TV with a few other panelists dissing the Indian Industry and as harping on the negative phenomenan caused by Indian TV in Pakistan?"
YEs. Unlike Ali Zafar, Atif, Rahat Fateh Ali, Meera, Veena Malik etc. who have found acceptance on the other side of border - she has not. And she is just a sore loser. She is couching protectioninst ideas in nationalist terms. Conveniently omitting to add that the number of movies made in Lollywood reduced from a few hundred a year in 1980s to less than 10 a year in 2007. Throughout this period law did not permit Bollywood movies to be exhibited in cinemas officially. So the reduction in movies produced and number of cinemas had nothing to with governmentpolicy of allowing Bollywood movies to be distruibuted in Pak cinemas.
Unofficially pirated DVDs were being watched all throughout anyway and no government policy is going to stop that anyway..
What ever happened to the large amount of wine which this boozer was caught with?
Umm no offense, but wasnt she the one who was on TV with a few other panelists dissing the Indian Industry and as harping on the negative phenomenan caused by Indian TV in Pakistan?