Movie screenings: Celebrating Halloween ­– Islamabad style

Horror flicks flying off the shelves at movie shops.

ISLAMABAD:

With Halloween spirits running high, youngsters in Islamabad seem to be enjoying the thrills and chills of horror movies in a public setting.

Amid horrified shrieks, cozy bonfire and hot cocoa, a large number of people attended the screening of “Paranormal Activity 3” at Kuch Khaas on Tuesday.

Similarly, Hot Spot Cafe has also embraced the spirit of gore and is screening “Zibahkhana (Hell’s Ground)”, a horror movie created by its owner Omar Ali Khan, today in E-11.

Meanwhile, the demand for horror movies at DVD shops also witnessed a sudden rise, with movies such as “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter”, “Don’t be Afraid of the Dark”, “Insidious”, “Wrong Turn”, “Paranormal Activity 3” and “Drag me to Hell” flying off the shelves, according to Pasha, who runs a movie and gift store, Illusions, in F-6.

“I think even though Halloween isn’t part of our culture, the idea of spirits and djinn is prevalent, which makes it relevant to us. Stories of exorcisms, “kaala jadu” and “pichel pairees” is something we hear growing up,” said 24-year-old Sania, who attended the screening at Kuch Khaas.

Talking about horror movies in Pakistan, Osman Khalid Butt, who appeared
in “Zibahkhana”, said the genre needs cinematic exploration from a cultural perspective.

Though no horror movie has been released in Pakistan since Zibakhana in 2008, an upcoming film, “Siyaah” written by Butt, is expected to be released soon.

With cinematic endeavours and celebrations around the city, it is clear that Islamabad residents are capable of enjoying Halloween in their own style, even if it is a borrowed one.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2012.