This Eid, cinemas divide on language

LAHORE: Lahore’s cinemas will be firmly divided along linguistic lines this Eid.

Multiplexes such as DHA Cinema, Cine Star and Cine Gold, which cater to the upper strata of society, will not screen any Pakistani films on Eid. Other cinemas, such as Shabistan, Gulistan and Plaza will go ahead and screen Pakistani films.

The move reflects the demands of the target market.

Representatives of multiplexes told The Express Tribune that they would not be showing any Pakistani films this Eid, since they are all in Punjabi and they do not have an audience for these films.

The films being released this holiday are Vohti Ley Kay Jani Hai by Syed Noor, Haseeno Ka Mela by Sangeeta, Lado Rani by Masood Butt and Taxi 707 by Malik Joni.

Multiplexes will be showing Indian films We Are Family and Peepli Live, and Hollywood productions Inception and The Expendables.

Salman Khan’s Dabangg, which has released in India to rave reviews, has not been allowed screening on Eid. It will be released in Pakistan on September 17, after the holiday.

Pakistan Film Exhibitors Association Chairman Zoraiz Lashari told The Express Tribune that they had cooperated with the ministry of culture and film producers. “We cannot force any cinema to show Pakistani movies. If they don’t have clientele for Punjabi productions, how can they screen it? We are not releasing any Indian film on Eid as per our commitment.”

However, film association representatives still have an issue with released Indian films being shown.

The chairman of the United Film Association of Pakistan, Amjad Farzand, who has been campaigning for long time against Indian films, said that they would protest against the screening of We Are Family (which was released before Eid and now would be screened on Eid). “I don’t know about the cinemas which are not screening films but we have got the release of Indian movies banned on Eid which is our achievement. If cinema houses bear some losses on Eid there is no harm in it. They have earned a lot because of us. We were the ones who campaigned to get the screening of Indian movies allowed in Pakistani cinemas. They should also support our local film industry now,” he said.

Cinema owners say Pakistani productions provide minimal returns for them. Movie buff Ahmed Mujtaba believes that the prevalent class differences in society were playing out in cinemas. According to him, if people can still watch Indian movies by purchasing them from DVD and CD stores there was no point in banning them.

“If some cinemas are not screening Punjabi films, even if Indian movies are not being released on Eid, then what’s the point in banning the screening of Indian movies,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2010.