Kuchee Talkies: Cinema on the go
Mazhar Zaidi and Meenu Gaur of ‘Zinda Bhaag’ fame launch mobile movie theatre; screening in Korangi and Lyari.
Kuchee Talkies aims at introducing local audiences to global cinema by screening regional films of other countries. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
KARACHI:
A few months ago, news about the sale of Karachi’s Nishat Cinema gained widespread attention. The cinema, burnt down during the 2012 riots against Innocence of Muslims, was considered a vital part of the country’s cultural heritage.
But the main reason why the sale became a point of discussion among cinemagoers is because it represented a decline in the cinema-going culture among the lower- and middle-class. This didn’t go unnoticed by filmmakers Mazhar Zaidi and Meenu Gaur. In order to revive this dying trend, the husband-and-wife duo behind Zinda Bhaag began a project titled Kuchee Talkies under their production house Matteela Films.
As the name suggests, Kuchee Talkies is a temporary movie theatre, which travels through different areas in the city and screens regional films for citizens of that locality, free of cost. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Zaidi, who oversees this initiative, spoke about what prompted his team to kickstart the venture. “Although the film industry has continued to grow over the past few years, coupled with an increase in the number of multiplexes, the cinema-going culture in the country has taken a hit,” he said.
“The decline in single-screen cinemas has led the cinema experience to become one exclusive to the elite,” he added. “Not every person can afford to see a movie in a multiplex. If five people watch a movie in a single-screen theatre, it will, at most, cost them between Rs800 and Rs1,000, while the multiplex experience costs around Rs3,000, at least.”
So far, Kuchee Talkies has held around 70 screenings in different locations, ranging from wedding halls in Korangi and Lyari, to the auditoriums of the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) and Karachi Arts Council — all free of cost.
According to Zaidi, despite the ongoing political tension in various parts of Karachi, the response the project has received has been overwhelming. “Initially, we thought we might face problems going to different areas, but were surprised by the response after our first few screenings,” he stated.
Citing the example of the screening at a wedding hall in Korangi, Zaidi said over 600 people attended the show, contrary to expectations. Once the movie ended, they received many requests from people to arrange another screening. Discussing the technical side of managing a mobile cinema, Zaidi said it was not difficult as they only required a good projector and an inflatable screen to setup the location, both of which they already had.
Another objective of Kuchee Talkies is to introduce local audiences to global cinema by screening regional films of other countries. Zaidi clarified that, contrary to popular belief, none of these films were ‘art house’ or ‘serious films’ but are ‘funny and entertaining’. “We recently showed Ankho Dekhi, a regional Indian film with a good message and, at the same time, very entertaining,” noted Zaidi.
The initiative was something Zaidi thought about when he was working on his movie Zinda Bhaag, in order to keep the viewers engaged and ensure that the message gets communicated to the audiences. Although booked for the next six months, Kuchee Talkies has its sight set on the target, as it aims to screen films in other parts of the city as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2015.
A few months ago, news about the sale of Karachi’s Nishat Cinema gained widespread attention. The cinema, burnt down during the 2012 riots against Innocence of Muslims, was considered a vital part of the country’s cultural heritage.
But the main reason why the sale became a point of discussion among cinemagoers is because it represented a decline in the cinema-going culture among the lower- and middle-class. This didn’t go unnoticed by filmmakers Mazhar Zaidi and Meenu Gaur. In order to revive this dying trend, the husband-and-wife duo behind Zinda Bhaag began a project titled Kuchee Talkies under their production house Matteela Films.
As the name suggests, Kuchee Talkies is a temporary movie theatre, which travels through different areas in the city and screens regional films for citizens of that locality, free of cost. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Zaidi, who oversees this initiative, spoke about what prompted his team to kickstart the venture. “Although the film industry has continued to grow over the past few years, coupled with an increase in the number of multiplexes, the cinema-going culture in the country has taken a hit,” he said.
“The decline in single-screen cinemas has led the cinema experience to become one exclusive to the elite,” he added. “Not every person can afford to see a movie in a multiplex. If five people watch a movie in a single-screen theatre, it will, at most, cost them between Rs800 and Rs1,000, while the multiplex experience costs around Rs3,000, at least.”
So far, Kuchee Talkies has held around 70 screenings in different locations, ranging from wedding halls in Korangi and Lyari, to the auditoriums of the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) and Karachi Arts Council — all free of cost.
According to Zaidi, despite the ongoing political tension in various parts of Karachi, the response the project has received has been overwhelming. “Initially, we thought we might face problems going to different areas, but were surprised by the response after our first few screenings,” he stated.
Citing the example of the screening at a wedding hall in Korangi, Zaidi said over 600 people attended the show, contrary to expectations. Once the movie ended, they received many requests from people to arrange another screening. Discussing the technical side of managing a mobile cinema, Zaidi said it was not difficult as they only required a good projector and an inflatable screen to setup the location, both of which they already had.
Another objective of Kuchee Talkies is to introduce local audiences to global cinema by screening regional films of other countries. Zaidi clarified that, contrary to popular belief, none of these films were ‘art house’ or ‘serious films’ but are ‘funny and entertaining’. “We recently showed Ankho Dekhi, a regional Indian film with a good message and, at the same time, very entertaining,” noted Zaidi.
The initiative was something Zaidi thought about when he was working on his movie Zinda Bhaag, in order to keep the viewers engaged and ensure that the message gets communicated to the audiences. Although booked for the next six months, Kuchee Talkies has its sight set on the target, as it aims to screen films in other parts of the city as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2015.