Rise and Fall of Pakistani Cinema

Pakistan, has a rich history of filmmaking. The historic city of Lahore was the hub of filmmaking, prior to the partition of India. It is also said, that the film industry in India was born in Lahore. After the partition, most of the industry migrated to the Mumbai. But still, Lahore was home to a significant number of actors, directors and film producers. The 50s and 60s were the peaks of Pakistani film Industry. They were in competition and at par with the Indian films of that time.

After the partition, reconstruction of the film industry in Pakistan was an uphill task but luckily we had a good number of artists here and they played a very crucial role in laying a solid foundation of the film industry in the country. The first Pakistani film Teri Yaad was released in 1948, which was indeed the first joint effort of Pakistani artists, which was successful. The first blockbuster film in the early days of the Pakistani cinema wasDo Ansoo, which released in 1950. Do Ansoo became the first film in Pakistan to enjoy a 25-week run at the box office, eventually achieving a silver jubilee status.

The early days of Pakistani cinema also witnessed the directorial debut of its first woman film director in the legendary singer and actress Noor Jahan. Released in 1951, the Punjabi film Chanwey, was directed by her.

As film viewership increased exponentially in the country during this time, Sassi,(1954) went on to become the first Pakistani film to reach golden jubilee status by  playing 50-weeks on theatres.

Around the same time, the first ever Sindhi language film Umar Marvi was released in 1956.

In order to celebrate the success of these endeavors, film journalist Ilyas Rashidi organized an annual film awards event on July 17, 1958. Titled Nigar Awards, the event has been, since then, considered Pakistan’s premier film awards event, celebrating outstanding performances in various categories of films and filmmaking.

The Pakistani film industry is also known for producing many remarkable and renowned actors, directors, producers, writers and playback singers. 1956-66 is known to be the golden era of Pakistani film industry. During this period, many classical films were made and produced in Pakistan. As of today, Aaina is considered to be the most successful and popular Pakistani film that was ever made. Released on 18 March 1977, it remains a distinct symbol which stands on the threshold between the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto years and the increasingly conservative and revolutionary Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq regime. The film stayed in the cinemas for over 400 weeks.

Not many in Pakistan know the fact that since the birth of cinema in Pakistan, only two Pakistani films had been submitted for the Oscar Awards, Foreign Language Film Awards category. Both submissions were musical-dramas in Urdu. Pakistan’s first Oscar submission was Jago Hua Swera (The Day Shall Dawn, 1959). The movie was filmed in Dhaka, East Pakistan (contemporary Bangladesh) by the East Pakistan Film Development Corporation. Based on a novel by Bengali novelist Manik Bandopadhaya, the film’s screenplay was written by Faiz Ahmad Faiz and it was directed by A.J.Kardar. Scripted in the Urdu language. the film’s storyline was about the daily lives of the fishermen of East Pakistan and won a major0 award at the Moscow International Film Festival.

Pakistan’s second and final Oscar submission, Ghoonghat (The Veil, 1963) was about the disappearance of a veiled young bride on the day she is scheduled to be married off to a rich young man. Since 1963, no Pakistani film has been submitted for Oscars.

The quality of films, scripts, music, lyics, acting and direction were at its best during the golden era of the 50s and 60s.. In the major cities of Pakistan, almost every film attracted a large audience to the movie theaters. Sadly, we couldn’t manage to continue with the legacy of the rich culture, and hence began the downfall.

There were several reasons behind the eroding away of the Pakistani film industry. One of the major reasons was the Fall of Dhaka. It came as a rude and destructive jolt to the Pakistani film industry. At the same time, the mid-70s saw the introduction of video cassette recorders in Pakistan and instantly films from all over the world were copied(pirated) onto tapes, and attendance at cinemas dwindled as people preferred to watch Indian films in the comfort of their homes. This ushered in video piracy in Pakistan. Films began to be copied on tapes on the day they hit the cinemas

After a disastrous 2010, fans of Pakistani cinema got its first Urdu language film Khamosh Raho, starring Juggan Kazim and Shaan, directed by Altaf Hussain, in 2011. Unfortunately it was a disaster on big screen and bombed at the box-office. Later in June this year, Shoaib Mansoor released his second film Bol as a director. The film, starring Atif Aslam, Humaima Abbasi, Mahira  Khan and Iman Ali in lead roles, broke all previous records and became the highest grossing movie of Pakistan. While Bol was receiving an outstanding appreciation and tasting success, two more Urdu language movies Love Mein Ghum and Bhai Log released. Both films were Eid gifts to the whole nation and were welcomed warmly by the Pakistani audience.

This year we also witnessed the release of the controversial film Slackistan. However, the film didn’t  hit the theaters in Pakistan as the director refused to make any cuts to the film as requested by the country’s Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC). According to The Guardian, the CBFC objected to the movie because it had swear words in English and Urdu, and “contains the words ‘Taliban’ and ‘lesbian’”.

Pakistan film industry is passing through a period of transition, where a whole new generation is replacing the previous one. New faces are emerging in the movie industry, which is a healthy sign. Unique and tabooed issues are being brought into the limelight via the storytelling on silver screen. No doubt it is a positive change and we can hope that within few years young Pakistani filmmakers will totally change the old concepts of filmmaking. It is too early to claim any success but at least it is safe to predict that our film industry is moving in the right direction. Upcoming films like “Gidh”,“Waar”, “The Dusk”, “Freedom Sound” and “Kolachi” can bring in  remarkable change to the film industry of Pakistan.

By :WALEED SHEIKH

     11Uo716

       Sec : “I”

Why is marijuana illegal?

Many people wrongly assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical and government hearings; meaning it was made illegal to protect society from its harmful effects. However, the truth is far from it.

First of all, marijuana has been legal for most of the time since it was discovered; in fact its been illegal for less than 1% of the time that its been in use, which goes back to 7,000 BC!

Secondly, the marijuana plant, hemp, has an incredible number of uses. The earliest forms of fabric was made out of it, not to mention it being used as food, incense, rope etc.

Then why is it that marijuana was banned in the US ages after it was introduced? The answer has nothing to do with society and its wellbeing. The answer lies mainly between two men; Harry J. Anslinger and William Randolph Hearst.

Anslinger was in the Bureau of Narcotics – a new government agency. He realized that opiates and cocaine weren’t enough of a target to build his agency so he latched on to marijuana. He drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create.

Anslinger also got help from Hearst, who was the owner of a huge chain of newspapers. Hearst was known to be a racist and had invested heavily in the timber industry to support his newspaper chain, and didn’t want to see development of hemp paper in competition.  

Anslinger plotted and planned for another two years before appearing before congress, where he presented his case. He was met with opposition from several medical boards who clearly blamed Anslinger of misconstruing facts.

However, after a lot of bantering, misconstrued facts and lies, on August 2 1937 marijuana became illegal at the federal level in the US. 

Waleed Akbar

Pakistan's war on hip-hop: A 'lesson in tolerance'?

In Pakistan, a country increasingly under the influence of Islamic fundamentalism, a recent attempt by the government to ban hip-hop in schools seemed like just another concession to extremists. In a twist, however, a fierce backlash ensued: Liberal critics accused lawmakers of trampling free speech rights and the ban was overturned. Here, a concise guide to what could amount to a "lesson in tolerance":

Did the ban target hip-hop specifically?
Not exactly. The law outlawed "objectionable" music concerts at private and public schools. It also called for "intense scrutiny" of those listening to music "deemed to be in poor taste." Punjab Assembly member Seemal Kamran, the conservative mother of four who first proposed the ban, told The Washington Post that Pakistan needs to ban hip-hop concerts and other "vulgar" music in order to preserve its traditional family values.

What sparked the ban?
At least two incidents were catalysts. In January, three college girls were trampled to death at a concert by Pakistani pop singer Atif Aslam. Months earlier, the Chicago-based hip-hop group FEW Collective ran into trouble with the Pakistani military, which accused the group of taking photos of "sensitive installations" in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.

Who opposed the law?
The Pakistani media took up the cause, reflecting a divide between Pakistan's internet-savvy youth and its staunchly conservative elements. Some members of Punjab Assembly itself also trashed the ban. "What's next?" one lawmaker reportedly said, "A resolution seeking a ban on wearing jeans in academic institutions?"

Will this have any effect on U.S.-Pakistani relations?
It could. The U.S. State Department sponsored FEW Collective's Pakistani tour in an attempt at cultural outreach. Described as "hip-hop diplomacy," the effort is meant to counter the deep anti-American sentiment that runs through Pakistani society. A spokesman for the State Department said its cultural exchange programs would continue.

           SHAHAN SIKANDER
            SECTION I

            I.D: 11U0354   

Imran khan all out with the shaukat khanum propaganda

Imran khan all out with the shaukat khanum propaganda

Imran khan tehreek  e insaaf leader has filed a suit of 10 billion against  League (PML-N) leader Khawaja Mohammad Asif for leveling allegations against the Shaukat Khanam Memorial Trust (SKMT).

While admitting the plea, Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the PML-N leader and directed him to submit his reply in a fortnight.

On November 16, Sikandar Khan, an additional district and sessions judge of Islamabad, had dismissed the PTI chief’s application on the ground that under section 4 of Islamabad High Court Act 2010, the lower court could not hear civil suits worth over Rs100 million.

In the application filed with the IHC, Mr Khan’s counsel Salman Akram Raja and Malik Ghulam Sabir referred to a press conference held by the PML-N leader on August 1, 2012, in which he had alleged that Imran Khan had lost a huge amount in a real estate gamble. He said the amount had been donated to the SKMT in the form of Zakat, Fitrana and other donations.

Mr Asif had also claimed that a total of $4.5 million funds of SKMT were invested abroad. “If the investment was safe, why Mr Khan did not invest his own money in the ventures,” Mr Asif had asked, seeking a reply from Mr Khan.

The PTI chief in his plea submitted to the court contended that Mr Asif had made false statements to damage his reputation within and outside Pakistan.

It said Mr Asif during the press conference had also compared Imran Khan with ‘Double Shah’, a notorious fraudster who deprived thousands of people of their hard-earned savings on the basis of false representations. “Comparing Imran Khan to ‘Double Shah’ is the worst form of defamation,” it contended.

It also attached reports of several transactions made by SKMT and maintained that all these were made by the investment committee of the SKMT board, of which Mr Khan was a member.

It alleged that in order to defame Imran Khan and the SKMT, Mr Asif had spread false information and concealed the facts.

When contacted, Mr Asif said the PTI chief had filed the suit under political compulsions. “I still stand by my words on Mr Khan and am ready to face the litigation.”

He added: “I would produce all the evidence against Mr Khan whenever the court summons me to respond to the plea.”

 Moiz Javed

We appreciate friends not masters.

The dust settled after yet another drone strike in the village of Angor Adda lying there amidst the rubble, slouched in the corner was 14 year old Gul Goti. The dim light of the setting sun showed her silhouette as she lay there helpless in the dusty and gloomy playground. As she fought for her life gasping for breath her sweat, tears and blood rolled down her face dripped onto her dress and added another stain….Another reminder. Another reminder of the life that she had spent as it flashed in front of her eyes. She was reminded of the playground in which she used to play in her childhood the same playground which would now become her burial place. She is reminded of the choices she made and the choices her government made her end up her and all she was left with was WHAT IF?

·         What if she did not hide in that playground that day maybe it could’ve saved her?

·         What if she was born in some other city and avoided this brutality?

·         What if she had not done a crime to deserve such a harsh punishment?

·         What if this death was the reward for her perseverance and patience?

·         What if her country’ government had not given consent to its master ?

WHAT IF?

Ladies and Gentlemen Gul Goti died with all these thoughts because of a decision made in a far far place with which she had nothing to do.  We are also left with what if that missile strike did not take place and an innocent life could have been saved? What if we had appreciated friends rather than appreciating masters?

CONFUSED? THOUGHT SO!!! (little giggle).

Ladies and Gentlemen, Passion, respect, understanding, guidance, trust and loyalty are all the traits that are usually referred to friendship. You may ask? What is friendship? Why do we need friends? Everyone here would have you believe that friendship can exist only between individuals or countries.(sarcastic laugh) Friendship is way more than that. Friendship in reality exists with anything that guides you, enlightens you and makes you crawl out of darkness but with the struggle of scrapping YOUR OWN KNEES. Because every individual wants to know the purpose of life and this is the need why friendship is that beacon of light which gives you hope and motivation to help you find that very purpose.

·         So Martin Luther King had passion for his friend known as Anti racism which led to the freedom of Afro Americans.

·         The judiciary of Pakistan which developed respect for its friend justice which ended the trust deficit with people

·         China had loyalty for its friend Pakistan and still stands up for us in every thick and thin.

·         Allama Mohammad Iqbal had a trust in his friensdship with poetry which awakened the muslim spirit.

·         Jony Ive had respect for his friend Steve Jobs which brought a technological revolution in the world today.

This is what true friendship is which made these people and countries struggle to be productive for the society. These friendships do exist and they are the ones which need to be appreciated.

Ladies and Gentlemen Masters are not only individuals who dictate you but it is anything that diminishes your ability to believe in your own self. Things like greed, lust for money and power, selfishness, and all these things are examples of masters who rob your conscience, who dictate you who instead of guiding you do your work instead of you, who makes you dependent! Yes ladies and Gentlemen these masters who take away your freedom of choice. Who hijack your creativity and instead of being productive and a blessing you end up being harm to the society. We don’t want these masters to dictate our life. We want to struggle with our friends to achieve our goals.

·         We don’t want masters in the form of greed which results in the tarnishing image of Pakistani players

·         We don’t want masters who brainwash their innocent disciples to carry out terrorist attacks.

·         We don’t want masters which make us accept things like the Kerry Lugar Bill.

·         We don’t want masters in the form of drugs which lead to thousands of deaths annually

·         We don’t want masters like lust for power which leads to the preposterous laws like the  NRO

We don’t want masters which dictate you and make you forget your true self. These worldly masters should never be appreciated.

Ladies and Gentlemen ask yourself is Pakistan bound to make a compromise? Pakistan being a nuclear power, having the 5^th largest standing army in the world, being the 2^nd largest muslim country, having the 5^th largest gold mine, having the largest deep sea port, having the 5^th largest coal reserves and having 7^th largest population of doctors scientists and engineers.

·         With these vast resources should we bow down to these fake worldly masters? NO!

·         Should we give in to their demands? NO!

·         Should we let them rule our lives? NO!

Ladies and Gentlemen with these resources we just need to make a choice of selecting a friend rather than a master who ruins us. And it’s not JUST about PAKISTAN making its choices but it’s about each and every PAKISTANI making and appreciating friends to be part of a prosperous society. For Ladies and gentlemen let’s answer those confusing what ifs. Gul Goti’s father an honest man and innocent man fell prey to the master of extremism and intolerance and instead had he let Gul Goti study in a good institution it might not have driven him to that tribal area it might have saved her life coupled with that the government of Pakistan had given consent to its master for the drone strike which led to her death. We don’t want another Gul Goti to be born in the society we don’t want another innocent girl being killed for a crime she never committed. So it’s not just about individualism but instead about collectivism for we need to start appreciating friends and not masters. The life we live and the death we die are dependent on the choices we make. Will you let another 14 year old innocent girl die? Will you let your country bow down? Or will you stand up on your own and appreciate friends which help you become prosperous? The choice is ours. Let’s make the right one!

Saad Sohail

Points to improve Pakistan economy

1-    Remove corruption.

2-    Encourage Education.

3-    Do something for unemployment.

4-    Change present political system.

5-    Provide necessary facilities to Rural areas.

6-    By providing electricity 24/7.

7-    Encouraging entrepreneurship.

8-    Attracting investors around the globe to conduct their business here by providing Security to their business.

BY; Rai Sohaib 

Student of the year

Something about the way love is depicted in the trailers of Student Of The Year says ‘old school’ (all pun intended). The love triangle, the songs, the overall look and feel is extremely mid-90s. The dances from the IT’S THE TIME TO DISCO -ish DISCO DEWANE to MAHI VE-ish RADHA, only with worse music, lyrics and choreography makes you feel Bollywood has gone two steps behind in using music in their films. I thought we had grown past the structured, lip-synced songs. I guess not.

The only ‘new generation’ element then that Student Of The Year can truly boast of is the fact that all characters seems to be smart alecs and they inhabit a cut-throat world. A lot needs to be said about the new age romance portrayed in the trailers though. Doesn’t look like Generation Next has moved on from the mush of Karan Johar films, except for using lousy language, I guess. ‘Ishq wala love’? Really?

And what’s old is being weaned out of its charm. Somehow, the bit you can see of Rishi Kapoor seems like a huge let down and a step back to him big a caricature.

Let’s hope there are some moments that will make sitting through what looks like puppy love worth it. Unlike what you’d expect from a Karan Johar film, the music doesn’t seem to the cut the bill though.

Hassaan Mazhar