Mughal-e-Azam and Pakistan’s stance towards Bollywood 

Mughal-e-Azam might lead to the lifting of the Pakistani ban on showing Indian films in domestic theatres

By Amir Mir 

While the Pakistani film audiences anxiously keep their fingers crossed to view the digitally re-mastered coloured version of the epic Indian movie, Mughal- e-Azam in the local cinema halls, the entrepreneurs, producers and directors of Lollywood seem discontented with the whole affair.

The blockbuster love story of a young Prince Shahjahan and the poor Anarkali, starring the legendary Dilip Kumar and the gorgeous Madhubala, first hit the screens in 1960 after almost nine years in the making. The movie generated unprecedented interest, with an estimated 100,000 people gathering at Maratha Mandir in Mumbai, where it was released, to make advance bookings. The film also created a rage in Pakistan and several other parts of the world, eventually being recognised as an all-time classic.

Almost 45 years later, the epic love story is back in the news, amid media reports that Pakistan government was seriously considering to allow the screening of Mughal-e-Azam in local cinemas. These reports have already created ripples in the Pakistani film industry as well as the government circles. The screening of Mughal-e-Azam would mean the lifting of the official government ban on Indian films in Pakistan. The government officials here have, for the first time, gone on record to state that the Pakistani cinemas were likely to be given permission to screen Indian films shortly.

In the words of Chairman Pakistan Film Censor Board Mr. Ziauddin Ahmed: "A summary to lift the ban on the screening of the Indian movies in Pakistan has already been presented to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for approval, who will take a final decision after consulting President General Musharraf". Resting in the hands of the government directly rather than the Film Censor Board or the FilmExhibitors Board, the summary anticipates the luck of Pakistani cinema owners who want to screen Indian films because of dwindling audiences for Pakistani movies.

Although most people might attribute this authorization to the on-going peace process between India and Pakistan, as the banning of Indian flicks in Pakistani cinemas is a reminder of the cold steps taken after the war of 1965, there are other views on this point as well. "The Pakistan government will make three million rupees every month from every cinema in Pakistan by allowing Indian films here, on contrary to the tax-money placed at Rs. 2,500 per day from each cinema owner regardless of the scanty income of the owners," says Akbar Rehman, the owner of Nagina cinema in Lahore and Chairman Pakistan Film Exhibitors Association.

As things stand, Pakistan's once thriving film industry, which used to pump out 80 to 100 movies a year, is in a terminal decline. The cinemas are closing at an alarming rate, and owners say cinemas can be saved if the 40-year-old ban on showing Indian movies is lifted. The Lahore-based movie business has suffered from the booming sales of pirated movies on video tape and DVD and the recent spread of cable TVs showing Bollywood blockbusters. Only about 25 mainstream Pakistani movies were made in 2004, most of which bombed at the box office. The present state of film-art in Pakistan might not be something quite boastful, as puts Bollywood director Mansoor Khan, "The Pakistani film industry is almost non-existent".

Worse is the scenario in terms of the number of cine-goers, thus reflecting the gradual decline and unpopularity of the local film industry. Although cinema owners, being businessmen desperately want Indian flicks that are popular amongst the Pakistani audiences to be screened in their halls, yet there are those in the Lollywood film industry who consider Indian movies a threat to their own industry. "Screening of Indian films in Pakistan shall bring collateral damage to the Pakistani film industry as well as to the culture. I shall personally move the courts if such screening is allowed," vows veteran Lollywood actor, Yousaf Khan while giving his reaction.

Mian Amjad, the chief of Lahore chapter of Cinema Owners Association opines, "Cinema owners are facing acute financial crisis, due to a major quality decline in the national film industry." In compliance to this opinion, Iram Naz, a regular movie-buff suggests why the audiences in Pakistan would be so keen to view Indian flicks on the big screen rather than the local ones, "The culture of cinema has died out. Despite the luring temptation of the big screen, audiences prefer to sit at home and watch Indian heartthrobs on the small tube instead of locally made movies. The reason is measured both in qualitative and quantitative terms. Screening of Indian films here would not only revive the cinema culture but also improve the standard of Lollywood movies."

"The reason government officials give us for not granting permission to screen Indian flicks is that the Pakistani film industry will close if we run the Indian films," Cinema Owners Association Executive Member Arif Khan said. The factuality of this statement can be verified by another statement by Pakistan's Federal minister for Culture Ajmal Khan who ruled out screening of Indian films in domestic cinemas, "Since Pakistani cinema cannot compete with the Indian cinema in any way, exchanging films with India for public showing is not possible under present circumstances."

Pakistan Cinema Management Association Chairman Qaiser Khan believes that the local film industry is clinically dead and only a miracle can save it and the cinema business. Undoubtedly, the awaited miracle in cinema business is the surge of Indian movies in Pakistani cinema halls, initiating with Mughal-e-Azam. Qaisar Khan seems confused about the state of mind of the Pakistani government on the issue, "If Indian movies can be openly sold in the markets of Lahore and Karachi, if every Indian movie reaches here soon after its release to be aired through cable network, sold as DVDs, VCDs and video tapes, why stop Indian films in cinemas?"

Sana Munir, a habitual film watcher says the screening of Indian films in the Pakistani cinemas should not be such an issue since the people in Pakistan already seem to quench their thirst for entertainment via Indian movies. "Having movie-parties with friends or even lounging out everyday with an Indian movie is something a majority of us do over here. The only difference it would make is that audiences shall be lured to the big screen for quality entertainment instead of gory and showy images that no one is interested in."