Before the separation with Bangladesh, Pakistan had three film production centers in Lahore, Karachi and Dhaka. Dhaka was lost after 1971 and Pakistan was left with only two production centers in Lahore and Karachi.
Pakistan’s film industry had to go through many obstacles in General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime, which is why Pakistan’s film industry started declining in that era. It rose again in Pervez Musharraf’s Regime when Pakistani film makers took the stance that Pakistan’s film industry can also produce high quality content in limited budget.
Today, the independent cinema is on the rise making Pakistanimovies to start hitting the charts for the longest time.Independent Pakistani cinema is not only helping the cinema industry to revive but also giving Pakistani producers and documentarians confidence to make movies that are worthy of being represented in the international arena.
Pakistani cinema came in a full swing with the help of its influential and famous figures like Amna Khaishgi, Arsalan Khan, Ali Zafar, Shoaib Mansoor etc. Amna Khaishgi is the only Pakistani film maker who has made a record of hitting Cannes Film Festival for the third time in a row. Amna khaishgi appeared in the Cannes Film Festival in 2010 with her short film “Touch Wood”. She appeared again in Cannes Film Festival in 2012 with her documentary “Kingdom of Women”which was highly appreciated by the jury at the Cannes Film Festival 2012. The jury of Cannes Film Festival2012 is comprised of an Italian Film Director Nanni Moretti and the British Actor Tim Roth.High Quality Pakistani films like “Kingdom of Women”, “Touch Wood”, “Khuda key liye” and “Bol” being produced by documentarians and directors portray the serious issues faced by the Pakistani society. The reason behind portraying such issues is to bring them in spotlight for making people aware of the happenings of our society and to avoid such issues in future. Major issues of our society like women disempowerment, rights of women, honor killing have become global issues now.
People worldwide and the international cinema not only promotes Pakistani films but also considers them one of the best. The popularity of Pakistani film makers along with their actors and actresses are also growing by leaps and bounds. Pakistani pop singer Ali Zafar’s career has flourished after his superb acting in Bollywood movies Tere Bin Laden, Mere Brother ki Dulhan and London Paris New York. Ali Zafar will also be seen making an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival 2012. Because of Ali Zafar’s devotion in Pakistan’s Film Industry, the authorities of Cannes Film Festival considered it worthwhile to invite Ali Zafar at the Cannes Film Festival 2012. With the hard work of our directors, high quality films with unique and identifiable story line will be produced in the future as well to participate in one of the biggest Film Festivals of the world-Cannes Film Festival.
Pakistani cinema produces documentaries on diverse human, social and political issues to show the whole world a bigger picture. For instance, “Kingdom of Women” talks about the story of two women entrepreneurs who earn a living for their families by working at the first women only market in South Asia. The younger generation also started working at that unique bazaar while pursuing their studies at the same time. Directors like Arsalan Khan and Amna Khaishgi have made this possible that Pakistani cinema can produce a better picture for the people of Pakistan at large. Amna Khaishgi is the only Pakistani Filmmaker who made its way to Cannes Film Festival. More than 10,000 short films were involved in the Cannes Film festival this year from all over the world but only 100 including the Pakistani documentary “Kingdom of Women” got selected.Pakistani documentaries and short films have a lesson or moral in them that’s why they make their way to contests and Festivals like Cannes Film Festival.
