Pakistani Cinema: Maintaining Momentum | Film

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There is no denying that Pakistani cinema has literally risen from the ashes. From empty cinema halls showing substandard films to packed houses featuring a diverse line-up of local films in 2015, the film industry has certainly grown – maybe not by leaps and bounds, but by leaps and bounds. 2016 is expected to be another year full of success as around 30 films will see the light of day each promising to be unique in terms of content – from contemporary films to biopics and war sagas. To rib-tickling comedies. satires – the sky is the limit for this new generation of cinema buffs.

To put the numbers into perspective, the country’s collective box office figures grew by 28 percent in 2015 compared to 2014 and, although the overall share of local films is less than 3 percent (according to social media reports), This figure is only expected to increase. In fact, this year’s first official release, Ho Man Jahan, has already made it to the list of the top five highest grossing films in the history of Pakistani cinema. While all these are signs of lucrative times to come, it feels ironic especially when filmmakers publicly claim that the films they are making are completely devoid of passion and that they really Not getting any substantial financial benefits.

To help us understand the ambiguity of such statements, Hashim Raza, CEO of Cinepax Cinemas, explained the business model adopted for revenue sharing. “50 percent of a film’s gross goes directly to the exhibitor,” shared Raza. “Out of the rest, about 7 to 10 percent is the distributor’s commission. And the rest is what the producer gets. Now if he has managed to make a film for less than that, obviously that’s what happened. A Profitable venture.” In short, Jawani Phir Nahi Aani may have done a business of around 500 million in Pakistan, but that is not the profit that the producers made on their investment.

Many Lollywood hardliners blame the influx of Bollywood films for the low revenue, and call for a total ban, when in fact it is Bollywood that has given a new lease of life to Pakistani cinemas. . Others blamed the government for a lack of support. In an earlier interview with Instep, writer-turned-director Asher Azim called for “a basic framework/national policy that protects the interests of local filmmakers and cinema”. But while the government is far from recognizing the Pakistani film industry as an economic driver, unlike in China, where state-controlled bodies regularly change the release dates of foreign blockbusters to give domestic films free access to audiences. They do, but it doesn’t take away the softness. which the state is already offering. In addition to efforts to create a profitable business environment, the Pakistani government has not imposed any entertainment tax for years, except for a negligible withholding tax on sales and income that is “paid on any business transaction between two entities.” done,” as Reza. holds, and which has no direct impact on ticket revenue.

While it also makes sense for local films to clear calendars on key release dates (to give them more mileage), this can only happen if enough films are being produced for cinemas. So that good work can be continued even in such a feature, otherwise it is going to collapse like the post Zia regime. So what does the industry need to ensure long-term stability and sustainability?

Number of screens

There are currently around 52 screens operating in the country that have the technology to support the new form of digital cinema. Obviously, an increase in the number of screens will result in an increase in revenue, as the films will get a wider audience to watch them. For example: China, which has about 28,000 screens for a population of 1.3 billion, sees 15 new screens open in the country on a daily basis – partly because last year’s biggest release outside the US was Chinese Annie. There was a mated film. Monster Hunt. Last summer, the Chinese box office crossed the $70 million mark in a single day. While this may seem overly ambitious for a benchmark, it validates the argument for having more screens within the country.

“There are very few screens at the moment,” reflects Jami, director of last year’s critically acclaimed Moore. Once this number reaches 200, the feasibility of making films will change a lot because currently a good film with a budget of 60 to 70 million is making a profit of only 2 million. When a bank grows to 70 million screens and that profit doubles, the game will change.”

Cinema owners are not oblivious to this and around 20 to 30 new screens are expected to open in 2016. However, the notable fact is that most of these screens are part of multiplexes with higher ticket prices. Plush seats, contemporary settings and advanced technology are all amenities that are expensive and one has to pay a premium to enjoy them. But according to a recent report by the PEW Research Center, 97.6 percent of Pakistan’s population belongs to the low-income group, who cannot afford to pay this premium. While some multiplexes such as Cinepax include discounted matinee shows, the multiplex model, while an important one, is taking away a significant portion of the potential audience. Even if some of them pay for the one-time experience offered by multiplexes, single-screen cinemas are still ripe for sustainable growth.

That said, single-screen cinemas also need a steady flow of local productions because, with no regulation on piracy, Bollywood films can easily be watched for free on cable television. This need for advancements in film delivery leads us to our next need.

Number of studios and technical labs

Films like War, Karachi to Lahore, Nah Mazloum and Zinda Bhaag have been shot in Pakistan with the most advanced technology, often imported from abroad. Many of them had to cross borders or go abroad for sound mixing and/or editing in the absence of technical expertise and labs back home. There are also times when filmmakers have to pay import duty on the treated product that they bring back. All these add to the net cost of making the film and besides if you choose to shoot outside to give the film more commercial appeal, it is a big hit on the pockets of filmmakers who invest from home. have been

The options then are to either limit yourself to a bigger budget or turn to sponsors, and in both cases, the quality of the film is compromised, as we have seen time and time again. Shah, though made with honest intentions, suffered in terms of the feel of the film, while Dekh Magar Pyaar seemed more commercial.

“Business infrastructure has two parts. One part is the retail avenue, which in this case refers to the cinema halls, and the other is the studio. We have started building the cinemas but the other half is not there yet. -exists,” explains Nadeem Mandviwala of Atrium Cinemas. “Once people start investing in studios, the overall cost will start to come down. Would it be better to go to ten different places for one product and find everything in one?”

There is no doubt that this financial integration and investment is needed for the long-term sustainability of Pakistani cinema, but thematic individuality is equally important. As Mandviwala says, “Four years down the line, an investor will be interested in investing only if the industry and its content are creating excitement for the films among the audience.”

Currently, the majority of Pakistani films are more or less experimental and while some filmmakers like Sarmad Khost and Jami have managed to bring an original approach to the screens, and subsequently succeeded in their endeavours, others have been hasty. And has resorted to poor copying. Bollywood homework. The latter should not be the standard of our ambitions. Even if financial stability is achieved, it is the uniqueness of Urdu cinema and its ability to connect with the Pakistani diaspora globally that will ultimately determine success.