For the past many years, our film industry has been facing many a problems. Few movies, similar subjects, quality issues, cinemas being turned into plazas or marriage halls and zillion others. This has obviously brought the industry to a highly alarming point.
But now there is one more addition to the misery. The recently held and still unsettled violent protests all across Pakistan against the profane film costed the cinema industry millions as mobs torched down and looted some of the historical theatres of the country, showing their rage over an insulting film made by some ill-minded person living in some other country. The damaged and destroyed cinemas include Nishat, Prince, Bambino, Capri, Gulistan, and Crown in Karachi, and in Peshawar Firdaus Picture House, Shama and Capital Cinema.
Nishat, Prince, Bambino were destroyed almost completely and Capri was damaged badly.
The extremists attacked the cinemas with bottles of petrol and batons, tore up the posters, broke the glasses and furniture and made other damages despite the complete closure of film shows regarding Yaom-e-Ishq-e-Rasool.
Nishat was the most important and the most popular among these theatres. It’s worth mentioning here that it was inaugurated by Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. Nishat had a golden history as it saw the most successful years of Pakistan film industry. According to news sources, Waheed Murad’s Armaan completed its platinum jubilee here and the likes of Aaina by director Nuzr-ul-Islam also released here in 1977. According to Javaid Shaikh, his movie Chief Saab completed 30 weeks in Nishat.
Renowned director Shahzad Rafique, Javaid Sheikh, Behroze Sabzwari, and President United Producers Association of Pakistan, Rashid Khawaja expressed their grief and pain over the incident and demanded the state to play its role in rebuilding and resurrection of the burnt down cinemas.
From Bambino Cinema, equipment was stolen before burning the building. Owner Shaikh Adeel Imtiaz is although very disappointed but determined to rebuild the cinema. It was inaugurated by President Ayub Khan.
After this incident, situation has got very alarming regarding arts and creativity in the country where screening facilities were already in very limited numbers. One must realise the fact that making an Anti-any religion film and then burning down your own cinemas–having nothing to do with such films, are both the acts of extremism on art, as it affects nothing but harm the healthy activity of arts and culture in a society.
This mega-disaster for the cinema industry in Pakistan raises many questions such as:
What was the fault of the effected cinema owners? They were not involved in making or showing the profane movie at all, then why they suffered?
Is there anyone involved arrested or at least, has any FIR been registered, keeping in mind the fact that many of them were caught on camera during the whole activity?
Is the government going to repair or pay for the damages done?
Just like previous times, we see none of these questions being answered, at least not in near future.
Final Editing by: Aayan Mirza
Thanks Aayan, U made my write up more effective and strong.