While members of Lollywood are still trying their level best to have Indian films banned, independent cinema it seems has begun to make headway in Pakistan. Shoaib Mansoor’s ‘Bol’ hit the charts for the longest time, followed by some lukewarm attempts by Lollywood through ‘Love Mein Ghum’ and ‘Bhai Log’, both of which failed miserably at the box office.
Now underway are two more films in independent projects. These include ‘Seedlings’, a film by Karachi-based Summer Nicks, and ‘Kaptaan’. Seedlings is utilising the talent of Mohib Mirza and Amina Sheikh both TV actors in the lead roles of the movie. Nicks, who is one of the producers of the film said that while Seedlings is the focus at present another film ‘Kolachi’ is also underdevelopment.
He said that ‘Kolachi’ is expected to enter the pre-production phase in early 2012. ‘Kolachi’ is also a collaboration of Pakistan and Australia, produced by Bodhicitta Works (Summer Nicks, Meher Jaffri and Craig Peter Jones) and directed by Mansoor Mujahid. Revolves around three intertwined stories and the choices each character makes in seeking redemption and forgiveness before their doomed fate.
Meanwhile, ‘Kaptaan’, another film, is also undergoing its production process at present.
The story follows the life of Imran Khan and the major events in his life including the victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, building a cancer hospital after his mother’s death, becoming Chancellor of University of Bradford, etc. Imran Khan in the biopic is played by Abdul Mannan and Saeeda Imtiaz will be playing Jemima Khan. This film will be released in February 2012.
Previously ‘Slackistan’, which could not be displayed in the cinema houses in Pakistan due to a variety of reasons, was also made. But the number of films which are underway at the moment seems to point out that perhaps independent cinema is on the rise in Pakistan and that maybe this is the only way that the cinema industry can be revived.
Is independent cinema rising in Pakistan?
