March 18, 1966 was a turning point for Pakistani cinema. The film Armaan was released which became the first Pakistani Urdu film to reach platinum jubilee. But its success didn’t end there. Even till date Wahid Murad and Armaan have a special place in its audience’s hearts.
The black and white movie even enthralled the younger generation when it was screened at The Citizens Archive of Pakistan’s fund raiser event. They decided to celebrate the past, giving the new generation experience of watching a full-fledged black and white Pakistani film on a big screen; an experience that was worth having.
“It is better our past is celebrated, yester years are celebrated. We are keeping intact with our history, with the cause of our organization,” says Muhammad Owais Rana, director Oral History Project and Exchange for Change.
After having a bumpy roller coaster ride, Pakistani cinema is back on track but no film has ever reached even a silver jubilee so far. So what is our cinema lacking? What kept the old cinema alive?
Raju Jamil, veteran actor and chief guest at the screening of Armaan argued that it is the music that kept our cinema alive and we need to continue with that. “We need music and dancing to keep Pakistani films alive.” he said while addressing the audience.
Raju was present at nine locations during the making of the movie in Karachi and Murree. He was a huge fan of Waheed and like many of his time, he used to copy his style.
He is of the opinion that the current Lollywood is not comparable to the standards of the ‘60s. When Pakistan Today asked about the revival of Pakistani cinema, Raju replied, “It is temporary. Meaning it is mere entertainment, that’s it. Nothing special.”
“The films that are being made these days, they are not being made for you. The current filmmakers are not interested in you, they are interested in their profits. If they are spending Rs 5 crores or Rs 80 crores they would say that I need 10 or 15 or 20 crores in return. This is what their target is. What their audience wants and what it doesn’t want, they don’t care about it!”
Raju thinks that current Pakistani film industry won’t survive.
“The way Pakistan film industry ran, it won’t run that way. This is just commercial. You need young people these days be it dramas or advertisement. Very few want the likes of Talat Hussain, Munawar Saeed and Raju Jamil. Now it is the younger lot that is wanted.”
The current film industry is producing good music but Raju disagrees.
“Tell me which film song do you remember that has been released in the past three years? If it’s a very famous song just sing it! Look at Coke Studio, what is it doing? It is not reviving old songs, it is using them for its own survival.”
The old films were indeed good but the acting was dramatic. Raju disagrees with that. “These days it is not acting, it is glamour. At that time it was acting and no one can forget the acting of those days.” he said.
“Manto film is made. What was much better than this was Manto Rama; Pakistan Television’s serial. Even I worked in three of its episodes. It is in people’s mind till today. Even Manto was being made a serial. It was suddenly turned into a film and when you watch the film it seems that when one slot finishes actually an episode has finished and after combing 13 episodes the film is made.”
“Irfan’s son has worked really hard and he has produced good work. But since I have watched Manto Rama, I didn’t like it.”
But Moor won even the critiques of current cinema.
“That is a different thing. Outstanding production it is! I have worked with Jami but even in Moor, the music is missing. Dukhtar is also very good but has no songs to complement the storyline.”
But everyone from Armaan’s generation doesn’t think the same.
Fareeda Gaya, appreciates the current cinema too.
“Pakistani film industry is doing very well and we have come much ahead of that time. After seeing one can tell how much technical problems there were at that time. But I give credit to that era also because at that time there was no help, there were no good technicians, no cameramen like that of today, no opportunities like that but they still made a good film …that is why they should get credit too.”
But when asked about the content she replied, “They were definitely sensible. People of these days are floating in air. They are living in fantasies which don’t exist usually.”
“I will tell you one more thing; I am from Bombay so I have come from film world and I have a lot of connection with people who are related to the industry there. So I know what is what.”
Muhammad Owais Rana, director Oral History Project and Exchange for Change had positive views about both current and old cinema.
“I’m a fan of movies and I like both current and new productions,” he said.
The reason for choosing Armaan was that it had run in cinemas for 75 weeks. We don’t have any Pakistani movie coming up these days which stays in the cinema for so long, he added.
“We will be conducting more fundraisers in the hope that eventually we can build a museum one day where one can walk in and experience history rather than looking at artefacts and their labels.”