BOLLYWOOD films are raking in huge amounts of cash in Pakistan and threatening the survival of the country’s Urdu film industry, Lollywood, says film writer and actor Raja Riaz.
The Pakistani star says that his country is losing millions in foreign exchange by importing Indian films.
“The local investors have shied away from investing in films here. Few Urdu films are in the pipeline. Only the Punjabi film production is continuing and that, too, is of low-budget projects. If the situation continues the few people still associated with the film industry will also leave and engage in some other business,” the Pakistani newspaper The Nation quoted Riaz as saying.
“The government, instead of allowing the import of Indian films, should have devised a strategy to ensure that the local industry does not suffer any negative impact. Bollywood filmmakers are not allowed to shoot films here nor are Indian actors allowed to act in Pakistani films. They should have allowed it first to ensure that not all cash flow is from Pakistan to India but it is both ways.
“If Bollywood filmmakers come and make films here, it would give jobs to our technicians and people related to the film industry. When they come here, they also spend money, bringing in revenue for the locals,” Riaz added.
He reckons that co-productions are the solution for improving the situation. He also says there is an urgent need to revise the censor policy.
To date, 18 movies have been imported under the new foreign films import policy that says that any film that has not been shot in India can be screened in Pakistan and also the film should have its certificate of origin from country other than India.
“Everyone knows the imported films are Indian. Who are they trying to fool by presenting certificates of origin from other countries? If an inquiry is held, many of these certificates will prove to be false. These are all pure Indian flicks and the money is flowing directly to Bollywood from here,” Riaz said.
He says filmmaking is being taught in a number of educational institutions in his country.
“These young graduates can change the face of things here if the government is supportive. The banks and financial institutions extend loans to every kind of projects except films. If they start giving out loans to these talented graduates, things would improve.
“The world has changed and our huge cinemas have become obsolete. They should be replaced with multiplexes where in one place at least three or four films can be screened at a time. The government and the banks can help in doing that,” Riaz said.