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PESHAWAR, Aug 24 (APP):The mushroom growth of social media platforms had negatively impacted cinema culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The increase of number of internet users to a record 87.35 million and the internet penetration rate at 36.7 per cent of the total population of Pakistan in January this year indicated people’s overwhelming inclinations towards social media platforms.
“The numbers of internet users had increased by 4.4 million (+5.4 percent) between 2022 and 2023 which magnified overwhelming inclinations of users to social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Twiter,” said Zalakat Malik, former Chairman, the Economics Department, University of Peshawar while talking to APP on Wednesday.
He said that the dying cinema culture has negatively impacted employment, trade and economic opportunities in Peshawar.
He recalled that when a Pashto film was finally released in the city in the past, thousands of film lovers with beat drums gathered outside the cinema houses and cheered for their favourite hero that was “now hardly seen today” in Peshawar.
Arshad Khan, a noted Pashto film director, producer and artist said that one decade ago cinema was flourishing earning maximum capital while in recent years its growth was affected by mushroom growth of social media platforms.
He said Peshawar has started losing the decades-old cinema houses, which have been converted into trade and commercial plazas depriving thousands of film lovers of entertainment.
Peshawar has produced many international legendary artists including Bollywood superstars Yousaf Khan alias Dalip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Lollywood famous actors Qavi Khan and Firdous Jamal.
Despite rich cultural heritage, Peshawar had lost seven cinemas due to mushroom growth of social media, lack of production of new films in Urdu and Pashto, high property taxes on cinemas, security concerns and commercialization.
Out of 15 cinemas in Peshawar, the seven oldest cinema houses including Shabistan (Firdus), Palwasha, Capital, Falak Sair, Novelty, Metro, Sabrina and Ihsrat were demolished and converted into trade and commercial centres and hotels for monetary gains.
The remaining few cinemas in Peshawar City including Arshad Cinema, Sabreena, Aaeena, Naz and Shama also seemed mostly deserted due to the unavailability of new films, high-production film cost, pathetic seating facilities and unsatisfactory approach of the provincial government towards the film industry.
“I came to Peshawar to watch my favorite Pashto film ‘Badmashee Na Manum’ at Arshad Cinema after the closure of two cinemas including ‘Taj’ in Mardan and was very disappointed after seeing limited numbers of movies fans,” said Nasir Khan (35), a Pashto film lover and resident of Katlang Mardan City told APP.
He said his friends were seen using social media while sitting in the cinema to watch their favourite movie.
Gohar Khan, Manager Sabrina Cinema, told APP that he was screening two shows a day of Pashto movie ‘Badmashi Na Manum’ at Rs. 200 per ticket and there were hardly 50 people in the cinema hall which was “highly discouraging”.
Besides social media, he said the rising monthly bills, staff salaries and property taxes had added to the financial difficulties of cinema owners in KP.
He expressed the hope of “earning handsome profit” from a new Pashto film ‘Gulfam”, that would be released next month at Arshad Cinema, wherein noted Pasho artists Jahngir Khan and Nelo would play a key role. “Its main theme is to promote patriotism, love and discourage hate and negativity in society,” he said.
Shahid Khan said that one of the reasons behind dying cinemas was the “poor storyline, outdated cinematography”.
“A quality film requires roundabout Rs 10 million investment while most of the film producers ask Rs 2 million for production of a Pashto movie that was insufficient to produce a quality Pashto movie,” he said.
Pashto films had high-profit potential due to vast viewership in Pakistan mostly in KP, Karachi and Afghanistan.
He said that “our cultural values and minimal wages” discourage new talent from joining the film industry.
Despite being worst affected by terrorism, he said local film producers and cinema owners remained resilient and kept cinema houses functional even in the most difficult times and provided entertainment to people. He urged the KP government to support those who believed in quality work.
He urged the government to exempt cinemas from excessive taxation and provide better wages to the artist community enabling them to produce quality films like ‘Orbal’, ‘Khana Badosh’, ‘Alzam’ and ‘Deedan’ imperative for a knowledge-based society.
Renowned psychiatrist and former principal of Khyber Medical College, Professor Dr Khalid Mufti said one of the reasons for the rising trend of intolerance and violence in the society was the dying cinema culture.
He said cinema was an effective tool for “nation-building and expanding the country’s soft image” globally.
He said quality films had the widest impact among all art forms including dramas, stage and theatres.
Ikhtair Wali, PMLN KP spokesman said the previous government had established a “Binding Film Finance Fund” at a cost of Rs 1 billion per annum to promote the film industry in Pakistan.
A medical insurance policy has been introduced for the artists’ community and tax exemptions in the current budget were announced besides a five-year tax holiday for filmmakers and income tax on the establishment of new cinemas, production houses, film museums and tax rebate on the export of film and drama for 10 years.
He said besides the establishment of a national film Institute and post-film production facility and that a “national film studio was being set up at a cost of Rs 1 billion”.
Rebates would also be given to foreign filmmakers on joint film and drama projects locally, he added.
The condition of shooting 70 percent of film in Pakistan would be applicable to them to promote business activities including tourism and culture.
An eight per cent withholding tax on distributors and producers was also being abolished and there would be a five-year exemption from customs duty on import of machinery, equipment and supplies for films and dramas.
Finance Bill 2018 had been amended to completely exempt importing equipment for new films and dramas from sales tax and entertainment duty.
Eminent TV artiste and pride of performance, Javed Babar said the establishment of Rs 1 billion film fund, national film institute and studio besides post-production facility centre would immensely benefit the artists’ community and film industries.
He said showbiz activities would be promoted with an exemption of five-year customs duty on the purchase of film and drama production equipment and suggested foreign exchange tours for the artists’ community to further polish their talent.
These measures would help revive cinema culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and provide healthy entertainment facilities to people.