ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan government has revised its two-week restriction onBollywood releases in the country on the occasions of Eid, reducing it toone week.
This may avert a likely clash between Salman Khan’s high-octane “Race 3″and Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Sanjay Dutt biopic “Sanju” — both big-ticketmovies — at the Pakistan box office, which will already be busy with fourlocal films releasing on the festive weekend.
The initial decision, taken as a means to promote the local film industry,restricted cinemas in Pakistan from screening Indian movies two days beforeand two weeks after the Eid days. Eid ul Fitr falls on June 15 or June 16this year.
“Keeping in view the importance of local film industry and exhibitionfacilities, the government has decided that screening of Indian moviesshall be restricted for a period of one week in total, starting from Eidday on both Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Azha,” Danyal Gilani, Chairman, CentralBoard of Film Censors, said in a communication on behalf of the Ministry ofInformation Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage.
A copy of the notice, addressed to Pakistan Film Exhibitors’ Association,is with IANS.
“All the importers/distributors of foreign films are requested to restrainfrom exhibition/screening for Indian films in cinema houses all over thecountry during the period,” Gilani added, urging the Punjab Board of FilmCensors, Lahore, and Sindh Board of Film Censors, Karachi, to ensure thedecision is implemented.
After the announcement of the two-week restriction on Bollywood releases,there was a strong buzz that “Race 3″ and ‘Sanju” will clash on June 29.However, now there may be chances that “Race 3” comes out a week earlier ifthe distributors apply for permission in time.
The combination of a Salman Khan movie releasing on Eid in Pakistan hadworked well with “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” — which propagated a positive messageof peace, unity and brotherhood — back in 2015.
According to Indian film trade expert Girish Johar, it’s “great news” forSalman fans in Pakistan that the restriction has been revised to one week.”I am sure distributors in Pakistan would want the film to come on screensas early as possible after its India release,” Johar told IANS.
“Race 3”, which takes the popular action franchise “Race” forward with anensemble of actors, is releasing in India on June 15. Ranbir’s “Sanju”, aRajkumar Hirani-directed biopic on the ups and downs in Sanjay Dutt’s life,is set to hit screens on June 29.
There’s likely to be large viewership for both films in Pakistan.
“Ranbir is a top star, and Salman is undoubtedly a mighty star… I am surefans across the border are waiting as eagerly as Indian fans for both thefilms,” Johar added.
However, delayed release can impact the business of films, says Sulaiman S.Lalani, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Geo TV Network.
“Delayed release, irrespective of the reason or regulation, undermines fullpotential of a film and compromises feasibility for distributor andproducer. There’s an extreme need that Pakistani exhibition space growsmanifold, potential of which exists.
“Pakistan can easily absorb 500-1000 cinema screens, while current numbersstand around 150,” Lalani told IANS via social media.
Pakistan theatres are likely to remain busy with at least four home-grownfilms on the Eid weekend — Mahira Khan’s “7 Din Mohabbat In”, JawedSheikh’s “Wajood” (which features Indian actress Aditi Singh), actionthriller war film “Azaadi” and romantic comedy “Na Band Na Baraati”.
It’s a celebratory moment for the local industry considering thegovernment’s concerted efforts towards building Pakistan’s Film andBroadcasting Policy 2018, unveiled by State Information Minister MarriyumAurangzeb in Islamabad on Wednesday.
A Film Finance Fund has been established to extend financial assistance toyoung film producers, while the establishment of Film Academy and revivalof Film Directorate and Film Lab were also included in the new culturalpolicy. Marriyum said that import duty on film machinery had been reducedand while film censor fee had been abolished, a digital film archive wouldbe introduced to rate Pakistani films on the box office, according to TheNews International.
In 2016, Pakistan had banned Indian movies altogether, but lifted it later.Earlier, the popularity of Bollywood almost eclipsed the local movieculture in the country, but in the past few years, filmmakers from Pakistanhave come into their own.