PESHAWAR: The Pashto film industry often being referred to as ‘Pollywood’ despite odds launched three flicks on Eidul Fitr while a more than a dozen of Pashto CD comedy plays have also been released to entertain the people on the festive occasion.

The first Pashto movie titled ‘De Ta Lofari Wayee’ starring Asif Khan Shahid Khan, Arbaz Khan, Mehak Noor, Jahangir Jani, Imran Khattak and guest star Feroza Khan has been directed by Arshad Khan.

The second flick ‘De Ta Badmashee Wayee’ under the direction of Shahid Usman has cast including Asif Khan, Ajab Gul, Arbaz Khan, Mumtaz Zeb, Tariq Jamal, Afreen Paree, Laila Khan, Jiya Butt while the third Pashto movie under the name of ‘Khanadani Gandageer’ comprised Arbaz Khan, Jahangir Jani, Tawab Sarhadi, Jiya Butt, and Warda Khan in important roles while Shanzeb is the director of the said flick.

According to the Pollywood, the three Pashto movies were being released on the occasion of Eidul Fitr in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar simultaneously and would attract large number of cine-goers though cinema industry has long lost its luster for families and even for general masses owing to multiple factors.

At a time when the digital gadgets have the overtaken the world through internet, Pollywood is still struggling to produce films to entertain its limited viewers who still have a taste for big screen. The lone production house in Peshawar Nishtarabad, Musafir Videos, also released over 12 Pashto comedy plays online.

Asif Khan, senior Pashto film star of the yore days told this scribe that cinema culture had almost lost its past glint but it was love of his fans that had still kept him alive on the silver screen alongside his son, Arbaz Khan. He said Pashto entertainment industry had several issues and no single solution would work to resolve those long-standing matters.

“The early 70s was the golden era of Pakistani cinema and especially for Pollywood because everything related to art and culture was supposed to be of high standard but then the too much commercialism robbed the cinema industry of its true art. I work in the industry despite my old age because I want the candle to keep on burning,” Mr Khan recalled.

Director, Shahid Usman told that his team had produced quality stuff and would entertain cine-goers because of impressive storyline, music, cast and dialogue delivery. He said Pollywood enjoyed a good space but suffered due to lack of resources.

Mega film star, Ajab Gul, stated that it grieved him a lot when he heard of a cinema house being razed because it used to be the most powerful medium and the rest of the world still believed in the strength of the big screen. He said despite odds Pashto film industry was in the field and produced movies within limited resources.

“Where there are a few cine theatres left then what is the use of producing movies, nobody cares, every day we hear a cinema house is being razed. It’s for all the stakeholders to think seriously,” Mr Gul said.

Rajwali, a cine-buff, said that unfortunately most Pashto flicks were not compatible with Pakhtun social norms and culture as drugs, violence , vulgarity and gun brandishing were being glorified on the screen. He said the stakeholders should take steps to revive the past glory of the Pashto cinema.

Sohail Afridi, a young daily wager in Peshawar, remarked that music and storyline of Pashto movies had improved but the worst condition of the cine theatres required attention of the quarters concerned. He said not all Pashto flicks glorified negative image, adding that some directors and producers produced quality stuff.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2019