LAHORE: No major film is being released across Pakistan on Eidul Azha as the celluloid scene in the country is bleak owing to the pandemic.

According to unconfirmed reports only one film - I love You Lahore - might be released on Eid. The film is produced and directed by Malik Muhammad Ashfaq. The major cast includes Moamar Rana, Shafqat Cheema, Sheeza Khan and Manahil Khan.

Major films such as Legend of Maula Jutt, Tich Button, Quaid-i-Azam Zindabad are on a hold owing to the pandemic and the [recent] protocol introduced by the government that includes showing of vaccination certificates and accommodating only 50 per cent of the audience.

Commenting on the current scenario of films, Chairman Pakistan Film Producers Association Zoraiz Lashari said no major film is being released on Eid.

“The distributors and cinema owners are going through hard times. The showing of vaccination certificate and 50pc audience has further pushed the film stakeholders against the wall because much of the common folks are not vaccinated. Opening of cinemas costing heavy electricity bills with almost no profit is not viable,” he said.

Film producer Chauhdry Kamran said the government took a right step by introducing strict SOPs for cinemas but the overall cine scene is gloomy.

Producers, distributors and cinema owners are not ready to screen films because of the current situation as they are not expecting any worthwhile business at the box office.

To a question that many cinemas located at Lakshmi Chowk have been put on sale, Mr Kamran nodded in affirmative.

He said in the history of Pakistan the film fraternity did not see such a bad patch it is now witnessing because of the coronavirus.

Film Director Shehzad Rafique said most of the cinemas are closed owing to expenses and the Covid situation.

He expressed the hope that the people would get used to Covid SOPs with the passage of time, leading to some improvement in the cinema sector.

He said in Lahore regional films should be focussed as it’s the hub of Punjabi cinema and Punjabi language films should be revived.

Mr Rafique expressed the hope that cinema business might improve in September as many major movies are in the pipeline.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2021