PESHAWAR: The three cinema houses in Peshawar are set to release three old Pashto flicks on the first day of Eidul Azha as the movie-buffs expect tough competition this time around amid serious financial crunches the Pashto cinema industry has suffered owing to long closure for fear of spread of Covid-19.

The fourth wave of the pandemic might burr the silver screen once again in the wake of the rising number of cases in and around Peshawar.

Film directors Arshad Khan, Shahid Usman and Nadir Khan have drawn up sleeves to roll out their respective reels of Pashto movies namely Badmashee Da Khial Kawa, Naway Zakhmoona and Raj Da Badmashai starring Shahid Khan, Arbaz Khan, Tariq Jamal, Ajab Gul, Jehangir Jani, Asif Khan, Shela Chaudhry, Feroza, Sidra Noor and Jiya Butt.

After a long pandemic break, Peshwarites would enjoy quality music and best performance, said Shahid Usman during his promo show on Tuesday.

“Pashto old runs are also being screened today in Karachi and Quetta” said Arshad Khan.

Talking to journalists here on Tuesday, Shahid Khan said that Pashto film industry was on the verge of collapse owing to long closure coupled with unabated dismantling of cinema houses.

He said that the filmmakers, directors and producers failed to bring out new stuff and were forced to roll out the old Pashto reels from the boxes on Eid.

He said that old wine was being put into new bottle and the movie-buffs would not be disappointed. They would enjoy the storyline, music and romantic scenes, he added.

Shahid Khan said that one most significant change would be witnessed in his character role. He said that he would be seen carrying a sitar alluring heroine instead of brandishing a gun to forcibly grab her.

The change, he hoped, would register a positive impact on his fans and most probably change the future course of other villains.

Rahim Parwana, a film fan, told this scribe that viewers no more interested in glorification of violence and drugs. They wanted to enjoy movies on big screen laden with romantic stories, he added.

He said that although all the three films carried identical titles, yet their promos released on social media a day ago showed that violence would no more rule over Pashto cinema if it continued to exist.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2021