MUMBAI, May 17: Pakistani movie-makers plan to release six films in India next month that will mark the latest breach in a four-decade cinema blockade between the two countries, industry executives said on Wednesday.

The films will be launched simultaneously in New Delhi and Mumbai in an unprecedented 10-day mini-film festival showcasing the struggling Pakistani industry.

Pakistan banned Indian films in 1965 during one of their three wars since independence in 1947.

India also has not shown films by Pakistani movie-makers although a handful of Pakistani actors have appeared in Bollywood productions.

Amid a political thaw, Pakistani authorities allowed the release of two Indian films, “Mughal-i-Azam” and “Taj Mahal”, this year. Both bombed at the box office in Pakistan.

Now the Indian authorities have returned the offer.

“This is one further step towards bridging the gap of enmity between the two countries. It is an effort to strengthen the peaceful bond of brotherhood,” Jamshed Zafar, chairman of the Pakistan Film Producers Association, told AFP from Lahore.

He said he doubted that audiences would flock to see Pakistani films, which lagged behind the prolific Indian movie industry in terms of production values.

“We don’t have huge expectations because Indians already have lots of choices in their country as far as their films are concerned,” he said. “However, I must add we can only hope for the best.”

Pakistani director Syed Noor, director of the successful love-story “Majajan” in his home country, and a host of actors will come to India to mark the occasion.—AFP