LAHORE, Dec 8: The film industry is up in arms against reported screening of Indian films in some Pakistani theatres in clear violation of Motion Picture Ordinance and the policy of the Government of Pakistan.

Mian Amjad Farzand, Chairman of the Pakistan Film Producers’ Association (PFPA) told Dawn that this ‘illegal activity’ was against the interest not only of local cinema but also of Pakistan. “While the Indian leaders are crying for a fourth war against Pakistan and creating an atmosphere of war hysteria in their country, some irresponsible elements in the country are trying to undermine greater national interests for short term financial gains.”

The PFPA has fired protest telegrams to the president, prime minister, information and media development minister and chairman, Central Board of Film Censors in Islamabad. It has addressed its complaint to provincial governor and chief minister also.

The telegram has cited three cinema halls in Lahore and Gujrat that recently held a clandestine show of Indian movie Devdas, one of the most expensive films made by Bollywood, as the capital of Indian cinema, Bombay is called by showbiz circles and followers and media around the world.

Film circuit and industry sources claim that not one but a number of Indian movies are surreptitiously screened in the country and this practice has been long in vogue in many cities. But its practitioners seem to have been emboldened by the government’s inaction and started running the films openly and in flagrant violation of the country’s law.

NWFP capital Peshawar is cited as the place where Devdas has been screened in a local cinema hall that also displays the photoset of the movie. Devdas is reported to have held two daily shows 11.30 am and 6.30 pm throughout Ramadan.

Prints of Indian movies used to be regularly smuggled in to Pakistan via Afghanistan in the past. The illegal trade was discontinued under the Taliban administration but it has been revived following the US-led war against terror that ousted Taliban leadership.

According to local sources, some of the latest Indian movies like Kabhi Khushi Khabi Gham and Lagan have also been screened illegally after the last show that ends a while after midnight. Their publicity is by word of mouth and ‘entrance fee’ for a show can be up to five hundred rupees.

But most viewers are ‘highly placed members of the society who are not accustomed to paying for their pleasures and privileges’. They are special guests at these shows. The films are in fact ‘screened for their benefit,’ a member of the film industry said. Asked if such activities could be conducted without the involvement, at least the knowledge of senior members of the administration, Amjad Farzand said that PFPA would campaign against the practice and raid places where such shows are held, regardless of who was watching a show or who had organized one.

He said that PFPA intends to get cases registered with the police against people associated with this regrettable trade that had anti-Pakistanism written all over. The screening of these films, he said, was not just illegal. It also promotes an alien culture to the detriment of Pakistan’s culture and PFPA condemns this illegal practice, he said.