Film makers against co-production with Bollywood

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Film Producers’ Association (PFPA) conditionally agrees with the idea of co-production with India, while the Pakistan Film Directors’ Association (PFDA) and the Movie Artists’ Association of Pakistan (MAAP) are totally against the proposal.

Talking to Daily Times on Monday, PFPA Chairman Amjad Farzand said Pakistan’s film industry could only co-produce with India’s Bollywood when equality would be ensured regarding copyrights and other financial matters. He said there was no match between the two film industries as India produces 700 to 1000 films in a year while Pakistan produces 25 to 30 films. India had a big circuit while Pakistan had a limited market, therefore higher number of shares would be on Indian side and Pakistan would suffer, he added.

He said the average budget of an Indian film was Rs 150 to 200 million while a Pakistani film’s average budget was Rs 7 to Rs 8 million. He said the co-production was not acceptable in foreign exchange because Pakistan would be in total loss.

PFDA Chairman Aslam Dar said that with the co-productions, Pakistan’s film industry would be ruined. He said it was the law of nature that big fish eats small fish. He said there was no harm in accepting that Pakistani films were inferior to India’s. He said Pakistani technicians would be out of jobs in case of co-production.

He said Indian film industry meant film industry in Bombay and pointed out that already the Bombay film industry was eating up smaller industries in Madras, Calcutta and Keralla. “The studios there are being demolished while the technicians and artists are jobless,” he added.

Film star, producer and director Sangeeta said there was no need for co-production with India because Pakistan’s film industry could not compete with India’s under the present circumstances. Pakistani films have a limited market and in case of co-productions Pakistan would be a loser, she added. Regarding showing Indian films in Pakistan, all the three persons gave their conditional nod, saying the idea is acceptable only on a barter system. “If two Indian films are imported, two Pakistani films should be exported to India and shown on their circuit,” they said.

Regarding Pakistani film star Moamar Rana’s announcement that he would not work in films anymore after his manhandling by certain persons on the set of a film, all the three said the matter had been resolved.

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