Pakistan's numerous Bollywood fans may soon get to watch their favourite stars on the big screen if the government clears a recommendation from a parliamentary panel for lifting a four-decade ban on Indian films.
The Standing Committee on Culture of the Senate, the Upper House of Pakistan's Parliament, last week sent a report backing the lifting of the ban and containing a mechanism for importing Indian movies on a reciprocal basis.
"We have devised a mechanism for allowing the import of Indian films for a period of one year, after which the arrangements can be reviewed," Senator Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, the chairman of the committee, told PTI.
The government will have to clear the proposal before the import of Indian films is allowed, Chaudhry said.
The culture ministry has forwarded the committee's report to caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, who is expected to take a decision on it in the near future.
Chaudhry did not give details of the mechanism that was devised by the Senate panel, but reports said the import of 12 Indian films will be allowed against the export of an equal number of Pakistani movies to India.
Indian movies were banned in Pakistan after the 1965 war between the two countries.
Only a handful of Bollywood productions have since been released in Pakistan.
On two occasions, Indian movies were distributed only after the intervention of military rulers late Gen Zia-ul-Haq and President Pervez Musharraf.
Musharraf personally backed the release of the Indian classic Mughal-e-Azam in 2006 after receiving a request from the family of its director K Asif.
The same year, the culture ministry amended regulations to allow Pakistani filmmakers to hire Indian actors.
This paved the way for films like Khuda Ke Liya, a huge hit that starred Indian star Naseeruddin Shah, and Godfather, which featured Vinod Khanna.
Despite the ban, pirated DVDs of Bollywood films are available in markets across Pakistan for as little as Rs 100.
Though Indian news channels are not available in the country, cable networks beam several movie and entertainment channels that are a major draw with viewers.
"The ban has practically become ineffective as (Indian films) are being viewed uncensored in almost every household," the Senate Committee said.
"Circulation of large number of CDs and DVDs containing Indian movies is also complicating the situation and a complete reappraisal is needed to deal with the issue rationally and realistically."
Those in favour of Indian film imports believe the move could also boost collaborations between the film industries of the two countries.
Film critic and historian Aijaz Gul said: "In terms of sheer numbers and technical standards, there can be no comparison between Bollywood and the Pakistani industry. India produces over 1,000 movies a year while we make hardly 45. But Pakistan has many good lyricists and musicians, who have already been featured in Indian films. Our technicians could also learn a lot from their Indian counterparts if there are co-productions."
Dismissing fears from some quarters that the import of Indian films could further affect the dwindling fortunes of the Pakistani movie industry, Gul said: "The only way we can go is up. More people will go to the cinemas if they start screening Indian movies."
The number of cinema halls in Pakistan has fallen from 700 in the late 1970s to about 200, and many theatres have been converted into shopping plazas as losses mounted for their owners. Islamabad currently has no cinema hall.
The Senate Committee too urged Pakistani filmmakers to "come up with innovative themes and good subjects, improve (their) technical expertise along with standard of direction and production to compete in a globalised environment instead of fearing a walkover to the Indian filmmakers in case the government allowed them in."
The committee also urged Pakistani producers to "win a share of the very large Indian market" for good Pakistani Urdu and Punjabi movies.
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