Sara Naveed
It is impossible to deny the endless love we Pakistanis have for Bollywood movies. Trust me when I say this. All of us, almost every other Pakistani next-door, have grown up watching and admiring Bollywood films.
I vaguely remember the day I’d fallen head over heels with Bollywood. It was a warm day, sometime in the early 1990s. We used to live in Sharjah back then. I still remember I was merely a toddler when my dad made me sit on a rocker and played Maine Pyar Kiya, featuring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree in the lead roles, on the idiot box to help me get distracted. And, my, oh my! How distracted had I been back then. The allure of Bollywood movies is still very much alive for me.
It will be needless to say that I have literally grown up watching Bollywood cinema. Every now and then, we used to go and catch a new Bollywood release at the nearest cinema hall. At the time, we didn’t have any favourites and would only watch a movie for the sake of entertainment.
There was a time when I was completely awestruck with Akshay Kumar – yes, he was my first-ever Bollywood crush. I watched Khiladi and Mohra countless number of times.
I guess the tables for the Bollywood film fraternity took a complete turn as we gradually stepped into the millennium. With Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai’s release back in 2000, the Indian film industry witnessed a major shift. For me, it was time to swoon over Bollywood’s latest heartthrob, Hrithik Roshan. I was his biggest fangirl for a long, long time and ardently wrote fan-fictions featuring him. That’s when I sensed the writer in me.
It is not the first time that Bollywood has been banned in our country.
Iconic movies like Mughal-e-Azam, Guide, Sholay, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, stole millions of hearts all over the globe. They’re being watched even today. The trend for Bollywood movies completely changed after 2000. With movies like Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Munna Bhai MBBS, Rang De Basanti, Jab We Met, Rockstar, Barfi, Queen, and so on, we saw many Indian filmmakers take deep risks to showcase another side of Indian movies. All these films did not only earn heaps of money at the box office, but also recieved global acclaim.
Both India and Pakistan have spent many decades to erect barriers against cultural exchange across the border. Despite the recent political debacle between the two neighboring countries, Indians have not stopped admiring Pakistani talent. In fact, they relish watching Pakistani soaps. Fawad and Mahira Khan are still everybody’s favourite in India.
Similarly, Pakistanis, settled in urban cities, have not given up their undying love for Bollywood movies. They still watch them by downloading ******** from the internet or grabbing pirated DVDs from the local stores because giving up on something you’ve loved and grown up admiring is just next to impossible. It is plausible to see them gush about their favourite Indian celebrities or get inspired by their healthy lifestyles. They identify with the actors, characters, and stories. The love for Indian cinema is deeply rooted in their systems.
In fact, we felt hugely disappointed when Raees could not be released in Pakistan. Whatsoever the reason could have been, it was devastating not to witness the intense romantic chemistry that King Khan shared with our nation’s sweetheart, Mahira Khan.
It is not the first time that Bollywood has been banned in our country. Whenever tensions rises across the border, our local cinemas are quick to stop screening Indian movies. Moreover, we are also devoid of watching Indian TV soaps.
It wouldn’t be wrong to state that our cinema business heavily relies on the Indian movies that are screened in theaters. Whenever there’s a ban on Indian films, theaters become almost lifeless and unproductive. Although, it is pleasing to see that the Pakistani film industry flourishing, a huge demand gap exists. A Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan-starrer would still garner more attention and witness a houseful situation rather quickly than a Shaan Shahid movie.
A lot more Pakistani films need to come out to fill the local screens. However, we do not have many screens in our country at the moment. Having more screens would mean that we should also produce more Pakistani films which does not seem like a viable option at this time. Therefore, the only way to keep the interest of exhibitors alive in the business is not to stop screening Indian films.
Whether the two countries settle down their differences or not, whether the ban on Pakistani artists working in India lifts or prevails, our love for Bollywood will never cease. This forbidden romance is here to stay for a long while. Kyunki badey badey deshon mein, aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain.
its called soft power
