Cinema in Pakistan
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ghazi52
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Quetta’s first multiplex to have the biggest curved screen in Pakistan
The cinema will begin operations with a single screen hall that has a seating capacity of 300.
While Quetta may have experienced its share of ups and downs with the culmination of the first ever Pakistan Super League, it seems the city will now get to see more drama, tragedy, and even other genres, on a curved screen, said to be the biggest in Pakistan.
The provincial metropolis is gearing up for its first multiplex, Weplex Pak Force Cinema, set to open doors to the public on March 4. The very promising project, which is being valued at around Rs100 million, is the brainchild of film distributor Jahanzaib Khan. Investing an exorbitant amount of money in an untapped market like Quetta might seem a bit too risky to the tender-hearted, but Khan feels it is an acknowledgement of the city’s potential.
“Up until a few weeks ago, before Quetta Gladiators came into prominence, people considered the city as a backward area with just mountains. Well the truth is that life here has been moving on. Even the security situation is showing signs of improvement,” he tells The Express Tribune.
Brimming with confidence, Khan says he was on the lookout for a suitable location for the cinema, before he found the perfect place. “The location is ideal and very secure, within the limits of Quetta cantonment.” With as many as 0.3 million people living in the suburb and the strict security protocols enforced by cantonment administration, Khan has little to worry about.
In terms of return-on-investment, he feels the cinema will prove to be a resounding success and gain popularity with the residents of Quetta. “People in Quetta have been deprived of quality entertainment for so long. They have no place to visit for enjoyment,” he says. He admits things might be different in the rest of the country but cinema business in Quetta has always been a tricky one. Citing the examples of the city’s popular single-screen cinemas, Paradise and Imdad, he says, “Even now, they run only one show every day with hardly anyone in attendance.”
However, Weplex Pak Force Cinema, in his opinion, will not only be a game-changer for mainstream films in Balochistan but also benefit regional cinema in the long haul. With only a few days to go before showtime, the place has already become an attraction of sorts, with inquisitive onlookers already scouting the theatre. “People are showing up in large numbers, asking about the facility and requesting tours … so much so that we had to seal the gates so that they don’t barge in.”
Described as a multiplex, the 3D cinema will begin operations with a single screen hall that has a seating capacity of 300. On the other hand, work is still under way on its Gold Theatre which will have 100 seats. Should these two halls do well, is there room for expansion? Khan responds, “Yes! Let’s see … for now we are going step-by-step.”
Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including Dolby Digital Sound 7.1, the cinema has a curved screen, measuring 15ft in height and 34ft in width. “The record for the largest screen in Pakistan was previously held by The Arena, Lahore,” he maintains.
Although the cinema is yet to start functioning, news of its development has already reached Quetta’s film fraternity, which is buoyant to say the least. Celebrated television and film actor Ayub Khosa says the cinema will introduce a new celebrity culture in the province. “Imagine the premieres of local films taking place in Quetta and celebrities coming to the red carpet,” he says.
Enthusiastic film-makers have already begun dialling Khan’s number, requesting him to allow their films the honour of being the first to be screened at the multiplex. “A few days ago, I received a call from Jami who asked if we could show Moor at Weplex given its Quetta-centric story. Nabeel Qureshi and Humayun Saeed made similar offers with Na Maloom Afraad and Jawani Phir Nahi Ani,” recalls the cinema-owner. Khan even states a Quetta premiere of the Mohib Mirza and Sanam Saeed-starrer Bachaana is on the cards.
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Murree to get its first cinema in 20 years.
Murree residents and visiting tourists will soon have more than just scenic beauty to take in on quiet evenings; a cinema is opening its doors at the hill station for the first time in 20 years.
The cinema is ninth in a chain of cinema houses run by Cinepax, which is currently present in five cities across Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.
"Murree's last cinema closed down two decades ago," revealed Mohsin Yaseen, Cinepax General Manager. "The idea was for us to be present in the Murree market, and give entertainment to the people. Lots of people go to Murree to see the natural scenery, but they don't have much to do in the evenings. That's where our cinema will come in."
The cinema will be a single-screen, 300-seater cinema that is equipped with Dolby 7.1 surround sound system and an advanced digital projection system.
"The location we found in Murree could only accommodate a single-screen cinema, which is why we're not building a multiplex there," shared the GM.
.
Quetta’s first multiplex to have the biggest curved screen in Pakistan
The cinema will begin operations with a single screen hall that has a seating capacity of 300.
While Quetta may have experienced its share of ups and downs with the culmination of the first ever Pakistan Super League, it seems the city will now get to see more drama, tragedy, and even other genres, on a curved screen, said to be the biggest in Pakistan.
The provincial metropolis is gearing up for its first multiplex, Weplex Pak Force Cinema, set to open doors to the public on March 4. The very promising project, which is being valued at around Rs100 million, is the brainchild of film distributor Jahanzaib Khan. Investing an exorbitant amount of money in an untapped market like Quetta might seem a bit too risky to the tender-hearted, but Khan feels it is an acknowledgement of the city’s potential.
“Up until a few weeks ago, before Quetta Gladiators came into prominence, people considered the city as a backward area with just mountains. Well the truth is that life here has been moving on. Even the security situation is showing signs of improvement,” he tells The Express Tribune.
Brimming with confidence, Khan says he was on the lookout for a suitable location for the cinema, before he found the perfect place. “The location is ideal and very secure, within the limits of Quetta cantonment.” With as many as 0.3 million people living in the suburb and the strict security protocols enforced by cantonment administration, Khan has little to worry about.
In terms of return-on-investment, he feels the cinema will prove to be a resounding success and gain popularity with the residents of Quetta. “People in Quetta have been deprived of quality entertainment for so long. They have no place to visit for enjoyment,” he says. He admits things might be different in the rest of the country but cinema business in Quetta has always been a tricky one. Citing the examples of the city’s popular single-screen cinemas, Paradise and Imdad, he says, “Even now, they run only one show every day with hardly anyone in attendance.”
However, Weplex Pak Force Cinema, in his opinion, will not only be a game-changer for mainstream films in Balochistan but also benefit regional cinema in the long haul. With only a few days to go before showtime, the place has already become an attraction of sorts, with inquisitive onlookers already scouting the theatre. “People are showing up in large numbers, asking about the facility and requesting tours … so much so that we had to seal the gates so that they don’t barge in.”
Described as a multiplex, the 3D cinema will begin operations with a single screen hall that has a seating capacity of 300. On the other hand, work is still under way on its Gold Theatre which will have 100 seats. Should these two halls do well, is there room for expansion? Khan responds, “Yes! Let’s see … for now we are going step-by-step.”
Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including Dolby Digital Sound 7.1, the cinema has a curved screen, measuring 15ft in height and 34ft in width. “The record for the largest screen in Pakistan was previously held by The Arena, Lahore,” he maintains.
Although the cinema is yet to start functioning, news of its development has already reached Quetta’s film fraternity, which is buoyant to say the least. Celebrated television and film actor Ayub Khosa says the cinema will introduce a new celebrity culture in the province. “Imagine the premieres of local films taking place in Quetta and celebrities coming to the red carpet,” he says.
Enthusiastic film-makers have already begun dialling Khan’s number, requesting him to allow their films the honour of being the first to be screened at the multiplex. “A few days ago, I received a call from Jami who asked if we could show Moor at Weplex given its Quetta-centric story. Nabeel Qureshi and Humayun Saeed made similar offers with Na Maloom Afraad and Jawani Phir Nahi Ani,” recalls the cinema-owner. Khan even states a Quetta premiere of the Mohib Mirza and Sanam Saeed-starrer Bachaana is on the cards.
......
....................
Murree to get its first cinema in 20 years.
Murree residents and visiting tourists will soon have more than just scenic beauty to take in on quiet evenings; a cinema is opening its doors at the hill station for the first time in 20 years.
The cinema is ninth in a chain of cinema houses run by Cinepax, which is currently present in five cities across Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.
"Murree's last cinema closed down two decades ago," revealed Mohsin Yaseen, Cinepax General Manager. "The idea was for us to be present in the Murree market, and give entertainment to the people. Lots of people go to Murree to see the natural scenery, but they don't have much to do in the evenings. That's where our cinema will come in."
The cinema will be a single-screen, 300-seater cinema that is equipped with Dolby 7.1 surround sound system and an advanced digital projection system.
"The location we found in Murree could only accommodate a single-screen cinema, which is why we're not building a multiplex there," shared the GM.
.
ghazi52
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Mega Multiplex opens its doors in Millenium Mall
KARACHI: A new cinema has opened its doors inside Millenium Mall, hoping to cater to those residents of Karachi who were forced to take a long drive to MA Jinnah Road or beyond to catch a movie.
Since nearly all cinemas in the city are located beyond MA Jinnah Road, Mega Multiplex — which offers both 2D and 3D movies — in Millenium Mall near Dalmia will provide a central location accessible from nearly all parts of the city.
“The cinema is accessible to everyone regardless of whether they live in Bahadurabad, PECHS, North Nazimabad or Gulshan,” said Mega Multiplex general manager Sajid Ali. “Now people won’t have to worry about going all the way to Saddar or DHA to watch a movie.”
Situated on the third floor of the popular shopping mall in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, the multiplex had its grand opening on Friday evening with the premiere of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan. Comparing the cinema halls at Mega Multiplex with Cinepax in Ocean Mall, Ali said that for the first few months the cinema is going to have only two screens.
“Cinema 1 that has a seating capacity of nearly 137 people will have the largest screen, which is 10 feet by 25 feet,” he said. “On the other hand, Cinema 2 will be a little smaller both in screen size (nine feet by 18 feet) and seating capacity (70 people).”
While the halls at Mega Multiplex may not be as spacious as the ones at Atrium or Nueplex cinemas, Ali shared that having huge halls was not a priority. According to Ali, who has previously been associated with Universe Cineplex as general manager, their priority was to provide consumers with an excellent and comfortable cinematic experience. “Having said that, plans to expand the complex are already under way,” he said. “For the initial period, we’re only going to have two screens but, six months down, we are looking to add another 250-seat cinema to the multiplex,” he added.
Once the third cinema is added, they will transform the smallest hall into a more luxurious hall similar to the ones at Royal cinema or Platinum cinema at Nueplex and Cinepax, respectively, said Ali.
Regardless of the cinema or the movie, the ticket price is going to be set at Rs500. Ali was confident they will not face a lot of competition from Nueplex or Atrium as their unique selling point is the location and accessibility to people living outside DHA and Clifton. The choice to open a cinema inside Millenium Mall was also interesting given that, since its inauguration in 2002, the shopping mall has lost customers to other bigger malls, such as Dolmen Mall on Tariq Road.
“We have looked into all of these aspects, and interestingly Millenium Mall still remains one of the most popular destinations for shoppers and families given that it also houses other recreational activities, such as a bowling arena, play land and a food court,” Ali explained.
KARACHI: A new cinema has opened its doors inside Millenium Mall, hoping to cater to those residents of Karachi who were forced to take a long drive to MA Jinnah Road or beyond to catch a movie.
Since nearly all cinemas in the city are located beyond MA Jinnah Road, Mega Multiplex — which offers both 2D and 3D movies — in Millenium Mall near Dalmia will provide a central location accessible from nearly all parts of the city.
“The cinema is accessible to everyone regardless of whether they live in Bahadurabad, PECHS, North Nazimabad or Gulshan,” said Mega Multiplex general manager Sajid Ali. “Now people won’t have to worry about going all the way to Saddar or DHA to watch a movie.”
Situated on the third floor of the popular shopping mall in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, the multiplex had its grand opening on Friday evening with the premiere of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan. Comparing the cinema halls at Mega Multiplex with Cinepax in Ocean Mall, Ali said that for the first few months the cinema is going to have only two screens.
“Cinema 1 that has a seating capacity of nearly 137 people will have the largest screen, which is 10 feet by 25 feet,” he said. “On the other hand, Cinema 2 will be a little smaller both in screen size (nine feet by 18 feet) and seating capacity (70 people).”
While the halls at Mega Multiplex may not be as spacious as the ones at Atrium or Nueplex cinemas, Ali shared that having huge halls was not a priority. According to Ali, who has previously been associated with Universe Cineplex as general manager, their priority was to provide consumers with an excellent and comfortable cinematic experience. “Having said that, plans to expand the complex are already under way,” he said. “For the initial period, we’re only going to have two screens but, six months down, we are looking to add another 250-seat cinema to the multiplex,” he added.
Once the third cinema is added, they will transform the smallest hall into a more luxurious hall similar to the ones at Royal cinema or Platinum cinema at Nueplex and Cinepax, respectively, said Ali.
Regardless of the cinema or the movie, the ticket price is going to be set at Rs500. Ali was confident they will not face a lot of competition from Nueplex or Atrium as their unique selling point is the location and accessibility to people living outside DHA and Clifton. The choice to open a cinema inside Millenium Mall was also interesting given that, since its inauguration in 2002, the shopping mall has lost customers to other bigger malls, such as Dolmen Mall on Tariq Road.
“We have looked into all of these aspects, and interestingly Millenium Mall still remains one of the most popular destinations for shoppers and families given that it also houses other recreational activities, such as a bowling arena, play land and a food court,” Ali explained.
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