Pak films to cross borders

FILMS: After 'Khuda Ke Liye', directors from Pakistan are hopeful of releasing their films and serials in the Indian market.

Jaaved Jabbar, one of the most popular filmmakers of Pakistan, is delighted with the release of Khuda Ke Liye, the first Pakistani film to be released in India in four decades. "The Pakistan entertainment industry," says Jabbar, "will definitely benefit from this move and a lot more collaborations can take place."

Jabbar should know. After all, he is in talks with two major Indian production houses that are keen to release Ramchand Pakistani, a film which his daughter Mehreen has directed.

Though he's reluctant to give out any names so far, he will ink the deal within two weeks and release the film in India by June, 2008. If everything works out according to plan, Ramchand Pakistani, which revolves around a true incident of a child and his father accidently crossing the border and landing up as prisoners in India and stars Indian actor Nandita Das in a pivotal role, will be the second film from Pakistan to be released in India.

It may be early days but with the release of Khuda Ke Liye, Pakistan's entertainment industry suddenly looks very hopeful about release of their films, serials and programmes in India. That apart, veterans like Jabbar are hoping for a lot more collaboration and exchange of ideas to facilitate a creative movement of sorts for entertainment industries in both the countries.

Shailendra Singh, joint MD, Percept, whose film distribution arm, Percept Picture Company, released Khuda Ke Liye with 63 prints, says that the response to the film has been so encouraging that he'll soon add 40 more prints and target smaller towns and single screens too.

"Shoib Mansoor (the director of Khuda Ke Liye) is Pakistan's Karan Johar. Because I personally believed in the film, Percept will work with Shoib on his next project," says Singh. He also confirms that Mansoor's next film will not just boast of an Indian producer (Percept) but also artistes from both the countries.

In its first week itself, Khuda Ke Liye got a decent opening boasting of 50 per cent collections within the first three days of its release.

Not surprisingly then that more and more Pakistani directors are turning to Indian producers to back their projects. Raana Shaikh, another TV and film director, who was present at FICCI Frames 2008, says, "I have been working on a script which will finally go on floors before the end of 2008."

Calling it an Indo-Pak collaboration, Shaikh is hopeful of getting a nod from Yash Raj Films for the project too. "I met him at FICCI and hopefully things will materialise soon," she says, adding that she's also in talks with Sony TV (India) for another drama project that she has in mind.

Besides her, Rashid Sami, founder, Kohinoor Studios, one of the biggest names behind Pakistani dramas, films and documentaries, is getting ready to work closely with NFDC, where a host of Pakistani writers will interact with some of the top Indian directors in Goa in October 2008. Besides, he's also getting ready to start a game show for Pakistani television where he'll get some dance troupes from India to participate.

That apart, an Indo-Pak animation film is also on the anvil, though it's too early to give any more details. "All our projects will get finalised within two months," he says, adding that Kohinoor Studios is going to invest Rs 40 lakh each in these new projects.

With a spate of Indian films that released in Pakistan recently and with numerous Pakistani bands and artistes that release their music at regular intervals in India, it's time for us to get a taste of Pakistan's films too. And though it may be early days, at least a beginning has been made.