| Cinema of Pakistan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| No. ofscreens | 150 screens (2024)[1][2] |
| Main distributors | ARY Films Hum Films Geo Films Urdu 1 Pictures Six Sigma Plus Eveready Pictures One Films A-Plus Films Dawn Films |
| Produced feature films (2023)[3] | |
| Total | 100+ |
| Number of admissions | |
| Total | 250,000,000 |
| Part ofa series on the |
| Culture of Pakistan |
|---|
 |
| Traditions |
| folklore |
Music and performing arts |
| Sport |
Monuments |
| Cinema of Pakistan |
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| South Asian cinema |
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Thefilm industry ofPakistan, consisting ofmotion pictures, has had a large effect onPakistani society and culture since the nation's independence. Pakistani cinema is made up of various sub-industries, includingLollywood, which makes motion pictures inUrdu andPunjabi. Lollywood is one of the biggest film industries in the country.[4]
Pakistani cinema includes films made invarious Pakistani languages, which reflect the linguistic diversity of the country itself. The largest language-based film industries in the country include Punjabi, Urdu,Pashto,Sindhi, andBalochi cinema.
Pakistani cinema has played an important part in the country's culture. In recent years, it has begun flourishing again after years of decline, catering to audiences inPakistan andexpatriates abroad. Several film industries are based in Pakistan, which tend to be regional and niche in nature.
In 2022,Joyland became the firstPakistani film to be screened at theCannes Film Festival. It was also selected as the nation's entry forBest International Feature Film at the95th Academy Awards and was shortlisted for the award.[5]
Over 14,000Urdu feature films have been produced in Pakistan since 1948, as well as over 10,000 inPunjabi, over 8,000 inPashto, over 4,000 inSindhi, and 1,000 in Balochi. The first film ever produced in Pakistan wasHusn Ka Daku in 1929, directed byAbdur Rashid Kardar in Lahore. The first ever Pakistani-film produced wasTeri Yaad, directed by Daud Chand in 1948.[6]
Between 1947 and 2007, Pakistani cinema was predominantly based inLahore, home to the nation's largest film industry (nicknamedLollywood).[7] Pakistani films during this period attracted large audiences and had a strongcult following. They were a part of the mainstream culture, and were widely available and imitated by the masses. During the early 1970s, Pakistan was the world's fourth-largest producer of feature films.[8]
However,martial laws, strengthening ofcensorshiplaws, and lowered quality-standards meant that the second half of this time period, between 1977 and 2007, saw a decline in the industry's output and impact. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the film industry went through several periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on state funding and incentives. By 2000, the film industry in Lahore had collapsed and saw a gradual shift of Pakistani actors, actresses, producers and filmmakers from Lahore to Karachi.
By 2007, the wounds of Pakistan's collapsed film industry began to heal and Karachi had cemented itself as the new center of Pakistani cinema. Over the subsequent years, a new generation of producers entered the industry, bringing developments such as novel storylines, shorter films, and new technology. This led to the popularity of an alternative form of Pakistani cinema. The shift has been seen by many as the leading cause for what has been referred to as the "resurgence of Pakistani cinema".[9] Despite the crisis starting in the mid-1970s, Pakistani films have retained much of their distinctive identity, and since the shift to Karachi, they have regained their following.[10][11]
The history of cinema in Pakistan began in 1929, whenAbdur Rashid Kardar set up a studio and production company under the name ofUnited Players Corporation (later renamedPlayart Phototone), which would become the foundation stone for the Lahore film industry.[12] After scouting for locations, he settled for their offices to be established at Ravi Road. The dimly-lit area presented difficulties as shootings were only possible in daylight, but nevertheless, the area had some very important landmarks like the Ravi Forest and the tombs ofMughal emperorJahangir and his wifeNur Jahan.[12] It is reported that the team working at the studios would commute ontangas and even lost equipment once while traveling on the bumpy roads on the horse-drawn carriage.[12]
However basic and crude their working conditions were, Kardar believed in his work and in 1929 he produced the first silent film in Lahore under his studio's banner,Husn Ka Daku (Mysterious Eagle).[13][14] The film was only mildly successful at cinemas, but it managed to establish Lahore as a functioning center of a film industry. Kardar then decided to focus on direction, not acting.[12] Immediately afterwards, the studio released the filmSarfarosh (Brave Heart) in 1930; in 1931, the filmsFarebi Daku (Mysterious Bandit) andKhooni Katar(The Bloody Dagger) were released. All three of these starred Gul Hamid in the lead role, and had similar supporting casts. None of the films was able to stir much noise about the Lahore film industry; in the 1930s, as the nascent Urdu-language industry was forming, many Hindi and Punjabi language films were also being screened in the area.
Another early producer was Roop K. Shorey, who, upon hearing of Lahore's growing film industry, returned to his hometown and producedQismat Ke Haer Pher (Life After Death) in 1932.[12] In 1946,Sajjad Gul's fatherAgha G. A. Gul set up Evernew Studios onMultan Road. The following year,Eveready Pictures was established byJ.C. Anand, which would go on to become the largest film production and distribution company in Pakistan.
In 1947, after Pakistan was created out of British India, Lahore became the hub of cinema in Pakistan.[15] By 1947 there were around 80 cinemas inEast Bengal. In March 1948, when theGovernor-General of PakistanMohammad Ali Jinnah came to visitEast Bengal, the radio broadcaster and filmmakerNazir Ahmed was commissioned to create the informational filmIn Our Midst with the help of Calcutta-based film technicians. It was the first informational film of the province (nowBangladesh). Upon independence, there was a shortage of funds and filming equipment, which initially paralysed the film industry. Despite these obstacles, the first Pakistani feature film,Teri Yaad was released on 7 August 1948,[16] and premiered at the Parbat Theatre in Lahore.[17]
It was in the 1950s that the industry's fortunes changed. In earlier years, Pakistani films had been met with lukewarm reception and failed to perform well at box offices. This changed with the release ofDo Ansoo on 7 April 1950, which became the nation's first film to attain a 25-week viewing andsilver jubilee status.Noor Jehan's directorial debutChanway was released on April 29, 1951, and was also commercially successful. This was the first Pakistani film directed by a woman.[18][19] In the second half of the decade, higher-budget films began to be made, a trend begun by the producer Faqir Ahmad Shah in 1955 and continued by his filmJagga in 1958, directed by his son Saqlain Rizvi. The film remained mediocre in the cinema.
As cinema viewership increased, the industry found more success. The 1954 filmSassi, produced by Eveready Pictures, reachedgolden jubilee status, and the 1959 filmUmar Marvi was the first Pakistani film made in Sindhi. The playback singerAhmed Rushdi's career also began during this period, after singing his first song inBander Road Se Kemari.
To celebrate the success of these endeavours, film journalistIlyas Rashidi launched an annual awarding event on 17 July 1957.[20] Named theNigar Awards, the event has become Pakistan's most prominent awards event for filmmaking.[21]
The 1960s is often called the golden era of Pakistani cinema, and it was then that the first generation of Pakistani cinema's legends were introduced. Asblack and white films became obsolete, colour films such as Munshi Dil'sAzra in 1962,Zahir Raihan'sSangam (first full-length coloured film) in 1964, andMala (first coloured cinema-scope film). Also released in 1962 wereShaheed, which introduced thePalestine conflict to Pakistanis in cinemas and became an instant hit, andCharagh Jalta Raha, which marked the debut of the influentialMohammad Ali and was premiered byFatima Jinnah on 9 March 1962 at Nishat Cinema inKarachi.
In September 1965, following thewar between Pakistan and India, all Indian films were completely banned.[22] Although a light ban had existed since 1952 inWest Pakistan and since 1962 inEast Pakistan,[23] this was enforced more strictly in the war's aftermath. Pakistani cinemas did not suffer much from the decision to remove the films and instead received better attendances.
Realising the potential for success in film,Waheed Murad entered the industry then. His persona led people to call him the "chocolate hero."[24] His 1966 filmArmaan was one of the most cherished Urdu films to ever be released.[25] The film is said to have given birth toPakistani pop music, by introducing playback singing legends like composerSohail Rana and singerAhmed Rushdi. The film became the first to complete a 75-week screening at cinemas throughout the country, thus attaining aplatinum jubilee status. Waheed Murad was picturised in a song for the first time ever in director Saqlain Rizvi'sMamta, released in 1963.[25] Another rising star during this period wasNadeem Baig, who received instant stardom with his debut filmChakori in 1967.
Horror films were introduced with the release ofZinda Laash, making it the first Pakistani film to display anR rating tag on its posters.[26] Meanwhile,Eastern Films Magazine, a tabloid edited by Said Haroon, became a popular magazine for film-lovers in Pakistan. It featured a question and answer section titled "Yours Impishly," for which the sub-editorAsif Noorani took inspiration fromI. S. Johar's page in India'sFilmfare magazine.[25] Tabloids like these got their first controversial covers with the release ofNeela Parbat on3 January 1969, which became Pakistan's first feature-film with an adults-only tag.[24] It ran for only three-to-four days at the box office.[27] More controversial yet would be the offering of distribution rights in the Middle East to the Palestinian guerrilla organisation,Al Fatah, by the writer, producer, and director Riaz Shahid for his filmZarqa released on17 October 1969.[28] It depicted the activities of the organisation.
Towards the late 1960s and early 1970s, political turmoil once again returned with the East Pakistan conflict brewing. Amidst concerns, the filmDosti, was released on7 February 1971 and turned out to be the first indigenous Urdu film to complete 101 weeks of success at the box office, making it the first recipient of adiamond jubilee.[29] As political uncertainty took charge of the entertainment industry, filmmakers were asked to consider the socio-political impacts of their films. For instance, the makers ofTehzeeb, released on 20 November 1971, were asked to change the lyrics of a song that might have proved detrimental to the diplomatic relations between Egypt and Pakistan. So vulnerable was the film industry to the changing political landscape that in 1976, an angry mob set fire to a cinema inQuetta just before the release of the first Balochi film,Hammal O Mahganj.
Javed Jabbar'sBeyond the Last Mountain, released on2 December 1976, was Pakistan's first venture into English film-making. The Urdu versionMusafir did not do well at the box office. Signs of trouble slowly began in the cinema industry asVCRs andpiracy became an issue.
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Pakistani cinema entered into a decline during the regime ofMuhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1978–1988), who began hisIslamization process across the country. One of the first victims of this sociopolitical change was Pakistani cinema.[30] Imposition of new registration laws for film producers requiring filmmakers to be degree holders, where not many were, led to a steep decline in the workings of the industry. The government forcibly closed most of the cinemas in Lahore.[31] Newtax rates were introduced, further decreasing cinema attendances. Other factors such as VCRs and film piracy had a negative effect on the growth of the industry.[32]
Aina, released on18 March 1977, marked a distinct symbolic break between the so-called liberalZulfikar Ali Bhutto years and the increasingly conservative cum revolutionaryMuhammad Zia-ul-Haq regime. The film stayed in cinemas for over 400 weeks,[33] with its last screening at the Scala inKarachi, where it ran for more than four years. It is considered the most popular Pakistan film ever.[33] Films dropped from a total output of 98 in 1979, of which 42 were in Urdu, to only 58 films of which 26 were in Urdu in 1980.[citation needed].
The film industry by now was on the verge of collapse as people began turning away from cinema. The filmmakers that remained in the industry, produced super hits likePunjabi cult classicMaula Jatt in 1979, telling the story of agandasa-carrying protagonist waging a blood-feud with a local gangster. WhileMaula Jatt paved the way for films based on rural and violent anti-hero, in terms of dress, conduct, speech, and values, Maula was at odds with previous presentations of heroes and ideals of nation-building.[34] Similarly,Aurat Raj, released in 1979, is another film, which is hailed for its feminist narrative.[35][36] Growing censorship policies against displays of affection, rather than violence, came as a blow to the industry.[Dead link replace 1] As a result, violence-ridden Punjabi films prevailed and overshadowed Urdu cinema.[Dead link replace 1] The middle class neglected the 'increasingly dilapidated and rowdy cinemas'.[Dead link replace 1] This film sub-culture came to be known as thegandasa culture. InPunjabi cinema,Sultan Rahi andAnjuman became iconic figures of this culture. InPashto cinema, filmmakers were able to get around the censor policies and filled their films with soft-core pornography to increase viewership. This was done by the backing of powerful politicians.[Dead link replace 1]
The once romantic and lovable image of Pakistani cinema in the 1960s and 1970s had transformed into a culture of violence and vulgarity by the 1980s. This ironically came while the government under Zia-ul-Haq's regime was attempting to "Islamise" the country. Being an actress associated with the current crop of productions became an understandable taboo and many middle-class people began shunning these films.[citation needed] Nevertheless, the influx of refugees fromAfghanistan, who were denied entertainment in their own country, kept Pashto cinema alive,[37] while Punjabi cinema was fueled by young single men from the rural areas of Punjab.
In 1983, legendary actor Waheed Murad died, which was yet another blow to the cinema industry.[38] Some claim he committed suicide while the media attributed his death to his disheartened view in the wake of Pakistani cinema's collapse.[39] The director of his unfinished filmHero, employed 'cheat shots'[Dead link replace 1] to complete the film and released to sold out cinemas across the country. This enthusiasm soon disappeared and not even Pakistan's first science fiction film,Shaani, in 1989,[40] directed bySaeed Rizvi employing elaborate special effects, could save the industry. It received awards at theMoscow Film Festival,[41] in Egypt, and in Korea,[41] but was shelved in Pakistan.[41]
At the start of the 1990s, Pakistan's film industry was gripped with certain doom. Of the several dozen studios across the country, only 11 were operational producing around 100 films annually.[42] By now the annual output dropped to around 40 films, all produced by a single studio.[42] Other productions would be independent of any studio usually financed by the filmmakers themselves. This number would lower further as studios went towards producing short-plays and television commercials.[31] The death of Waheed Murad in 1983 was only the start of the demise of iconic cinema stars of the 60s which further led to decreased interest.Anjuman quit from playback signing,Sultan Rahi was murdered in 1996, directorSangeeta put her career on hold to attended to family life while Nazrul Islam died. Controversy raged over the 1998 filmJinnah, produced byAkbar Salahuddin Ahmed and directed byJamil Dehlavi. Objections were raised over the choice of actorChristopher Lee as the protagonist[43] depictingMuhammad Ali Jinnah and inclusion of IndianShashi Kapoor as archangel Gabriel[44] in the cast combined with the experimental nature of the script.[44] Imran Aslam, editor ofThe News International, said the author wrote the script in a "haze ofhashish".[44] By 1999, a surge of new films began releasing.Haathi Meray Saathi produced and distributed by Eveready Pictures celebrated its Golden Jubilee bringing audience back to the cinema for 66 weeks. Other hits wereSyed Noor's 1995 filmJeeva, Saeed Rizvi'sSarkata Insaan and his 1997 filmTilismih Jazira. 1998 saw the release of Noor'sChoorian, a Punjabi film that grossed Rs180 millionrupees.[45] In 1999, a Russian-Pakistani joint venture was produced andSamina Peerzada'sInteha. Other notable productions of the late 90s includedDeewane Tere Pyar Ke,Mujhe Chand Chahiye,Sangam,Tere Pyar Mein, andGhar Kab Aao Gay, which attempted to get away from formulaic and violent story lines. It was predicted that Pakistani cinema would have a revival. However, the public did not respond and low attendance at cinemas were recorded as thelower middle class shunned these films. The industry was pronounced dead by the start of the new millennium. By the early 2000s "an industry that once produced an average of 80 films annually was now struggling to even churn out more than two films a year".[46] Partial successes were recorded withLarki Panjaban[47] andJaved Sheikh'sYeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa[48] grossing over Rs200 millionrupees.
By 2003, young filmmakers in Karachi began experimenting with film and released low budget films to demonstrate that high quality content could be produced in Pakistan using limited resources.[49] Cinema houses were declining in all major cities and a revival of cinema was being echoed throughout the media. With privatization of television stations in full swing, a new channelFilmazia began airing old Pakistani films as well as newer low budget productions. During this periodMahesh Bhatt, a celebrated Indian director, visited Pakistan looking for talent - particularly singers who could lend their voices to his upcoming films in India. His visit to Pakistan was to coincide with the thirdKara Film Festival where he screened his filmPaap inKarachi.[50] Bhatt would later hireAtif Aslam[51] for the soundtrack of his filmZeher and Pakistani actressMeera to play a lead-role in one of his films.[citation needed] By 2005, a gradual shift had begun wherebyKarachi was replacingLahore as the Urdu film hub of the country. Before 2005, Lahore was a film hub for both Punjabi and Urdu films. Many film makers, producers, directors shifted to Karachi to avail new opportunities. In August 2007,Shoaib Mansoor directed and releasedKhuda Ke Liye - it became a surprise instant success at the box office and brought the middle class back to the cinemas due to its controversial theme of addressing Pakistan's social problems. The film was also released internationally, including India, where it became the first Pakistani film released there after four decades.[52] The release of Khuda Kay Liye is seen by many as the revival of cinema in Pakistan and the cementing of Karachi as the Pakistani film and showbiz capital. Despite optimism of a solid revival, progress continued to be slow. AlongsideGeo Films, the "Pakistan New Cinema Movement" was launched in 2009 with around 1400 members which facilitated networking to stimulate newer film productions. Several films were released after Khuda Kay Liye which saw limited success including Shaan Shahid's directorial projectChup, Syed Noor'sPrice of Honor, Iqbal Kashmiri'sDevdas,Son of Pakistan, Syed Faisal Bukhari'sSaltanat, Reema Khan'sLove Mein Ghum.,[53] 'Bhai Log' and Mehreen Jabbar'sRamchand Pakistani. However it wasShoaib Mansoor to the rescue again with his 2011 filmBol which broke box office records in Pakistan.[54]
Shoaib Mansoor'sBol seemed to have officially "revived" the cinema of Pakistan. 2013 brought with it seven Pakistani films that were theatrically released in Pakistan, and led commentators to ponder whether it was time to announce the heralding of a 'new wave'[32] of Pakistani cinema.[55] Since 2011 from the digital scene two films have stood out with box office success ashighest grossing Pakistani films;Waar followed byMain Hoon Shahid Afridi.
Shoaib Mansoor'sKhuda Kay Liye (2007) andBol (2011) seemed to have ushered in therevival of Pakistani cinema. By 2013, several Pakistani films were theatrically released - the first time in over a decade. It led commentators to speculate whether it was time to announce the heralding of a 'new wave'[32] of Pakistani cinema.[55]2013 proved to be a great year for Pakistani cinema. In March,Siyaah (meaningPitch black) was the firsthorrorthriller film to be released in Pakistan in over 20 years. Directed by Azfar Jafri[56] and written byOsman Khalid Butt, the film starredHareem Farooq, Qazi Jabbar,Mahnoor Usman and Ahmed Ali Akbar. The film was about adissociative identity disorder patient who uses black magic against unsuspecting relatives.[57] The film collected over ₨2.65 crore (US$260,000) at the box office. The following monthChambaili, anUrdu-language politicalthriller film directed byIsmail Jilani, was released starring Salmaan Peerzada,Khalid Ahmed,Mohammed Ehteshamuddin,Maira Khan,Shafqat Cheema andGhulam Mohiuddin also made a special appearance. The film was a political drama exploring the subject of political corruption in Pakistan. Since the flower 'Chambaili' (lily flower) is the national flower of Pakistan, the film-makers' intentions were to encourage patriotism and nationalism in Pakistan.[58] The film madeRs. 20 million (US$69,000) at the box office.Waar (Wār;IPA:[ʋɑːr], meaning "TheStrike") was the winner of 2013. Theaction-thriller film directed byBilal Lashari[59] and written and produced byHassan Rana[60] featuredShaan Shahid,Meesha Shafi,Ali Azmat,Shamoon Abbasi,Ayesha Khan and Kamran Lashari.[61] At the time of its release, it became thehighest-grossing Pakistani film ever. This was broken by 2015 release ofJawani Phir Nahi Ani.[62] The film depicts events surrounding thewar on terror inPakistan,[63][64] including theattack on a Police Academy inLahore in 2009. Several other films were also released between April and October includingIshq Khuda directed byShahzad Rafique,Josh: Independence Through Unity directed byIram Parveen Bilal,Main Hoon Shahid Afridi directed bySyed Ali Raza Usama,Zinda Bhaag byMeenu Gaur andSeedlings by Mansoor Mujahid.Main Hoon Shahid Afridi was anaction-drama film directed bySyed Ali Raza Usama and produced byHumayun Saeed[65] and Shahzad Nasib. The film starredHumayun Saeed,Javed Shaikh andNoman Habib in the lead roles.Nadeem Baig,Shafqat Cheema,Ismail Tara,Ainy Jaffri,Hamza Ali Abbasi andShehzad Sheikh also played important roles in the film, whilstShahid Afridi[66] andAyesha Omar made special appearances.[67] The film earnedRs. 22 million (US$76,000) in its first week of release.[68] However, as some commentators cautioned, declaring a film a 'hit' or a 'flop' is determined by the relationship of the budget spent and box office returns of a film and therefore several of the top-grossing films of Pakistan were technically not a 'hit'.[69] Nonetheless, the lack of box office returns of a Pakistani film has less to do with the film itself but more to do with the severely limited number of screens in Pakistan.[70]Zinda Bhaag (Run For Your Life) has been critically acclaimed with reviewers calling it 'the best film to have come out of modern-day Pakistani cinema'[71] and a "new metaphor for Pakistani cinema"[72] that "bode(d) well for the possibility of noteworthy Pakistani imports in years to come".[73]Zinda Bhaag went on to be Pakistan's official submission to theOscars,[74] the first after a gap of fifty years[75] but did not make the final shortlist nominees.[76] The resurgence of new Pakistani film productions centres around the use of digital equipment and makes use of cheaper distribution with DCP compliant cinemas which started to convert around 2011, increasing rapidly to 2014 with around 30 cinemas nationwide.[77]
2014 proved to be an equally great year, withNa Maloom Afraad (Unidentified Persons) taking the 2014 box office. The Pakistanicomedythriller film was co-written and directed byNabeel Qureshi as hisdirectorial debut.[78] The film starredJaved Sheikh,Fahad Mustafa,Mohsin Abbas Haider with supporting cast ofUrwa Hocane,Kubra Khan andSalman Shahid.[79] The story follows Shakeel (Sheikh), Farhaan (Mustafa) and Moon (Haider), three poor struggling individuals who chase every possible means of becoming rich, all getting into trouble as they struggle to fulfill their desires and ambitions through questionably moral ways. Other films released in 2014 includedTamanna directed by Steven Moore,Sultanat directed bySyed Faisal Bukhari,Dukhtar directed byAfia Nathaniel, andO21 directed by Jami.[citation needed]
2015 picked off from the momentum of 2014 and 2013.Jalaibee (meaningtwist) was acaperactionthriller film[80] directed and written byYasir Jaswal,[81][82] produced by Eman Syed. Jalaibee was a joint production ofARY Films and Redrum Films in association with Sermad Films and Jaswal Films. The film starred prominent TV actorsDanish Taimoor[83] andAli Safina[84][85] in lead roles along withAdnan Jaffar,Sajid Hasan, Uzair Jaswal,[86] Wiqar Ali Khan,[87] Sabeeka Imam andZhalay Sarhadi.[88] Jalaibee was the first Pakistani film to be shot with theArri Alexa camera.[88] and was about the intertwined stories of numerous characters who are all struggling with their problems, and who somehow connect on a unifying level.[89] The film collectedRs. 5 million (US$17,000) before its release asMalik Riaz had bought 10,000 tickets in advance.[90] The film had a good number of public previews came out well on them collectingRs. 1 million (US$3,500) which is biggest preview collections ever in Pakistan.[91][92] In total, the film collectedRs. 7.50crore (US$260,000) at domestic box office and aroundRs. 3crore (US$100,000) overseas, taking lifetime gross toRs. 10.5crore (US$360,000) at the end of April.[93] In May, Pakistan's first3Dcomputer animated film was released.3 Bahadur (lit. 'three brave ones') was produced and directed bySharmeen Obaid Chinoy. It was the first instalment in the franchise3 Bahadur (film series) and was co-produced byWaadi Animations (a joint-venture ofSOC films)[94][95] andARY Films. 3 Bahadur became Pakistan's first computer-animated feature-length film.[96][97][98] The film focuses on three eleven-year-old friends, who rise from the unlikeliest of places to save their community from the evils that plague it.[99] The film is set in a fictional town calledRoshan Basti (town of light).[100] Equipped with courage and super powers, they battle against the odds and stand up to injustice to restore peace and harmony in their once thriving community and live a very happy life. The film was theatrically releasedARY Films.[101] It became the highest-grossing animated film at the local box office breaking the previous record ofRio 2.[102][103] It grossedRs. 6.63crore (US$230,000) after 50 days of successful run in cinemas and became 7th highest-grossing film in Pakistani cinema history. Between July and September, a number of films were released beginning withBin Roye (Without Crying). Theromanticdrama film directed byMomina Duraid andShahzad Kashmiri[104][105] starredMahira Khan,[106][107]Humayun Saeed,Armeena Khan,Zeba Bakhtiar,[108] andJaved Sheikh.[109][110][111] One of the movie's songs is directed byHaissam Hussain. The film was based on the original novelBin Roye Ansoo byFarhat Ishtiaq and released worldwide on 18 July 18, 2015, the day ofEid-ul-Fitr.[112][113]Bin Roye was praised by the critics.[114][115] It broke all records on international markets becoming one of the highest grossing Pakistani films. The filmBin Roye was later adapted into a television series with thesame name, that premiered onHum TV on October 2, 2016.[116] Its success was followed byJawani Phir Nahi Ani which became the highest-grossing film of 2015 and breaking all box office records on domestic markets. The year saw some of the most critically acclaimed Pakistani films, includingMoor andManto. These films raised the standards for Pakistani films.
2016 continued the momentum of new age Pakistani cinema.Ho Mann Jahaan was released on 1 January, starringAdeel Hussain,Mahira Khan,Sheheryar Munawar, andSonya Jehan, along with veteranBushra Ansari.[117] The film opened to a highly successful box office weekend and went on to run for several weeks, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2016, earning Rs.22.50 crores in total.Janaan andActor In Law both opened on Eid weekend, becoming the highest and second-highest-grossing films of 2016, respectively, earning Rs.24 crores and Rs.17.5 crores at the local box office and Rs.30 crores at the international box office.[118][119]
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