No Pakistani director has really made a name for himself: Khalid Ahmed

Veteran director feels that is the reason for the lack of work for Pakistani directors in India

01 Aug, 2016

Veteran director Khalid Ahmed is in India these days, and finds himself wondering why he doesn't have more work in India.

"Not many Indian filmmakers or producers know about me. I think one reason why Pakistani directors have never been approached by Indian producers is because there are plenty of them of their own and extremely good ones," said Ahmed to Times of India.

He went on to recall, "I raised this question to Ketan Mehta and I said that why the hell do you people take our actors, there's no dearth of actors and acting talent in India. Kabhi kisi ko lete hai, kabhi kisi ko lete hai from Pakistan and almost all leading ladies are being invited to come and act in Indian films, why? He didn't have a very good answer."

"First he said, 'Aap log achche hote hai, khush shakal hote hai, you are good looking people.' But there is no dearth of good looking people in India. Then he said that may be there is attraction and a curiosity when it comes to people from across the border."

He arrives at the reason for lack of work for Pakistani directors in India himself.

"Just like actors if directors are also invited to come and work here, they would love to," he says. "Everyone wants to come and work here as it is a bigger industry. Our film industry is a very nascent film industry and none of the directors has really made a name for himself. The present wave of cinema making in Pakistan is only 3-4 years old. In between there was a huge gap, so nobody has made a mark to the extent that they should be called upon to do something in India, I think."

Still, Ahmed has a dream project in mind.

"I want to do a story in the background of Bihar's Muslim aristocracy, with the same culture, lingo. It has always been a dream to do it in Bihar. If somebody really gives me money and wants me to do something in India, though this sounds like a dream, I would really like to make a film based on 'Aag Ka Darya', novel by Qurratulain Hyder. It has been translated in English also, 'The River of Fire'. It is kind of cultural history of India beginning right from the times of Gautam Buddha till the Mauryas, Guptas and later on what happened when Muslims and Britishers came, what happened when Partition happened. It is very interesting chronology."

Comments

سے Shaam Aug 01, 2016 10:15am

Simple answer:- Indian movies take Pakistani actors for cheap cost (Side dish roles) and to sell the movie to Pakistani distributors. They do not take movie directors because no one comes to cinema to see a director's movie but an actor(s).

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CK Aug 01, 2016 10:25am

Would love to see Pakistani directors also finding their way about in Bollywood. Will be good for improving ties between the 2 nations

Syed Aug 01, 2016 12:21pm

The latest breed of filmmakers in Pakistan need time to grow. Since the film industry had literally seized to exist, therefore, the new filmmakers had to start from television or advertisement industry. Most of them are, therefore, first time filmmakers. Even the technicians are raw and are going through on job training. However they are learning quickly because of their creative and technical backgrounds from their parent industry. Like any new phenomenon, a trajectory arc has to be followed and time and effort has to be invested. Just like television drama, the films industry will also start making its mark in the next few years.

Aamer Aug 01, 2016 02:00pm

@سے Shaam its not true, Salam Aga was from Pakistan she played a main role in Nikka in the 80's which was a big hit, Zeba Bakthiar was also the main lead in RK Productions Hinna also a hit. Anita Ayub, Somi Ali and Meera were signed as solo heroiens in Bollywood not as side dish.They all did big banner movies.

سے Shaam Aug 01, 2016 02:27pm

@Aamer Sadly my dear friend, the mentality has never outgrown the male lead actors, the women are still projected as second fiddle in male dominated industry. A top male actor takes home 100 crore per film or entire distribution rights of a territory, where as a top female has to do with only 10 crore a film.

Hamid Aug 01, 2016 04:27pm

Indian Movies have revived Cinema theaters who were dieing slow death. That is why Indian movies are allowed in Pakistan

M. ASIF Aug 01, 2016 04:40pm

How many viewers know any director by name or face or by his brilliant work at home? You need to ensure your existence by the powerful impact of your work, simple reason why our directors n their work is not visible to locals n across the border. Faces of actors and quality of their work is visible so actors are invited by India. Its not a conspiracy.

KT Aug 06, 2016 10:34am

Cast indian actors or actress in Pakistani movie. Since it is made in Pakistan the censor norms will be taken care with least editing. Also theater quality needs to be improved with comfortable seats better Air Conditioning. Any country director can work anywhere key is casting and finance.