Good News for Pakistani filmmakers: SHC orders 85% preference for local films

After the mess that local films like Chakkar, Dum Mastam and Pardey Mein Rehne Do faced with regards to their screening times being allotted to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there has been a major development in the situation.

The Sindh High Court has ordered that local films get 85% of playing time at Pakistani cinemas, with foreign cinemas being allowed 15% of the exhibition space.

According to the high court order, foreign releases must comply by rules of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979, which states that internationally produced films screening in Pakistan can be allowed 15% screen space of locally created films are screening as well.

The order states that the defendants must follow the rules of the Motion Picture Ordinance “strictly in letter and spirit” and to provide 85% exhibition time to Pakistani films till the next date of hearing on June 2.

The Sindh High Court suits numbering 754, 754 and 755 have Cereal Entertainment (Adnan Siddiqui and Akhter Hasnain), Wajahat Rauf and Shazia Wajahat, and Farid Nawaz Productions (Yasir Nawaz and Nida Yasir) as plaintiffs, for their films Dum Mastam, Parde Mein Rehne Do and Chakkar respectively.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Central Board of Film Censors, Punjab Film Censor Board, Sindh Board of Film Censors, Competition Commission of Pakistan, J.B. Films, Nueplex Cinemas, Cinepax Cinemas, Cinegold Cinemas, HKC Entertainment and the Karachi District South deputy commissioner.

Local filmmakers called for compensation in the face of damages the films and makers faced with the distribution of screen time, of which the relevant teams have been vocal about on social media.

While chaos has already ensued for local films in the wake of the release of Doctor Strange, this ruling may prove beneficial (if gone unchallenged) for upcoming local releases such as Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad and London Nahi Jaunga. Moreover, while the Marvel film has amassed big figures at the box office, upcoming foreign releases such as The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Memory, and Top Gun: Maverick stand to potentially be impacted by this decision.

Earier this year the Zindagi Gulzar Hai star, Sanam Saeed expressed her disappointment over the absence of posters and standees of her newly released film, Ishrat Made in China, in one of the outlets of Nueplex Cinemas at Minhas Road, Karachi. There were no posters displayed of the film in the cinema.

She took to her Twitter handle to express her concern and tagged JB Films who is the owner of Nueplex cinemas.

She wrote, “A little disappointed in #nuplexcinemas for not putting up any of our film posters, especially on Rashid Minhas Road.”

She also urged the cinema owners to support Pakistani content as Hollywood does not need promotion for superheroes films.

Meanwhile, Nueplex cinemas also released their official statement and clarified their stance.

According to the cinema management, the distributor/producer is solely responsible for providing promotional material such as standees and posters. It added, “Hence, this issue may be better addressed if it is taken up with them.”

They also explained that the film was given only two dedicated screens throughout the opening weekend at Askari IV and DHA. They urged to bring this matter to the distributor first to resolve the issue.

Ishrat Made in China was released on March 4 along with Hollywood’s superhero film, The Batman starring Robert Pattison in Pakistan.