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Landmarks
in Pakistani Cinema
1947
September
Jubilee cinema (Karachi) becomes the
first Pakistani cinema to be opened since Independence. The film Wamiq
Azra, even though starring Pakistani actors Nazeer and Swaran Lata, was a
pre-partition Bombay production.
 1948
September 2
The first Pakistani release Teri Yaad
opens with Asha Posley and Nasir Khan (Dilip Kumar’s brother) in the lead
roles. Producer: Divan Sirdari Lal (Divan Pictures). Music by Nath.
Director : Daud Chand.
1949
August
3
Phairay (Punjabi) released. It turned out to be the
first Pakistani silver jubilee films (over 25 weeks). It was presented by
Anis Pictures, produced and directed by Nazeer who also starred along with
Swaran Lata, Nazar and Alaudin. The music was composed by Baba Chisti.
1950
April
7
Do Ansoo released, which turned out to be the first Pakistani
Urdu silver jubilee. A Naubahar Film presentation, produced by Sheikh
Lateef, directed by Anwer Kamal with music from Mubarak. Starring
Sabiha, Santosh, Shamim, Ajmal and Alauddin.
 1951
April
29
Chan way (Punjabi) released – the first Pakistani film to be
directed by a woman, viz. Noor Jehan. A shahnoor Films presentation,
produced by Shaukat Husain Rizvi with music from Feroze Nizami (famous
song : Mundeya Sialkotiya). Starring Noor Jehan, Santoosh, Jahangir,
Ghulam Muhammad).
1954
June
3
Sassi released, which became the first Pakistani Golden
Jubilee (over 50 weeks). Everready production, produced by J. C. Anand,
directed by Daud Chand, music by Baba Chisti. Starring Sabiha, Sudheer,
Asha Posle, Nazar, Saleem Raza (not the singer).
1956
March
16
Umar Marvi, the first Sindhi film released, by Fazilani
films. Produced by Fazilani, directed by Sheikh Hasan, this film had music
a score by Ghulam Nabi Lateef and starred Nighat Sultana, Fazilani,
Charlie.
1958
July
17 Film journalist Ilyas Rasheedi
launches annual Nigar Awards for outstanding performance in various
departments of filmmaking
1961
October
27
Gul Bakaoli released. It was the first Pakistani film with
songs picturized in colour (filmed by M. Fazil and processed by Pyaray
Khan). A zaman Art Production, produced by Q. Zaman, directed by Munshi
Dil, music from Safdar. Starring Jameela Razzak, Sudheer, Ilyas
Kashmiri.
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1964
April
23
Sangam, a Dhaka based production from Sunay Circle becomes
the first Pakistani full-length colour movie. Produced and directed by
Zaheer Rehan with music from Ata-ur-Rehman, the movie featured Rosie,
Haroon, Sita and Khalil.
November
11
The West follows in step with Eik Dil Do Diwane, the first
full length colour from this side of the country. Produced by Q. Zaman,
directed by Vazir Ali, the film |
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had music by
Tassaduq. It was filmed at
screen and sound studios, processed at Evergreen Laboratories and featured
Rani, Kamal, Zeenat and Saqi.
December
4
Caravan released a Dhaka based Labdhak Productions, it was the
first Pakistani film to be shot in a foreign land, viz Nepal produced by
M. Sadiq, directed by S. M. Pervez, the film had musical score by Robin
Ghosh and starred Shabnam, Haroon, Tarana, Badruddin. |
1965
April
16
Bahana becomes the first black & white cinemascope. From
the same team which gave Sangam a year back, the film featured Kaburi,
Rehman, Garaj Babu. Again, an East Pakistan feat.
December 3
Dhaka leads once again, this time with
the first Pakistani colour cinemascope Mala. A Dossani-Leave films
presentation directed by Mustafeez, who also co-produced with Dossani,
music from Ata-ur-Rehman; starring Sultana Zaman, Azeem, Irfan and Khaleel.
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1966
March
18
Arman, a Film Arts presentation released at Naz Cinema,
Karachi. It turned out to be the first Pakistani Platinum Jubilee (over 75
weeks). Written and produced by Waheed Murad, with screenplay and
direction by Pervez Malik, music by Sohail Rana, Lyrics by Masroor Anwer,
the film featured Waheed Murad, Zeba, Nirala, Bibbo, Tarannum, Zahoor
Ahmed, Rozina. (Famous songs: Kokokorina, akailay nah jana and virtually
all other |
1967
September
8
Milan Films (Dhaka) present Darshan Basheer Ahmed becomes the
first and the only Pakistani artiste to write, compose and sing the songs
of a film all by himself (only one of the eight songs is a female one from
Mala, while in the duet Basheer Ahmed is joined by Noor Jehan.) He is,
however, accused of having taken inspiration from the songs of the Indian
film, Jab jab Phool Khile, which has a similar storyline. Produced by
Kumkum, the film is directed by Rehman who also stars along with
Shabnam,
Garaj Babu, Reshman. Many hit songs including Yeh mausam yeh
must.
1969
December
12
Baharain Phir Bhi Ayengi released. Shamim Nazli (the singer
Mala’s sister) becomes the first and the only female music director in
Pakistan. Unfortunately, some of the songs are definitely copied (e.g. the
most popular, Pyaar kay naghmay kis nay chhaire is a carbon-copy of the
Indian song Aaj kal tere mere pyaar ke charche har zuban par from Braham
chari) a P. L. Films presentation, produced by Ashiq Butt, directed by S.
Suleman, this film featured Zeba, Muhammad Ali, Rozina, Lehri and Ahmed
Rushdi.
1970
The first Gujrati film Maa Tay Maa
presented by Asian Movies produced by Qadeer Khan with musical score
from the duo Lal Muhammad Iqbal and directed by Iqbal Akhtar. The cast
included Shaista Qaisar, Agha Sajjad, Saira Bano.
December 1
The first Pushto Yousuf Khan Sher Bano
presented by United Artists produced by Nazeer Husain with musical score
from M. Ashraf and directed by Tasneem. The case included Badar Munir,
Yasmeen Khan, Mahpara, Saqi.
1971
February
7
Dosti released to become the first Pakistani Diamond Jubilee
(over 100 weeks). A Punjab films presentation, produced by Ejaz and
directed by Sharif Nayyar, the film had memorable score from A. Hameed –
Chitthi zara sayyanji ke naam likhde, and several other popular hits. The
cast included shabnam, Husna, Ejaz, Rehman, Saqi.
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1977
Aina released to become
the most popular
film of the country, running more than 400 weeks, and staying on screen
for over 4 years. Directed by Nazrul Islam, starring Nadeem, Shabnam,
Rehan and Qavi among others. The refreshing music from Robin Ghosh to the
lyrics of Suroor Barabankvi sung by Alamgir, Mehnaz, Nayyara Noor and
Mehdi Hassan is among the highpoints of the film. |
1984
28
December
Film Awards announced by the Government of Pakistan for
the first time.
1986
Film Directory compiled in Urdu by
Yasin Gurija and published by Shehzad Comercial Corporation, 10 Asif
building, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Rd, Lahore, was the first book on
Pakistani film that may be called comprehensive in many ways. Apart from
tracing the history of the Pakistani cinema from the pre-partition days
and providing biographical account of many important personalities related
with the trade, it also included for the first time a complete list of all
films released until December 1985. The films were listed in chronological
order with banner, producer, director, music composer, cast and the exact
date of release (not just the year, but also the date and month). A
separate index listed the films in alphabetical order with
cross-referenced by the year to facilitate searching the films in the main
list. The same alphabetical index also states the box-office status of
each film on a scale of one to three. The directory is periodically
updated by the editor after every few years and remains the most
comprehensive document on the subject.
1989
SHANI was the first Pakistani
movie to use special effects. Directed by Saeed Rizvi for the producer
Rafiq Rizvi with music from Anjum and a cast inlcuding Babra Shareef,
Sherry Malik, Muhammad Ali, Asif, Nayyar Sultana.
1990
INTERNATIONAL GORILLAY, based on
the issue of Satanic Verses, was perhaps the first Pakistani film
to depict a contemporary personality (Salman Rushdie played by Afzal
Ahmad) as the main villain in the story. Directed by Jan Muhammad for
producer Sajjad Gul with music from Arshad/Ashraf and a cast including
Babra Shareef, Javed Sheikh, Ghulam Mohiuddin, Albela and Neeli.
1997
Pakistan Cinema by Mushtaq Gazdar is
probably the first book on this subject to be printed in English by Oxford
University Press. Although less user-friendly than Yasin Gurija’s Film
Directory mentioned above, this is still a good chance for any one who is
not comfortable with reading Urdu.
Source:
Dawn
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