Print

    The Enduring Appeal of Classic Lollywood

    Written by: Haroon Shuaib
    Posted on: December 13, 2022 | | 中文

    Rani immortalized the role of Umrao Jaan on silver screen

    With the recent resurgence of cinema in Pakistan and especially after the stupendous success of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, there is hope that the film industry might make a turnaround. It is important that good and commercially viable films continue to be made. A challenge that filmmakers and cine goers alike express is their frustration about the lack of good stories for the big screen. Remaking or reimagining cult classics may be a good way to deal with this lingering problem and ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ is a case in point.

    There are many films in Pakistani cinema’s history that deserve a remake. Films such as Ghoonghat (1962), Shaheed (1962), Zarqa (1969), Heer Ranjha (1970), Mera Naam Hay Mohabbat (1975), Aaina (1977), Bandish (1980), Choorian (1998) and many others can be reimagined and with the new creative and technical sophistication available to filmmakers, all have the potential to become major box office draws.

    Waheed Murad and Nirala in Armaan

    Armaan (1966) is definitely one such film that deserves a remake and if done well can earn substantial dividends at the ticket counter. Armaan is considered by far Waheed Murad’s most popular film. After magnificently running for 75 weeks, it became Pakistan’s first platinum jubilee film. Armaan was directed by Pervez Malik and produced and written by Waheed himself, who also played the lead in the film. Pervez Malik, who wrote the screenplay for Armaan, had a master's degree in film-making from California and his talent as a filmmaker is on full display in this film. The music of the film was by Sohail Rana and contributed to its success. Lyrics for the trendsetting songs such as ‘Ko Ko Koreena’ and the tear-jerking ‘Jab Piyar Mein Dou Dil Miltay Hain’ were inked by Masroor Anwar, who also wrote some memorable national songs such as ‘Sohni Dharti’. ‘Ko Ko Koreena’ is considered the first ever Pakistani pop song and Ahmed Rushdie, an ingenious singer, brought a newness to the cinema sound with his peppy style of crooning. The song that becomes the theme song for the film is ‘Akelay Na Jana’. This haunting number is played twice in the film: once as a sweet romantic song in Rushdie’s voice, and then in the climax of the film as a crescendo in the voice of Mala Begum. Both versions of the song are considered examples of the best music to ever come out of Pakistan’s film industry. According to some accounts, the project ‘Armaan’ actually began when on a night in 1963 or 1964 when Sohail Rana heard an evocative melody in his dream. The words that were eventually written for it by Masroor Anwar were, ‘Akelay Na Jana...’ . The team formed by Parvez, Waheed, Masroor, Sohail, and Rushdie created magic that made this black-and-white classic a magnum opus for all five. The film won six Nigar Awards for best movie of the year, best actress (Zeba), best musician, best director, best playback singer and best comedian (Nirala).

    Waheed Murad and Zeba in Armaan

    Interestingly, Armaan was made as a telefilm in 2013 with the current heart-throb of Pakistan’s media Fawad Khan playing the role of Nasir, and the talented Aamina Shiekh playing the role of Najma. Unfortunately, the telefilm failed to recreate the magic of the 1966 big-screen presentation. Some stories are best told through the medium of the big screen and Armaan is one such tale.

    Another Lollywood classic that can surely have a new version is the musical romantic drama film, Umrao Jaan Ada. Released in 1972, the film is loosely based on the novel of the same name, by Mirza Hadi Ruswa that was written in the 18th century. The film was directed by Hassan Tariq for the big screen, with lyrics and screenplay by Saifuddin Saif. Rani played the titular role in the film opposite Shahid, while Zumurrud, Aasia, Nayyar Sultana and Allauddin appeared in supporting roles. The film revolves around the life of a tawaif (courtesan) and her tragic romance with a Nawab (noble lord). The film was a golden jubilee hit at the box office. The classic had a musical score that started a new trend back then. A remake with contemporary production standards and musical finesse offers all the possibilities of a box office draw.

    Nadeem and Shabnam in Dehleez

    The 1983 diamond jubilee film Dehleez starred the popular pair of Nadeem and Shabnam. Based on the evergreen plotline of love blossoming between a rich girl and a poor boy, and the way society perceives such a match, never fails to tug at the heartstrings of cine-goers. Directed by Javed Fazil and written by Syed Noor, the film was a runaway hit and even led to a lukewarm copy made in India. Mehdi Hassan’s immortal vocals for the film’s memorable song, “Aaj tou ghair sahi, pyar say bair sahi…” kept drawing viewers back to the ticket counters repeatedly and contributed to its success. India even plagiarized this song and used it in the remake, where Kishore Kumar sang it and despite the fact that he was a great singer in his own right, could not match Mehdi Hassan Khan’s singing prowess.

    Pakistan’s cinema needs more original storylines, although some remakes of the classic Lollywood films would help. Joyland is an example of a Pakistani film that has had an international impact and recognition. We need more original scripts based on the reality of Pakistani society, however, escapist and romantic comedies like Jawani Phir Nahi Aani would also make their mark and earn big bucks at the box office. The bottom-line is that the script must be original and there is need for attention to detail in its production.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021