FILM MEDIA IN SUBCONTINENT AND PAKISTAN (II) & ITS EFFECTS:First Color film

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Introduction to Mass Communication MCM 101

LESSON 28

FILM MEDIA IN SUBCONTINENT AND PAKISTAN (II) & ITS EFFECTS

More activities of foreigners made Bombay the centre of film world right in the beginning. But the

part of the subcontinent which spearheaded in film arts was Lahore. It will not be wrong to say that most

talent in direction, acting and singing was generated in the Lahore film studios before partition.

Here we will talk in detail how the film art flourished in Lahore before partition and how this one

distinguished mean of mass communication fared in Pakistan after independence.

Pakistan film history from 1896-1947

Pakistan shared its film history with India (Bharat) from 1896 to 1947. Lahore produced many films

and a big number of Pakistani artists debuted in this period.

Pakistani artists before 1947

The first silent film from Lahore was The Daughter of Today released in 1924 and the inaugural

Punjabi or talkie film from Lahore was Heer Ranjha in 1932. (Alam Ara was released in 1931, which

means Lahore was going as fast and one top film-home after Bombay in the subcontinent.

Some Memorable Movies from 1913-47

Raja Harishchandra

The Daughter of Today

Alam Ara

Heer Ranjha

Khazanci

Anmol Gharri

Jugnu

First film made with cultural taboos- sans women

Raja Harishchandra was released for public viewing in Coronation theatres, Bombay. The first

Indian motion picture, D. G. Phalke's mythological boasted of an all-male star-cast. Even the female lead

was played by a man since no woman was willing to be part of the cast.

First ever silent feature film from Lahore

Premier Film Company

The Daughter of Today

Released in: 1924

The first ever silent film from Punjab

Actors: A.K.Kardar, Wilayat Begum, M. Ismaeel, Vijay Kumar, Heera Lal and Master Ghulam Qadir, G.K.

Mehta.

M. Ismaeel started his film career from the first ever Lahore made silent film and he was an automatic

choice in the first talkie film from Lahore too.

Assistant Director: Mian Abdur Rasheed Kardar, was the man who started film making in Lahore. He

was hero in first silent film and director of first talkie film.

Inaugural Urdu/Hindi Indo-Pak feature film

Imperial Film Company Presents

Alam Ara

Urdu/Hindi (124 minutes, black & white)

Released on: Saturday, March 14, 1931 (Capital Cinema Lahore)

India's first talkie film was released at Bombay's Majestic cinema hall. It had seven songs and was 10,500

ft. long and ran for seven weeks. It was a costume drama and romantic film.

Story: A period fantasy that told of the ageing king of Kamarpur, and his two rival queens, Navbahar and

Dilbahar, and their rivalry when a fakir predicts that Navbahar will bear the king's heir. Dilbahar

unsuccessfully tries to seduce the army chief Adil (Vithal) and vengefully destroys his family, leaving his

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daughter Alam Ara (Zubaida) to be raised by nomads. Eventually, Alam Ara's nomad friends invade the

palace, expose Dilbahar's schemes, release Adil from the dungeon and she marries the prince of the realm.

Actors: Zubaida (Alam Ara), Master Vitthal (Adil), J. Sushila (as Sushila), Jillo Bai, Prithviraj Kapoor, Elizer,

Wazir Mohammed Khan, Jagdish Sethi and L.V. Prasad

Music: Feroz Shah and B. Irani

Singers: Zubaida, W.M. Khan

First ever Punjabi feature film

Heer Ranjha

Punjabi

Realesed in: 1932

The first ever Lahore made film.

Actors: Anwari Begum, Rafiq Ghazniv, Gul Hameed, Lala Yaqoob, M. Ismael, Fazal Shah, Walait Begum.

Anwari Begum and Rafiq Ghaznavi - the grand parent of Salma Agha - played title roles in this memorable

film. Rafiq Ghaznavi was a famous musician in the 30s and 40s and Anwari Begum appeared in many films,

one of them was Anmol Ghari.

Music: Rafiq Ghaznavi

Folk music comes to films

Pancholi Art Pictures

Khazanchi

Realesed in: 1941

Actors: Ramola, Naring, M. Ismael, Manorma, Ajmal, Janki Das, Durga Khote

Music: Revolutionary music director Master Ghulam Haidar changed the whole style of film music from

classical Bengali to folk Punjabi music in this mega hit film from Lahore. Master Ghulam Haidar

introduced Baby Noor Jehan as playback singer in this film first time. (He also introduced Indian diva Lata

Mangeshkar in film Majboor in 1948).

Mehoboob Production Ltd. (Bombay-Lahore)

Anmol Gharri (Urdu/Hindi)

Released in: 1946

Actors: Noor Jehan, Surender, Surayya, Zahoor Raja, Leela Mishra, Anwari Begum, Bhudo Anvari, Murad

Director: Mehboob Khan, one of the greatest film director in the history, was not formerly educated. This

film is special because it brought almost a revolution in subcontinent film world.

Music: One of the most memorable and melodious film by Noushad Ali from the 40s. Naushad Ali is

regarded as one of the greatest Music Directors of Indian Cinema.

Assistent: Ghulam Ahamd (Pakeeza fame)

Lyrics: Tanvir Naqvi was a relative of Madam Noor Jehan and a very successful lyricist....

Singers: Noor Jehan was the most impressive film personality in the Indo-Pak film history. She was

dominating since her debut as a child star (1935).

Surayya was another famous singer/actress from the 40s and 50s. Born in Lahore, she debuted as a child

star with Taj Mahal (1941).

Shamshad Begum was the first generation of top Punjabi film singers (followd by Zubaida Khanum (in

the 50s) and Madam Noor Jehan (from 40s-90s), respectively). One can't forget Shamshad's mega hit

Punjabi songs as:

- Batti baal ke Banerey utte rakhni aan

- Meri lagdi kise na wekhi, te tutdi nu jugg janda

- Ni tutt jaye Rail Gadiye, too rok leya Chann mera

- Jutt Kurdian toon darda mara

Mohammad Rafi and Surindra all from Punjab, Lahore.

Film songs:

Tera Khilona tuta Balik, hai qismat ne tujh ko...

Mohammad Rafi

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Aaja meri barbad mohabbat ke sahare ...

Madam Noor Jehan

Mere bachpan ke saathi mujhe bhool na jana...

Madam Noor Jehan

Jawan hai mohabbat, haseen hai zamana...

Madam Noor Jehan

Kya mil geya Bhagwan tumhe dil ko dukha ke...

Madam Noor Jehan

The Last Big "Pakistani" film before partition

Shoukat Arts Productions

JUGNU

Urdu/Hindi

Released on: 1947

This film was the last big film by Madam Noor Jehan and her husband director Shaukat Hussain Rizvi

before partition. It was a big musical and romantic film. Madam Noor Jehan was on peak of her film career

as singer and film heroine. Dillip Kumar and Mohammad Rafi got breakthrough from this film.

Actors: Dilip Kumar - the acting legend - got breakthrough from this mega hit film. He was born in

Peshawar...

Music: Feroz Nizami, completed hat trick of three great musical film, first Jugnu in 1947, then Chann We

in 1951 and Dopatta 1952 - all with Noor Jehan, & G. A. Chishti was a legendry musician in Punjabi films.

He dominated Pakistani film music until the beginning of the 70s.

Singers: Madam Noor Jehan, Shamshad Begum.

Mohammad Rafi was a legend and he left behind a rich legacy of songs in Urdu/Hindi, Punjabi and many

other languages. Started his singing career from Lahore...

Roshan Ara Begum was acclaimed the best exponent of Kirana gharana style of khayal singing in the

subcontinent...

Pakistani artists started their film careers before 1947

A.R.Kardar (actor/director)

Daughters of Today

1924

M. Ismael (actor)

Daughters of Today

1924

Rafiq Ghaznavi (musician)

Heer Ranjha

1932

Ghulam Mohammad (actor)

Madhuri

1933

Zahoor Shah (actor)

Majnoo

1935/1933

Mukhtar Begum (singer/actress)

Naveli Dulhan

1933

Noor Mohammad Charlie (comedian)

Nadra

1933

A. Shah Shikarpuri (comedian)

Fadaye Toheed

1934

Nazir (actor/director)

Aab-e-Hayyat

1934

Master Ghulam Haidar (musician)

Sanjog ki Seerhi

1935

Najmul Hassan (actor)

Jawani ki hawa

1935

Noor Jehan (singer/actress)

Pind di Kurri

1935

S.M. Yousuf (director)

Bharat ka Laal

1935

Rekha (actress)

Neela

1935

Kumar (actor)

Hamari Betian

1936

Ajay Kumar (actor)

Mard ka Bacha

1936

G.A.Chishti (musician)

Sohni Mehinwal

1937

Agha Salim Raza (actor)

Gul Bakawli

1939

Ajmal (actor)

Gul Bakawli

1939

Khursheed Anwar (musician)

Kurmai

1940

Gul Zaman (actor)

Mard-e-Punjab

1940

Najam Naqvi (director)

Puttar Millan

1940

Zahoor Raja (actor)

Pooja

1940

Majeed (actor)

Sandesa

1940

Ragni (actress)

Himmat

1940

W.Z. Ahmad (director)

Ek Raat

1942

Masood Pervez (actor/director)

Mangti

1942

Shoukat Hussain Rizvi (director)

Khandan

1942

Hamaliya Wala (actor)

Kis ki Bivi

1942

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M. Sadiq (director)

Namastey

1943

Sheikh Iqbal (actor)

Champa

1945

Sharif Nayyar (director)

Laila Majnu

1945

Rasheed Attre (musician)

Sheerin Farhad

1945

Meena Shori (actress)

Rutt Rangeeli

1945

Asha Posley (actress)

Champa

1945

Renuka Devi (actress)

Ghulami

1945

Feroz Nizami (musician)

Ammar Raj

1946

Master Inayat Hussain (musician)

Kamli

1946

Luqman (director)

Hamjoli

1946

Nisar Bazmi (musician)

Jamna Paar

1946

Nashaad (musician)

Dildar

1947

Nasreen (actress)

Ek Roz

1947

Shah Nawaz (actor)

Elan

1947

Sudhir (actor)

Farz

1947

Santosh (actor)

Ahensa

1947

Rehana (actress)

Saajan

1947

Talish (actor)

Saraye ke baad

1947

Ilyas Kashmiri (actor)

Malka

1947

Tufail Farooqi (musician)

Dekho Jee

1947

Fateh Ali Khan (musician)

Director

1947

First Color film:

Ardeshir Irani's Kisan Kanya (1937) was the first color film. Sohrab Modi's Jhansi Ki Rani (1953) was the

first Techni-color film shot in India.

After partition

1948

Inaugural Pakistani film.

Teri Yaad (Urdu)

Teri Yaad became the first ever released film but not the first film production in Pakistan. It was completed

in a record time. Lahore was the third biggest film center in sub-continent - after Bombay and Calcutta -

and there were many films under production in 1947

Released in: Perbhat (Sanober) Cinema, Lahore on August 7th, 1948. It was an Eid-ul-Fittar Day.

Teri Yaad was a dead flop film and the only attraction was film hero Nasir Khan, who was brother of the

legendry Dillip Kumar. Asha Poslay was introduced as heroine, but she never became a successful film

heroine. Her father Nath, was music director of this film.

Music: Inayat Ali Naath

Lyrics: Qateel Shafai became the first film poet in Pakistan. He had a long and successful film career...

Singers: Munawar Sultana, Asha Poslay & Ali Bakhsh Zahoor

1949

Pheray

First Silver Jubilee Punjabi Film.

The first ever Punjabi and the sixth film in the list of released Pakistani films celebrated a great success in

cinemas. Veteran Producer and Director Nazir got the honour to become the first Silver Jubilee film maker.

He was also the only choice as hero in 1949.

Pakistans first ever produced Punjabi film Pheray was a re-make of Nazirs Indian urdu/hindi film "Gaon ki

Gori" (1945). It was a big musical hit and the Music Director G. A. Chishti wrote, composed and recorded

six songs of this film in a single day! Chishti was also the most productive Music Director in the first 25

years of Pakistan.

Music: G. A. Chishti

Singers: Munawar Sultana & Inayat Hussain Bhatti

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Changes the films brought

Entertainment.

Cinema houses - a new business.

Jobs in thousands for acting, direction, music, sets, lighting, recording, cinematography etc.

Billboards all over in so much color - landscape changed.

Manifested culture and in return influenced culture dresses, languages, living style, harmony etc.

Strong expression against hated figures in society, oppressors- at least can see on screen.

Boldness, vulgarity, obscenity the dark side of films.

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