Lollywood leaps across the LOC

doweshowbellyad=0; Will Lollywood be able to leave impact? With Pakistani actors like Meera, Zeba Bakhtiyar and others having tried their luck in Bollywood, its the directors now who are keen on exposing their cinema in India. As Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor announces his flick Khuda Kay Liye to be released in India, with it being the first Pakistani movie to be released here after decades, KT talks to Bollywood insiders on the kind of response expected from the Indian audience and the scope of Lollywood in the country.
MATTER OF CONTENT:
Producer Boney Kapoor feels that with the looks, culture and language of the two nations almost similar, Pakistani cinema has a good scope, provided the content is good. He says, ���Although I���ve heard a lot of good things about the movie, it is purely the content which will decide its fate. And besides, when our filmmakers want to screen their films in Pakistan, then it is justified for Pakistanis to screen their fare here.���
LOLLYWOOD NOT SO ADVANCED:
���I feel it will be a bit of struggle for Lollywood to make a place in Bollywood. That���s more because Pakistani movies are very low budget movies of about just Rs 16 lakhs or so, which at times lack essential technicality. In contrast, Bollywood has been making movies worth cores so there���s a big distinction,��� avers music composer Jatin Pandit. ���I had performed at a stage show in Pakistan a decade back and at back then it was clear that their cinema was in a dying state,��� he adds.
STORY COUNTS:
���The small screen rules in Pakistan. Pakistan has delivered some very popular tele-serials like Bakra Kishton Mien, Dhoop Kinare and Ankahi. But their films have lacked the required charm from inception. However, Pakistan has some very talented script and lyric writers but in the end, it is only the story line that matters so chances of Pakistani cinema doing well has equal probability,��� says the ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas.
TIME WILL TELL: ���These days audience is very unpredictable. It is difficult to comment so early. Things will be clear once the movie is released in India,��� states filmmaker Shyam Benegal.
���PAKISTAN��� WON���T DRAW AUDIENCE:
While film analyst Komal Nahata, feels, ���Our audience is not familiar with the star cast of Khuda Kay Liye so expecting that the movie will do well here on the grounds that it���s a Pakistani film would be wrong. It���ll be just another film for people and will fare well according to its content.���