The Directors’ Cut

When the local film industry hit its peak somewhere in the mid-’70s, and when it had finally matched its commercial state of being with that of the industry’s creative heights in the preceding decade, the glamorous realm’s main men and women (i.e. the producers and the directors), realized the need to make the productions bigger, better and more exotic. Lollywood took its movies abroad. In other words, bigger, better and more exotic in this respect meant taking the productions outside the cardboard studios of Karachi and Lahore and away from the cool hills of Muree, Swat, etc., and onwards and towards places like Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, America, Dubai.

The trend was like the industry’s last big hurrah. After 1977-78, and in the face of (1) Gen. Zia-ul-Haq’s right-wing coup/dictatorship and consequential censor policies of the new regime; (2) the rise and rise of the "VCR culture" and (3) creative bankruptcy within the industry, sent it heading for a massive creative and commercial collapse. A situation which, however, started to grow a few legs to get up again after a good 13 years or so in the early ’90s.

And even though, television in Pakistan, (especially the "famous" Pakistani tele-play), experienced it’s own creative peaks in the ’70s as well, and that in spite the fact it managed to produce a few "classics" under the repressive Zia set-up, it too started to crumble, and that too, ironically, at the onset of a large number of locally-owned cable networks making the rounds in the later half of the ‘90s. And also, in spite the fact that the Pakistani tele-play was given a breath of fresh air and viewer appreciation in the late ’80s and after the inauguration of the country’s first ever private tele-channel, NTM, Pakistani television and it’s main claim to fame (the tele-play/serial), was soon up against a tirade of brand new threats, i.e. the "Dish-antenna culture"/Satellite Channels (especially Indian channels) and cable-tv.

To challenge these, the first instalment of the Mian Nawaz Sharif regime did all it could to leave a battered PTV unable even to compete with NTM. Fortunately, conscious and aware of the scenario, the second Benazir Bhutto government set itself the hard task of matching all the glitz and blitz of the private Indian channels through a revamped PTV.

Unfortunately though, all this only meant the cosmetic mimicking of the corporate-entertainment-driven antics of the "westernized" Indian channels, instead of revitalizing local television’s “indigenous" strengths (like the plays) and which seemed to have a lot of individualistic charisma of their own (especially in the world of dumb and dumber entertainment).

So, most of the good and established playwrights and directors didn’t really find the space they were expecting in the second, more "culturally open" BB regime. While the more redundant ones continued to make the rounds around local television’s new hot-shots (such as, the brand new crop of performers, players and pioneers, most of whom came from upper and upper-middle-class backgrounds, some of whom had degrees in various media fields from American and British universities plus great looks, an “accurate”fashion sense and more so, influential dads, moms, uncles and aunts in the same ol’ scheme of thugs?

Not much was achieved with all that "modernising" hulla-gulla of PTV by the BB regime, and then the new PML(N) government came charging-in (again!), with chants of "Fahashi" and one Mr. Azhar Lodhi in charge of that organization’s new censor board.

It took a year for the new government to whitewash all that "filth" by Rana Shaikh, her long-haired singers and girls in jeans (toba,toba,toba!!). Yes, but it was soon realized that these were the ’90s. A decade of no Cold-War; the era of the "Information Age", "Globalization", "neo-Liberalism", democracy.... and without which no global seth either in Washington, London, or Tokyo will give two hoots (read dollars!) if you refuse to embrace the above-mentioned pre-requisites. So, after wasting some very precious time by trying to turn PTV "into a mosque!! (sic)", the powers finally decided to tackle the "Dish threat" their own way; and/or this time force modernization to wear a dupatta!!

However, on the other hand, the Pakistani tele-play, which was now (also) being challenged by a series of glamorous Indian soaps and awful, awful slap-stick sit-coms, took the cue from the Pakistani film industry’s late ’70s exoticism (as a means to stay on top). It did so by taking many plays and serials outside PTV and private studios and onwards to places like Dubai, London, New York, et al.

Not more than five years later, with the advent of all the ARYs, Geos, Indus Visions, IMs, Uni-Pluses and whatnot, the same challenges being faced by the tele-art-form in the "Information Age" its brave new world, has paved the way for a string of new directors/producers (never mind the actors, because absolutely no one comes close to the likes of the intense Roohi Bano, the versitle Uzma Gilani, the mad-cap Khalida Riasat, the great late Tahira Naqvi and/or the brooding Mohammad Shafi, the powerful Talat Hussain, the commeliansque brilliance of Moin Akhter, the street-smart wit of Omar Sharief, not to forget the ‘70s lover-boy charms of Shakeel and the on-going exploits of Anwar Maqsood. And, finally, who can ever forget the genius of the notorious Fifty-Fifty team).

Most of these, however, have succumbed to the plastic-coated demands of churn-out television of the new millennium, because it is thought that the realities, illusions and technologies of the new world cannot be related to and reflected effectively and successfully by the “classical” moulds of the established and experienced men and women of the art and science of television direction and production?



Who Made Who …


Yesterdates …

Mohd. Nissar Hussain (MNH): Though quite out of sight for the last many years, MNH was PTV’s most respected and ambitious directors throughout the ’70s and early ’80s. And in spite the fact he was a vital part of an irony which saw PTV enjoy its "Golden Age" in the ‘70s, and in which television technology was rather primitive compared to what MNH’s present day counterparts have, no recent play comes even close in reflecting the intensity and genius of certain MNH productions. MNH was especially good with themes pitching spiritualism and mysticism against crude urban pragmatism. MNH was the pioneer of constructing the concept behind the ambitious end-product called the "long-play" (in the early ‘80s).


Nusrat Thakur: Another "Golden Age" lead in the field of tele-production, Thakur never did manage to realize his full potential, as such. However, it was too late when it was time for him to start coming-of-age; late because the "Golden Age" had dissolved along with the ’70s in Pakistan with the arrival of a reactionary backlash and thus a right-wing dictatorship and it was rather painful to watch Thakur actually fusing PTV plays with all the hue and cries of populist Punjabi cinema! Didn’t work. His 1982 serial of an Amjad Islam Amjad, Samander, is a perfect case in point.


Shahzad Khalil: Although the late SK had already established himself as a keen PTV producer, his claim to fame didn’t arrive until 1982-83 when he was given the (jack-pot)-job of serializing a Hasina Moin soap, Ankah i. It didn’t only turn out to be Moin’s usual hit, but rather, it remains to be her biggest and the best as well, as both she and Khalil (along with newcomer, actress Shahnaz Shaikh), wove a light soap classic which actually managed to outshine the other massive HM soap, Uncle Urfi (1974). And not only that, but Ankahi is one of the two most popular PTV serials ever (the other being, Waris -- directed by Nusrat Thakur and … a bit … by Ghazanfer Ali).


Haroon Rind: Rind is perhaps the best thing that happened to Sindhi play direction, and he remains the best known Sindhi director of Urdu plays as well! His powerhouse serials like Rani Ji Kahani/Jangal (1984), and the little black comedy, Choti Se Dunya (1987), are not only PTV classics, but they where also a refreshing anti-thesis to the bloated feudal romanticism of writer, Amjad Islam Amjad’s, Waris.


Saira Kazmi: Easily one of the finest tele-directors in Pakistan and certainly the best woman on the job. Brilliantly mixes middle-class realism with the same class’ idealistic/romantic escapades. Her productions reflect a lot of style, detail and charisma and no wonder her master-strokes, such as, Khaleej (1986), Tapish (1989) and Huwwah Ki Beti (1993), are some of the most attractive PTV productions of the last 15 years. Like a thinking-man’s soaps, if you may.


Shoaib Mansoor: Like Kazmi, the reclusive Mansoor too is the young old warhorse of the field and great at capturing local middle-class antics and realism, but with more wit than his female counterpart. He is also one of the very few established producers who has the mind and the matter, the finesse and the hype to actually give his new crop contemporaries a lot to (re)-think about. Still selective but strong. Highlights include Fifty-Fifty,(1978-84); Sonhayray Din (1989); and breakthrough Vital Signs videos.



Todayts...

Yassir Akhter: Good with Shoaib Mansoor type light soaps and fluffy/cute/pop comedies. Underrated because he distracts himself by making some truly awful music and singing as if eternally constipated!


Mehreen Jabbar: MNH was one of the first (and few) local directors to bring into play abstract/surreal imagery and not afraid to handle "twisted" themes. Mehreen thrives on them (quite like David Lynch?), but unlike Lynch, (and very much like daddy’s 1975 art-film fiasco, Beyond The Last Mountain), misses-out on the related importance of black comedy and also fails to avoid some obvious pretension and self-indulgence. However, there is absolutely no doubt in regarding her to be among the most talented and artistic young directors around.


Najamuzzaman: One of Ghazzanfer Ali’s many … err .. "prodigies", is, however, rather … umm … straight (as in like most local directors seems to treat direction like a 9-to-5 job!). A real churner ala Ghazzanfer. And, oh yes, has green eyes.


Jawad Bashir: A solid part of the anti-heroic Dr.Aur Billa team, Jawad, early in his career, had successfully adopted the anarchic and mad-cap brand of the likes of Monty Python and Airplane films to unleash a riotous anti-thesis to that totally stupid slapstick making the rounds on Indian satellite channels. These days unfortunately, he is making standard dime-a-dozen “sit-coms” and making a mockery of his OWN talents. Did a splendid job co-directing the mad-cap and riotously spontaneous parody pop show VJ (1995-98), and those equally side-splitting Dr Aur Billa (anti)-videos. Hasn’t done much in the same league for quite some time, though.


Bilal Maqsood: Pakistan’s answer to the MTV Generation rapid-edit- directors but who seems to be stuck between living in a naive lil’ cyber bubble and actually being ahead of his time? Good to see him back as a musician and out of that pretentious hell-hole called Pyramid run by the Tahir A. Khan and Rohail Hayyat (who, by the way, finally “saw the light” and quit the pomp!).


Ahsan Rahim: Perhaps the most talented director to emerge from the so-called Dr. Aur Billa/VJ team, Rahim has actually managed to threaten the gigantic pop-video-making likes of Asim Raza and Shami, eventually becoming one of the most sort after video directors in the scene. Created chaotically hilarious (but strangely ordered) havoc for fellow D&B contemporary, Faisal Qureshi’s no-holds-barred script for VJ and the infamous D&B videos, and snappy John Woo stunts parody, Agent X, before hitting it big with slick Hadiqua and Haroon videos. Has a flair for stylized action sequences (ala John Woo and the Wachowski brothers), and slick, sharp editing. Check out Hadiqua’s “Dupatta” video and Haroon’s “Jana.”


Asim Raza: Selective, detailed and thorough. One of the very first “state-of-the-art” video directors in Pakistan … and incidentally Gen.Musharraf’s son-in-law! Loves making Junoon videos. But rather quite of late.


Shami: Even more selective and periodic than Raza, but equally talented, slick and somewhat temperamental. Takes more than the required time needed to direct and edit a video but which is actually a marvelous habit in these quantity-over-quality days.


Jamil Akhter: One of the pioneers of the Pakistani pop show (1993’s Rhythem Whythem), Jameel’s talents have remained to be an enigma. After directing the above-mentioned breakthrough show and then a rip-roaring video for Junoon’s “Talaash” (1993), strangly, Jameel has been churning out one dreggy cooking show after another for the past decade now! With, of course, wife Marina Khan as host, which, unfortunately, hasn’t done wonders to his career as a “serious” director. May as well start to produce the absolutely idiotic ARY Gold Quiz?


Shamoon: Hugely talented but highly underrated, Shamoon has never been afraid to tackle everything from comedy, to tragedy to even a show on, gulp, ghosts and spirits. He should be around much, much more than the bimbos and the bozos who are getting away with creative murder and utter mental numbness by churning out all those brainless game-shows, soaps and pop shows on the clueless (but never sponsor-less) cable channels.