Movies featuring Indian actors a success in Pakistan

The success of two movies, including an international venture, featuring Bollywood actors in Pakistan has led to hopes of an industry revival among top film exhibitors, distributors and cinema owners in the country.Awarapan starring Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi was released as it is an international venture by a Pakistani and is not produced in India while ‘Khuda Ke Liye’, which has a cameo and a stunning appearance by Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah , is a Pakistani movie dealing with the sensitive subjects of religion and militancy.
"I think with the success of these two films, there is hope for the film industry in Pakistan despite the restrictions on Indian films," Nadeem Mandviwalla, a well-known exhibitor, distributor and owner of the landmark Nishat cinema in Karachi, said.Nishat is screening ‘Awarapan’ which has become a hit mainly because the people acknowledge it as an Indian film made internationally."It is so slickly made. The songs are nice and it is good time pass. It is worth spending a few hundred rupees," college student Rubina said after watching the movie."It also rings a cord with us because of the Pakistani angle in it," her friend said.The success of ‘Khuda Ke Liye’ is being credited to a courtroom scene dominated by Naseeruddin Shah and its director Shoaib Mansoor.Mansoor, a reclusive figure in the Pakistan entertainment industry, already has to his credit number of super hit dramas and video songs.Some petitions have been filed in the High Court against screening of the film.Mandviwalla said the success of these two movies in the country has shown that Pakistani people have an appetite for quality films whether they are from Bollywood or Hollywood."I think if the films are clean and don't violate our cultural or social values, it does not matter if they are Indian and should be allowed to be exhibited in the country," he said.Mandviwalla said he was also expecting Marigold – An Adventure in India , another international venture, to be a success simply because it starred Salman Khan .