The film is an evolutionary form of theatre. The only difference is that in film human creativity expresses itself on a screen through the lenses of the movies camera. The claim as to who invented the film is somewhat controversial between USA, France and United Kingdom. In fact this medium of mass communication and its beginning in the last two decades of the last century. Thomas A Edison, Louis Aime Augustive Le Prince, Louis and Auguste Lumiere are some of the people who could be regarded as the pioneers. Edison constructed a revolving studio which ensured that light correctly focuses on the faces of artists. A mechanic Edwin S. Poter helped Edison by applying the principle of editing. After this effort, Edison produced “The Great Train Robbery”, which was released in 1906 AD. Along with USA, France, UK and Germany, India also joined film production almost at the same time. Actually Lumiere brothers introduced the movies to the Indian Sub-continent in the year 1896 by organizing a show for the British audience in Hotel Watson in Bombay. They had already arranged such a show in the year 1895 AD. From the year 1900 to 1930 film passed through many phases of its development. From 1910 onward the techniques of editing were effectively used and better movies were produced.

The Talkies In the decade 1910 to 1920 while the film makers employed many new techniques in their productions, the scientists tried to give sound to the silent movies. In 1922 a German, Tri Ergon succeeded in making a talkie which he exhibited on September 17 1922 in Berlin. In USA at Hollywood a director Michel Curtiz prepared a plot on sensitive issued of politics and produced a movie “Mission to Moscow” in collaboration with Warner Brothers in 1943. This movie based on national awareness and political jugglery, was a great success. The “New York Times” in its columns, noted that the film on a political subject was both unbiased and unrestrained comment on the system. One of the most unusual and controversial picture in the American Film Intitute Collection is MISSION TO MOSCOW directed by Michel Curtiz, produced by Warner Brothers, and released in the spring of 1943. When the movie was released “New York Times” critic Bosley Crowther

Talkies in India Talkies in Europe and the USA which were still a wonder, evoked public interest in India, specially “Alfred Hitchkcks” first feature film “Black Mail” made an immense impact on the Indian audience, who turned to foreign talkies but this trend did not change the attitude of the Indian film makers with regards to Talkies. However, when a Calcutta production “Melody Queen” was released the Indian film producers changed their indifference towards talkies. Resultantly technology and machineryfor talkies was imported with a fanfare.

First of all “Shada” a film company tried to make a short talkie but the first regular feature talking film was “Alam Ara”which was produced in 1931 by Khan Bahadar Ardsher Irani, (He also produced the first color movie “Kissan Kinia), Alam Ara was a watershed production in the history of Indian film making. The era of silent movies came to end and people were attracted to the talking films which affected the theatres also. Selection of Topic for Movies Right from the days of silent movies, the film producers selected such topics which were generally popular with masses from the heyday of theatre. The films, therefore, revolved around the social issues, political vagaries and class struggle. Talkies also

For an objective view of the history of film in Pakistan it would be imperative to watch the flashback in the Indian perspective. It may be of interest to note that Muslim film makers before the partition of India, had already started selecting defined subjects, themes and goals for the films. The only change after partition of India was that film makers in Pakistan were Muslim and Hindus in India. Before partition Muslim artists for commercial or social reasons would adopt Hindu names, this trend continued even after the creation of Pakistan. These Muslim artists were Santosh Kumar, Durpan, Asha Poslay, Suran Lata and so on. Some actors of the same category who stayed back in India were Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Mudhu Bala and so on.

After the emergence of Pakistan as a Muslim nation state the film like other industries suffered a set back as it was not taken as anything more than a mode of recreation. These problems of a new state were immense and of urgent nature, which impacted life so immensely that recreation and fine arts were pushed to the background. But import of foreign films started which still remains in vogue. In 1948, an effort was made to resuscitate the half dazed industry, by inviting a team of UNESCO to analyses the situation and recommend ways and means to improve the industry. One of their important

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In the beginning, Pakistani films were no different from Indian movies and even the subjects remained the same. It was a typical formula concoction, depicting rich-poor tussle, class struggle, dowry etc. woven into cheap love stories of hero-heroine and villains of all sorts including the parents of the lead role-players. Initially, therefore, the film was considered a vice not to be watched by a vast numbers
Of families. It was considered bad for a woman to see a movie. So much so, even the boys were also dissuaded from watching movies for fear of habit formation. But gradually the values changed, the veil of women vanished and a new generation appeared which called itself modern in outlook. Newspaper played a significant role in brining about a new thinking and creating a fresh adherent of the films. Radio reached the inner sanctums of society after the invention of transistor which mesmerized listeners with films song.

It protested against the film’s role of a violator of core values and made in roads in society. In the meantime the Indian film attacked Pakistani audiences through the courtesy of VCR, PTV drama, however, stood its ground for quite some time. Never the less, the assault of the Indian films continued and seems to affect Pakistan’s social and normal values. From 1991, onward through Dish, Indian Networks influenced Pakistani TV and film to an extent, which they could not do otherwise. From 19977 to 1988 Pakistani TV drama successfully stopped the Indian cultural assault and consequent impact on Pakistani audience.

The first film produced in Pakistan was “Teri Yad” which was released on September 2nd 1948 with the star cast Nasir Khan (Dilip Kumar’s younger brother and Asha Poslay)