True Grit of Kamal Khan – II

A huge part of making films now is promoting it, which can be a rigorous process. From cities to different countries to various social media platforms, it is a constant process.For Kamal Khan, director of Laal Kabootar, it is something he is experiencing for the first time while promoting Laal Kabootar, his debut feature-length film. But it is also a learning curve, says Kamal. “It’s not something I’m used to; it’s a first for me. It’s an important part of it.”Once this process is done, Kamal plans to go back to Marasi, his second film after Laal Kabootar, which is based on a dancer. “It’s got a lot of dance but if you know my style, it’s Karachi and its underbelly.”The movies mean different things to different people. Some go to escape their daily lives; others are curious about the art of storytelling and humanity, which is essentially what movies are about. In other words, the expectations of the people vary. Where does Kamal think Pakistani cinema is going?“I think it’s hard for me to say,” reflects Kamal. “Something that scares me is the Bollywood ban. If you look at the numbers, it is Bollywood that gets you numbers. We’ve grown up on Bollywood.”He adds: “We didn’t have our own industry so we watched it on pirated cassettes. I’ve seen all those Mithun Chakraborty and Govinda films.”Kamal reiterates how he would go to a movie store and pick up a (new) film to watch without even asking any questions from the store, with family or friends.“It is therefore unfortunate about the ban; I do understand the why but I generally don’t believe in ban.”But there is the web now, I say. “That’s the thing; piracy is still happening. You can walk into stores and rent/buy or download off the internet. You can watch on Netflix. It’s all there. The only person being harmed is your cinema, exhibitors. And they put a lot of money to put up these buildings and structures.”“The numbers are low right now; we need more cinemas and more movies, and maybe not English movies. Sure, something like Iron Man or Avengers work but those also come out every few months. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out myself.”The advice, admits Kamal Khan, he’s getting from people, is that while he has made a good crime-thriller with Laal Kabootar, he should now make an “awami” film.“Maybe they are right. I’m not going to do it. But it is not coming from a bad place, also. That’s where the money is to be made, I’m told. But I never got in it for the money, the day this film released my bank balance was zero. I believe money should be a by-product.” One conversation that is taking place in Hollywood is that certain films are meant to be seen on the big screen and not via a streaming site on your phone or some device. Not that we’re there yet. We first need studios of our own. But when asked where he stands on this debate, Kamal explains: “I think films should be different from TV and there should be a cinematic experience. Something like Interstellar – if you watch on your phone or iPad – it won’t be the same experience because you’re relying on sound and using all the senses of the audience. But I keep advising people to watch films in cinema. A lot of audiences don’t care; they’re okay with ripped prints.”There is, I pose to Kamal on a concluding note, just how expensive tickets are to purchase. In comparison, TV is cheaper. The cost of watching a movie in a cinema is therefore, extremely high for the average person. “That’s something that bothers me; people who can’t afford it, particularly lower middle class families paying close to PKR 1000 per ticket plus popcorn. He can’t afford it. He’d rather get Netflix. Cinema is expensive. In India, I’ve heard cinemas are also cheaper. And I feel that’s a model for us to study. I don’t know if it is the right model but I do think we should take a closer look.”

from The News International - Instep Today http://bit.ly/2I96Kdk