Technology is the name of the game in the modern world. One marvels at the inventions technology has made. However, technology has its fault, too. A case in point is the Pakistan film industry of yesteryears. Long before the industry faced piracy and dwindling investments, a device called the VCR had emerged on the scene in the mid-1970s and it soon found inroads into the households and cinema visitors got hooked to watching foreign movies in the comfort of their homes instead of standing in a queue of the box office.
One thing led to another. VCR’s popularity increasd by the day. The then indigenous industry wondered what to do to mitigate the adverse effects of the VCR. The survival of the whole indigenous industry was at stake. Alas, there had been little they could do.
And then came the time when cinema houses began to be demolished. A whole film industry vanished before our eyes.
But all is not lost. A new generation of filmmakers is experimenting with diverse themes, improved storytelling and higher production value. The task before them is daunting. Yet they appear to be confident to revive the film industry and bring back its glory of the golden era. One wishes them the best of luck.
Munir Hassan, Islamabad
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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