Peshawar, Jul 12 (PTI) Demolition of the Arshad Cinema began here on Saturday, making it the third such building in 2025 being razed to the ground to be replaced by a commercial plaza in this capital city of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.
The once booming and thriving cinema culture here is almost over now as there remain only three cine-theatres screening films, that too limited to Eid festivals.
Naz Cinema and Picture House, built by two Sikh businessmen in Peshawar before partition, were demolished in March and June this year. These two joined the long list of cinema houses demolished in Peshawar city over the last one decade: Metro, Shabistan, Novelty, Tasveer Mahal, Falak Sair, Capital, Ishrat Cinema, Palwasha Cinema, PAF Cinema, and Arshad to name a few.
“Demolition of the huge structure of Arshad Cinema building began on Saturday and will be completed in a month,” Arshad Khan, owner, said.
Arshad Khan, a local businessman, who had built the cinema in 1984 and named it after himself, could not bear any further financial losses and finally decided to raze it to ground after 41 years.
The last film that was screened at the cinema was on the eve of Ed-ul Azha. It was completed at a cost of Rs 80 lakh but earned hardly Rs 20 lakh, projector operator of Arshad Cinema, Muhammad Yusaf, told PTI as he rolled back the projector machines. “I have been associated with this cinema for 40 years as a projector operator.” Yusaf said 45 employees of the cinema have lost their jobs, while over a dozen vendors selling snacks and cold drinks in the cinema precincts also have shut their businesses.
The demolition of cinema houses over the years is linked to the overall decline of the cinema culture in Peshawar, which is attributed to several factors. These include the declining film industry, high taxes and operational costs for cinema owners, and security concerns that have led to a decline in cinema-goers.
Some of the demolished cinemas, like Naz Cinema and Picture House were historically significant buildings, but were not protected under the Antiquities Act, which could have prevented their demolition.
Most cinema houses built in the provincial metropolis in the pre-partition era were owned by Hindu business tycoons and were recently razed to the ground. The venues of several cine-theatres were replaced by medical centres and shopping malls.
Tayyab Khan, manager at the Arshad Cinema, said social media has provided countless alternatives for entertainment to people of all age groups and families, which in turn, has led to the silver screen losing its charm.
Peshawar's cinema culture dates back to a century. Seth Achram Ram Ghai, a Hindu businessman, had built the first ever ‘Imperial Theatre’ way back in 1925 and a silent movie was run on its screen.
Later, the first ever Urdu talkie movie ‘Alam Araa’ was released and with it began the golden age of cinema culture in 1931. This historic cine-theatre was renamed as ‘Novelty,’ but that was razed to the ground recently.
The story of several other cinema houses in and around the city is no different. The early ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s saw the rise while the late ‘90s witnessed the decline of cinema culture in Peshawar.
Militancy over the years also contributed to the decline of cinema culture as a few of the buildings showing cinema were bombed some years ago.
The owners of the city's three cinema houses -- Aaena, Sabirna and Shama -- are the lone film investors, performers and promoters but they too complain of high taxes, power bills and other expenses. And if things continue in the current dismal state, these owners said, they too may decide to stop producing movies owing to the deep slump in the market. For instance, Peshawar’s Bilour family had three cinema houses, of which they have sold two, while one of the brothers, Aziz Bilour, still runs Shama Cinema, which too is witnessing poor showing. Famous Pashto writer Abaseen Yusafzai said, the loss of cinema houses has also meant a loss for the Pashto entertainment opportunities, especially films, in Pashto language – the prominent language spoken in the province -- apart from Urdu. Haji Aslam Khan, author of a book titled ‘Pakhto Filmoona’ (Pashto Films) told this scribe that there were more than 40 cinema houses in different cities and tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but they were razed down to the ground due to the declining film industry. Pashto entertainment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered many hardships and challenges. Aslam Khan said that top film performers were either dead or had quit the profession for good.
“Old paraphernalia and equipment are no more in use. Social media is easily accessible to every Tom, Dick and Harry and has even worsened the situation.
“I believe it is unthinkable to revive the cinema culture of the yesteryears. As entertainment has come to our fingertips, spaces around the cities and towns are reduced to restaurants, food streets, garments stores and shopping malls,” Aslam Khan said.
Arshad Khan, the cinema owner, also described how the old cinema houses to be profitable ventures required over 50 films releases per year for screening with large supportive staff, not to mention, nonstop power for at least three shows.
He was also involved in film production as his younger brother Shahid is a Pashto film actor.
Filmmaking costs involve huge amounts from cast, editing and reels to outdoor shoots and hiring playback singers etc. but nowadays, computers have made it easier, faster and smarter, occupying less space and attracting modern viewers, he added.
All such issues have changed the Peshawar city, once known as the city of cinemas and artists, to losing its decades-old cinema houses that are being converted into trade and commercial plazas depriving thousands of film lovers from entertainment, Arshad Khan added.