Monumental: The Directory Of Pakistani Films In 9 Languages Has Been Published

Monumental: The Directory Of Pakistani Films In 9 Languages Has Been Published
Naseer Ahmed
2020
Pakistan Film Directory
Lahore, Pakistan: Faanon Publications
Pages: 520
*PKR 1500.

The hard bind prototype of the Pakistan Film Directory 2020 finally surfaces for a premiere, thanks to the undaunted commitment of Naseer Ahmed in recent years. Though he had completed the first draft of the manuscript in December 2017, Naseer Ahmed avoided publishing the directory at the time in order to avoid common errors.

The directory provides the public an a-to-z index and the long-awaited complete list of Pakistani films produced to date in Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, Gujarati, Balochi, Bengali, and English languages, and approved for exhibition in Pakistan by Central Board of Film Censors Pakistan. Presently, the list ends with the film released on the Valentine’s Day of 2020.

The index shows the serial number, title, language, year, and release number of 4231 Pakistani films. The list, besides the titles of the films, includes the names of the production companies, producers, directors, screenwriters, dialog writers, poets, cameramen, music composers, and release dates.



The title and back title of the directory are covered with the photos of famous Pakistani film directors along with the snaps of Yaseen Goreeja and Fida Ahmad Kardar. The former had published the second last version of the Pakistan Film Directory in 2003, and the latter is a noted film journalist from the past. The title/back title layout/map, showing the names of the featured directors is printed inside the book.

Naseer Ahmed has singlehandedly completed an extremely difficult task with support from his children who composed, drafted, proofread and designed the directory at home for him. He has dedicated the film directory to his wife Nasreen A. Naseer who emotionally supported him when overwork compromised his health in the past years.

Naseer Ahmed specifically admires his friends who helped him in accomplishing the goal, the foremost being Daud Butt who helped him in the editing process.



Naseer Ahmed has priced the book @ PKR 1500/- (plus the postal charges), much below the estimated minimal cost, completely ignoring the cost factors like data collection and hardship.

Bolan Cultural Society has already awarded Naseer Ahmed the 39th Bolan Academy Award on account of this commendable achievement in a ceremony held on 24th December 2019. Punjab Provincial Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja handed him the award at the ceremony.

The Book Launch Ceremony, planned for April 04, 2020, is postponed till the control of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Wajiha Raza Rizvi works for Film Museum Society, Lahore, Pakistan.