Daily Times

HYDERABAD: Since 1948, Pakistani filmmakers have always been eyeing Eid-ul-Fitr, a time when movie theatres see a huge influx of moviegoers, to earn high revenue and offer quality entertainment to the families.

Since the time Pakistan Film Industry was founded, 959 films have been released so far on the days of Eid-ul-Fitr including Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, and other regional languages.

According to a report in Film Database Magazine, Pakistan’s first film ‘Teri Yaad’ was released on Eid-ul-Fitr 1948.

According to the decade-wise details, from 1948 to 1959, 31 films were released out of which 6 films were super hits, 3 hits and 11 did average business.

In the ’60s, 68 films were released from 1960 to 1969, of which 6 were megahit, 14 were hits and 15 did average business.

The ’70s considered a golden age for the Pakistani film industry saw the release of 87 films from 1970 to 1979, including Urdu, Punjabi, and Pashto films, of which 11 were super hits, 17 hits and 22 were average.

Director Nazrul Islam’s AAINA was the most successful film of the decade, lasting more than 400 weeks (4 Diamond Jubilees).

In the 1980s, from 1980 to 1989, 94 films were released on Eid-ul-Fitr, of which 13 were superhits, 15 were hits and 12 did average business.

In the 90’s, from 1990 to 1999, about 84 films were screened on Eid-ul-Fitr, of which 3 were megahit, 3 were average, and the rest failed at the box office.

In the 2000s, 84 films were released from 2000 to 2009, of which only 3 were superhit, one hit, one average, and the rest failed.

In the decade 2010, from 2010 to 2019, a total of 89 films were released on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, out of which 3 smashed the box office, 7 were hits and 3 fared well.

It is pertinent to mention that due to the spread of the deadly pandemic worldwide,  which led to the closure of Pakistani cinema houses, no new film was released in the last two years on Eid-ul-Fitr days. However, all are set to release new films on Eid-ul-Fitr this year with the hope to succeed at the box office.