The history of Lollywood—the heart of Pakistan’s film industry based in Lahore—is a cinematic drama in its own right. It is a story of grand ambition, cultural shifts, and a resilient spirit that has seen the industry rise to dazzling heights, face a near-total collapse, and eventually fight for a modern rebirth. The Golden Age and the Grandeur of Evernew
In the 1950s and 60s, Lollywood was a powerhouse of South Asian storytelling. The epicenter was Evernew Studios, founded by Agha G.A. Gul. This wasn't just a workspace; it was a dream factory. The stories from this era are filled with a sense of classical romance and high art. Legends like Noor Jehan and Santosh Kumar commanded the screen, and the music was nothing short of divine.
The "studio story" of this time is one of meticulous craft. Film was shot on actual celluloid, sets were hand-painted by master artisans, and the "playback singer" was a god-like figure. Lahore was a cosmopolitan hub where Urdu and Punjabi cinema coexisted, reflecting a society that was finding its post-partition identity through song, dance, and social melodrama. The "Gandasa" Shift and the Decline
The mid-late 1970s and 80s brought a seismic shift. Political changes and stricter censorship led to the "Gandasa" culture—typified by the iconic Sultan Rahi and the movie Maula Jatt. The stories moved from the sophisticated urban drawing rooms to the rugged rural landscapes of Punjab.
While this era was incredibly profitable, it became a double-edged sword. The studios, once homes for diverse storytelling, became assembly lines for hyper-masculine action and repetitive tropes. Technical quality began to slip as the industry became isolated from global cinematic trends. By the 1990s, many of the historic studios in Lahore began to crumble, some literally being turned into wedding halls or warehouses as the audience migrated to cable TV and pirated Bollywood films. The "New Wave" and the Move to Karachi
The most recent chapter of the Lollywood story is one of migration and metamorphosis. In the early 2000s, a "New Wave" of Pakistani cinema emerged. Interestingly, the power center shifted from the traditional studios of Lahore to the media houses of Karachi.
Films like Khuda Kay Liye (2007) and later The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022) proved that there was still a massive appetite for high-quality Pakistani stories. This modern era isn't defined by the physical studio lots of old, but by a digital savvy, global aesthetic, and a return to diverse themes—ranging from feminist critiques to slick rom-coms. The Legacy
The "essay" of Lollywood is ultimately about perseverance. The studios of Lahore may be ghosts of their former selves, but the DNA of those early storytellers—the love for grand music, the flair for dialogue, and the deep connection to the soil—remains. Lollywood’s story is a reminder that while the buildings may decay, the cultural urge to see one's own reflection on the silver screen never truly dies.
Today, most of the grand studios of Lahore are gone, replaced by shopping plazas or left to rot. But the Lollywood studio stories survive—in the memoirs of aging actors at the Lahore Press Club, in the crackling reels at the Lok Virsa Museum, and in the hearts of cinephiles who remember when the roar of a crowd at a premiere could shake the streets of Bhati Gate.
These stories remind us that cinema is not about polish or perfection. It is about passion. And nobody had more frantic, foolish, and fabulous passion than the men and women of Lollywood.
So the next time you watch an old Punjabi film and see a hero fly through the air with strings visibly attached, or a villain laugh with a missing tooth, don't laugh. Tip your hat. That mess is a miracle. That chaos is art. That is the real magic of the studio.
Echoes of the Silver Screen: Untold Lollywood Studio Stories
Lahore, often called the "Paris of the East," was once the beating heart of South Asian cinema. Before modern multiplexes, there were the sprawling estates of
—places where dreams were manufactured on 35mm film. Today, these studios stand as quiet monuments to a golden era, their crumbling walls holding secrets of legendary rivalries, overnight stars, and the "Jaal" agitation that changed everything. Evernew Studios : The 40-Acre Empire Founded in 1937 and later consolidated by Agha G.A. Gul was the ultimate "star-maker" factory
: At its peak, the 40-acre lot buzzed with 250 employees. It was a city within a city, where legends like Sultan Rahi would walk the manicured lawns between takes.
: Studio gatekeepers still recall the "bond of trust" among the old guard. Even during heated "tiffs" between rival stars, issues were settled on the studio floor before the cameras rolled—there was a code of silence and respect that modern sets rarely see. Evernew Studios , Multan Road, Lahore Bari Studios : Built on a Single Hit Bari Studios
is a testament to the sheer scale of Lollywood's mid-century success lollywood studio stories
While there isn't a single widely-cited academic paper titled exactly "Lollywood Studio Stories," the history of the Pakistani film industry in Lahore is a rich subject of research. Scholars often use "studio stories" to describe the oral histories and institutional evolution of iconic locations like Evernew Studios and Bari Studio.
If you are looking for scholarly papers or historical accounts regarding the inner workings of Lahore's film industry, these resources offer deep dives into the subject:
Pakistani Cinema Through A Transitional Lens: This research article from JISR-MSSE
analyzes the evolution of Lollywood as a cultural hub for Urdu and Punjabi cinema.
The Early Years of Pakistani Cinema: Historical papers often highlight figures like Abdur Rashid Kardar
, the "Founder of Lollywood," who established the industry's first significant roots in the Bhati Gate area of Lahore.
Cinema of Pakistan (Wikipedia): For a broad overview of the sub-industries and the linguistic diversity (Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto) that shaped studio culture, the Cinema of Pakistan entry provides a solid foundation for further citations.
Institutional History: Many "studio stories" are preserved in news archives rather than formal journals. Outlets like The Friday Times and Dawn frequently publish long-form essays on the rise and fall of the grand studio era in Lahore.
Lollywood Studio Stories: A Glimpse into Pakistan's Film Industry
Introduction
Lollywood, Pakistan's thriving film industry, has been entertaining audiences for decades. With a rich history dating back to the 1960s, Lollywood has produced some of the most iconic and beloved films in Pakistani cinema. In this report, we'll take a closer look at the studio stories behind some of Lollywood's most notable productions.
Studio Overview
Our report focuses on three prominent Lollywood studios: Pakistan Film Corporation (PFC), Eagle Films, and Deedar International. These studios have played a significant role in shaping the industry and producing some of its most memorable films.
Notable Productions
Here are some notable productions from each studio:
Challenges Faced
Despite their successes, Lollywood studios face several challenges, including:
Conclusion
Lollywood studios have played a vital role in shaping Pakistan's film industry. From classic productions like "Kuch Log" to modern hits like "Karachi Se Lahore," these studios continue to entertain audiences and push the boundaries of Pakistani cinema. Despite facing challenges, Lollywood remains a vibrant and essential part of Pakistan's cultural landscape.
Recommendations
To support the growth of Lollywood studios, we recommend:
Here’s a useful, behind-the-scenes-style text on Lollywood Studio Stories — focusing on the golden era of Pakistani cinema (1960s–1980s), key studios, and the colorful, lesser-known tales that shaped the industry.
If you visit the surviving skeleton of the Shah Noor Studio today, you won't see stars. You will see a chai dhaba at the entrance. This is Lollywood's real boardroom.
Every major decision in the 80s and 90s—from who gets murdered by the Mafia to who gets the leading role—was negotiated over a glass of karak chai. The studio floors were dangerous places. Not because of the lights, but because of the chorasi (the 84 crores of production debt).
I recall the story of the "Lollywood Curse" as told by Rangeela, the legendary comedian. Once, a financier with ties to the underworld wanted to force a heroin-addicted hero to complete a film. The hero had fled to Dubai. The financier didn't have a contract—he had a handshake. So, he sat in the hero’s makeup room for three days without moving. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. He just sat there, in the broken swivel chair, waiting.
Day four, the hero returned. He looked at the financier. The financier looked at him. The hero walked to the set, did the scene, and never asked for an advance again. That is the justice system of Lollywood.
Evernew Studio (later known as Evernew Pictures) on Multan Road was where most magic happened. It had a small, echoing dubbing room and a single large floor. Legend has it that when Sudhir and Sabiha Khanum were shooting a romantic scene, a stray donkey wandered onto the set. Sudhir didn’t break character — he patted the donkey and continued his dialogue. The director kept the shot, and it became a comic legend among technicians: “Sudhir sahab ko bhi romance mein janwar pasand hai.”
Lollywood — based in Lahore, particularly around the famous Bhati Gate and later Mandar and Korangi Road studios — was once a thriving hub of South Asian cinema. While Bollywood gets the global spotlight, Lollywood’s studio culture was raw, resourceful, and full of unforgettable characters. Here are some real, useful, and entertaining stories from inside the studios.
To understand the stories, you must understand the setting. The heart of Lollywood wasn't a sprawling corporate lot; it was a chaotic ecosystem centered around two places:
The Vibe: Time worked differently here. A "night shoot" didn't mean working until midnight; it meant starting at midnight and finishing at dawn. The studios were self-contained cities where politicians, gangsters, and poets rubbed shoulders.
Lollywood studio stories are tales of creativity under constraint: of artists and technicians joining forces in confined spaces to make narratives that resonated across generations. They reveal how cinema functions as both industry and community—driven by ambition, sustained by relationships, and vulnerable to external forces. Remembering these studios is not mere nostalgia; it is recognition of an ecosystem that shaped Pakistan’s cultural imagination and continues to inspire new storytellers.
Before Pakistan even existed, Lahore was already a thriving center for the arts. In 1929, the industry took its first breath with the opening of United Players’ Studios on Ravi Road. Founded by Abdur Rashid Kardar, often cited as the father of Lollywood, this studio produced the city's first silent film, Husn Ka Daku. The history of Lollywood—the heart of Pakistan’s film
Following the 1947 Partition, the industry faced a massive exodus of talent and equipment to India. Yet, from the ashes of communal riots that destroyed the earlier Pancholi and Shorey studios, a new era emerged. Iconic Studios and Their Legends Shahnoor Studio: The Heart of the Golden Age
Founded in 1948, Shahnoor Studio became a symbol of Pakistani cinematic identity. During its peak in the 1960s, it was so bustling that locals claimed "if you threw a sesame seed in the evening, it wouldn't hit the ground" for the crowds.
Key Productions: It housed the making of masterpieces like Heer Ranjha and Armaan.
The Stars: Icons like the "Chocolate Hero" Waheed Murad, Shabnam, and Mohammad Ali frequented its halls. Evernew Studios: Built on a Blockbuster
Established in 1956, Evernew Studios was uniquely funded by the massive earnings of Pakistan's first true blockbuster, Dulla Bhatti. For years, it stood as a pinnacle of modern filmmaking in the region. Bari Studio: The Arena of the 'Gandasa'
Bari Studio is inextricably linked with the era of regional Punjabi cinema and its most prolific star, Sultan Rahi. Known for his "Gandasa" (axe-wielding) roles, Rahi starred in over 700 films, making him a Guinness World Record holder and the face of Bari's most profitable decades. Behind the Scenes: Challenges and Downfall
The stories of Lollywood are not just about glamour; they are also about survival.
Lollywood, the heart of the Pakistani film industry based in Lahore, is a treasure trove of cinematic history, scandals, and legendary studios that shaped South Asian culture. The "Jaal" Movement & The Rise of Bari Studios
In 1954, the industry faced its first major crisis when producer Bari Malik attempted to import the Indian film Jaal. This triggered the "Jaal Movement," a massive protest by local filmmakers who feared for the survival of the fledgling Pakistani industry. Ironically, Bari Malik used his earnings to build Bari Studios on Multan Road, which became the largest studio in the region with 10 shooting floors. Supernatural Legends: The Shrine on Set
One of the most famous stories at Bari Studios involves the Shrine of Hazrat Janab Ghaib Shah Wali Hyderi Qalandari. The management built the shrine on the studio premises after being told that a saint buried there was responsible for a series of freak accidents occurring during film shoots. Today, it remains a focal point amidst the crumbling facades of the studio. Iconic Studios & Their Legacies
The "Golden Era" (1956–1977) was defined by these legendary locations: Evernew Studio Movie studio OpenLahore, Pakistan
Known as one of Asia's largest and oldest studios, Evernew Studio has been a powerhouse for over 60 years. While now a hub for fashion shoots and TV shows, it was once the primary home of blockbuster films. New Shahnoor Studios Movie studio OpenLahore, Pakistan
Established by Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi and the legendary Noor Jehan after the 1947 partition, this studio was built on the remains of the old Shori Studios and remains one of the oldest in Lahore. Bari Film & TV Studios (Pvt) Ltd. Video production service OpenLahore, Pakistan
Once a bustling "village" for film sets, it is now a derelict space where old sofas used as props are repurposed by staff and local vendors. The Founder's Mystery: A.R. Kardar
The industry's origins trace back to Abdur Rashid Kardar (A.R. Kardar), who established Lahore’s first studio near Bhati Gate in 1928. Because they lacked proper lighting, films like Husn ka Daku were shot entirely in daylight, often using the natural beauty of the River Ravi and the Tomb of Jahangir as backdrops. The Shift and Decline
By the late 1970s, political instability and heavy censorship under Gen. Zia-ul-Haq began the industry's decline. Many producers left, and the hub of Urdu cinema eventually shifted from Lahore to Karachi by 2007, leaving Lollywood primarily as a center for Punjabi-language films. Evernew Studio Epilogue: The Reel is Silent, But the Stories
D66, Multan Rd, Zeenat Block Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
Studios were more than buildings; they were ecosystems. Sound stages, costume departments, editing rooms, and music recording booths coexisted under tight schedules and limited budgets. The studio system fostered close-knit crews who learned multiple trades—actors often helped with choreography, technicians improvised sets, and lyricists rewrote songs overnight. This cross-disciplinary environment encouraged practical creativity: resourceful special effects, inventive set design, and music that could be recorded in a few takes but leave a lasting mark.