Saim Sadiq’s Recipe for Achieving Success in Pakistan

Filmmaker Saim Sadiq, known for his acclaimed directorial debut Joyland, shared insights into the challenges of filmmaking in Pakistan. Amidst a casual conversation with host Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, Saim discussed the economic constraints and uncertainties that filmmakers face in the Pakistani industry.

Pakistan’s Not a Place for Great Business Unless You Make a ‘Maula Jatt’: Saim Sadiq

Addressing the economic realities of the Pakistani film industry, Saim expressed his views on the limited number of theaters and the challenges filmmakers encounter in achieving commercial success. He pointed out that unless a filmmaker can replicate the success of iconic films like ‘Maula Jatt,’ steering the industry’s financial constraints can be formidable. “There are less than 100 theaters working in Pakistan. It’s not a place for great business unless you make a Maula Jatt…but then you need to have the kind of resources that Maula Jatt did,” he said.

Saim dissected the unpredictable nature of the film industry, emphasizing that even star-studded films often struggle to recover their investments. He highlighted the shifting dynamics of viewership, citing the contrasting fates of Kamli and Zindagi Tamasha, where the latter’s digital reach surpassed the former’s theatrical release. Saim’s observations highlighted the evolving preferences of audiences and the need for filmmakers to adapt to these changes.

A Message for Aspiring Filmmakers

The director also shared valuable advice for aspiring filmmakers, stressing the importance of rigorous scriptwriting and the perseverance required to secure funding. Drawing from his own experiences with Joyland, Saim emphasized the need for artists to embrace rejection as part of the creative process; his journey from facing rejections for seven years to ultimately finding success with Joyland is an inspiring narrative for emerging talents.

Read more: Will Joyland, the Cannes Film Festival winner, be released in Pakistan?