Islamabad willing, Shah Rukh Khan blockbuster Kal Ho Na Ho will be released in theatres in Pakistan, with a little help from Ever New Pictures’ Sajjad Gul whose Indian connections run deep.‘‘I think the time is just right,’’ says Gul who has already met up with senior Indian Government officials impressing upon the need to agree to joint ventures in movie-making between the two countries.Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad with whom Gul met, says, ‘‘We will do our best to facilitate, if there is reciprocity from Pakistan and all commercial agreements between the filmmakers are in place.’’Gul is part of a 25-member Pakistani delegation which was here to attend FICCI’s annual three-day FRAMES 2004. The filmmakers inthe delagation are singing their favourite theme song — MoU — and queering the pitch for the two governments. Gul’s the shrillest. ‘‘Delhi and Islamabad should start making films together and bring to an end the coldness that existed between the two countries.’’.As for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s dislike of a certain type of Indian films, Gul says, filmmakers make movies for the public to see, ‘‘let them decide.’’. Then, again, may be it is deference to Musharraf’s request, or may be it is just the overwhelming feel-good that permeates the sub-continent, Gul and producer Ashok Khemka have inked an MoU to produce Ek which will have nothing to do with war themes and will concentrate instead on the diplomatic ties between the two countries.To be produced at a Rs 15-crore budget the movie will be shot in Delhi, Islamabad and London. ‘‘It is a contemporary story of two friends,’’ is the sketchiest detail that Gul is wiling to provide.Gul’s Indian partner Khemka has just unfurled his banner Karma Films — after signing an MoU with Gul. Khmeka leaves for Pakistan tomorrow to thrash out the details of the joint venture with his Pakistani couterparts. ‘‘Our MoU is in the nature of information exchange on films in the two countries,’’ says Khmeka who says he has signed up Ajay Devgan for the film. Pakistani actor Shaan will play Devgan’s friend. ‘‘There will be an Indian actress and an actress from Pakistan. Names have not been finalised yet,’’ says Khemka.Keen on scripting a new story for Pakistan’s film industry, Gul says the Pakistani film industry is doing not exactly well. ‘‘Besides the losses, rampant piracy of Indian films alone runs into Rs 20 billion. If the two countries get together they can earn Rs 100 billion,’’ says Gul.Gul and others have signed up similar MoUs with Indian producers like Shyam Shroff and Yash Chopra and are keen to collaborate on films together. Movies in the pipeline are Ehsan, which Pakistani producer Jamshed Zaffar and Shroff are eager to co-produce.Gul is also keen to pick the threads of the past. His father ran Ever New Pictures with offices in Mumbai and Delhi way back in 1937. ‘‘Ask people around they would definitely have heard his name. I don’t know whether the offices exist now after all these years,’’ is his parting shot.
