KARACHI: Reminiscing the cinematic history of old Dehli, now an Indian city, the author Brig Abdul Rahman Siddiqi (retd) has shared the birth of cinema, or the bioscope in the subcontinent in his book “A City, Cinema & A Community”, providing an equally rare account of life in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk in a bygone age that succeeding generations are regrettably unaware of, given the stark reality of a partition.

The book launch ceremony was held at a local hotel on Saturday, jointly organised by Delhi Punjabi Saudagran Foundation (DPSF) and ATCO Literary Society.

Belonging to the ‘Dilliwala’ community Brigadier Rehman’s book is a special treat that harks back to the glory days of Delhi, its catastrophic decline, and then vigorous rebirth with the advent of the bioscope.

Javed Jabbar, former senator and federal minister who was presiding over the Session commanded Sidddiqi’s comprehensively knowledgeable book on the beginning of the bioscope and cinema and paid tribute to him for writing a wonderful memoir.

Recalling the glorious past days of cinemas in Pakistan, he said despite Over the Top (OTT) platforms and services like Netflix, orthodoxy is still prevalent in the country.

“In a country of 250 million people, there are only 69 cinemas with 160 numbers of screens”, he regretted, saying that Pakistan should have 6000 cinemas at this point in time.

Jabbar said decades of 50s, 60s, and 70s have produced remarkable movies that proved blockbusters in Indian cinemas too.

Sirajuddin Aziz, Banking Mohtasib (Ombudsman) Pakistan admired the author’s new publication and opines that it is a remarkable addition in the literature.

He said book portraits that time Delhi city and peoples’ madly interest in cinema.

Siraj also shared snippets from the book, saying that he read the book in one go because the author has travelled down memory lane with unparalleled gusto fuelled by his possession for cinema.

During the ceremony Saeed Allah Wala, Chairman ATCO Laboratories welcomes the audience who gathered in a large number to attend the occasion.

He praised the author’s new publication and said this book provides valuable information about the beginning of the bioscope and early era of cinema in the sub-continent.

Wajid Jawad and Durriya Kazi renowned scholars declared this book a unique book on bioscope and cinema and opine that this book tells us what impact left on the society of that time.

In the conclusion the author thanked the elite of the city who gathered from all walks of life to grace the occasion and briefed about the book.

He said that the arrival of the bioscope generated hot debate about its status as a challenge to Islam as a blatant form of idolatry worse than the idol worship.

He further said that by 1935, the Indian film industry had come to its full potential.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024