No significant change on arts’ front in 2017

LAHORE: The outgoing year, 2017, was not a very memorable year in terms of good memories as many tragedies continued to befall Pakistani nation and the showbiz world, however, it may be remembered as a little better for a relative relief from terrorism.

Although the nation had to bear the terrible loss of many valuable innocent lives in the terrorists attacks including on Peshawar University and a church in Quetta in the outgoing year, it can be called a relatively less painful year as compared to 2016.

In 2017, world-renowned Indian film artiste Om Puri's death was perhaps the biggest loss to the showbiz world in the background of his special feelings for Pakistan. On the performing and fine arts front , no qualitative and mentionable change to be proud of took place to be associated with the year, except many paintings, arts and sculptures' exhibitions in the prominent art galleries of the provincial metropolis, including the Ejaz Galleries on MM Alam Road, Nairang Art Gallery, Ocean Art Gallery, Alhamra’s Permanent Art Gallery, The Mall, Coopera Art Gallery, the Native Art Gallery, Hamail Art Gallery, NCA’s Zahoorul Ikhlaaq Art Gallery, Salima Hashmi’s Rohatas2 Art Gallery and a few others, the art scene in the city remained alive and throbbing with excitement throughout the year 2017.

Musical, cultural and literary festivals were another prominent feature of the year. The biggest festival which took place in 2017 was “Faiz International Festival.” Like every year, the festival gathered great attention from a cross section of society. The Arts and Crafts Festival at Nairang Art Gallery, a regular feature and initiative of Nayyar Ali Dada for the promotion of Pakistani cultural assets and artisans) was a mentionable event in the world of art and crafts. In the film world , many Pakistani flicks went flat on their faces including much awaited Shoab Mansoor’s “Verna” and “Yalgaar”. However, “Punjab Nahi Jaongi”, “Rangreza” and "Namaloom Afraad-2” did a good business while pleasing their audience. Indian movie “Raees”, Pakistani artiste Mahira’s debut in Bollywood with Shah Rukh, went well on the box office. Despite mixed reaction from the audience about the Pakistani films in the year 2017, the local film industry received a positive boost by an increase in the number of cinemas in various localities of the provincial metropolis. By and large, the year 2017 was not a very memorable year in terms of artistic and literary new initiatives. It is prayed may the new year, 2018, bring productivity, peace, love, pprosperity and solidarity among all Pakistanis and keep our beloved motherland protected from all the internal and external threats.