The golden era saw a beautiful camaraderie between the biggest stars and the most junior workers. Veteran editor Z. A. Zulfi recalled how everyone, from actors to technicians, would sit together by the famous fountain at Evernew Studios, sharing stories and enquiring about each other's families. It was a bond that has since been replaced by a more distant, professional wall.
The golden age of Pakistani cinema, centered in Lahore’s vibrant "Lollywood," remains one of the most fascinating yet under-reported eras in global film history. From the late 1950s through the 1970s, the bustling studios of Lahore—Evernew, Shahnoor, and Bari—were self-contained universes of creativity, romance, intense rivalries, and technical wizardry. Behind the iconic movies were real-life dramas that unfolded away from the cameras. Here are the definitive stories, legends, and forgotten histories from the heart of Lollywood’s historic studio lots.
Unlike the controlled sets of Hollywood, Lollywood studios were like open-air festivals. During the 70s, (near Raiwind) allowed fans to watch shoots for a small fee. Once, while filming an action sequence for Maula Jatt (1979) with Sultan Rahi , a fan threw a garland at him mid-punch. Rahi caught it, wore it, delivered his dialogue (“Rail gaddi…”) and then continued the fight. The unit clapped. That improvisation became the film’s soul.
In the 70s and 80s, censorship was strict, but Lollywood found a loophole. They would shoot two versions of a movie: one "decent" version for the censors in Lahore, and a "spicy" version for the cinemas in rural Punjab and the international market. lollywood studio stories
By the late 80s and 90s, the industry was crumbling. VHS piracy and political instability took their toll.
The 1980s and 90s were the era of the "Punjabi Vengeance" film, dominated by the legendary . His voice could shatter glass, and his personality was larger than the 70mm screen. The studio makeup rooms were small, shared spaces—a recipe for drama.
The landscape was once richer. Shadab Studio and the pioneering Pancholi Art Studio were crucial in the 1930s and 40s, but all have either been converted, fell into ruin, or were demolished, their stories fading into memory. The golden era saw a beautiful camaraderie between
Founded by the legendary Agha G. A. Gul, Evernew was the industry's beating heart. Built on the remains of the pre-Partition Pancholi Art Studio, it became a fully integrated production hub with its own film lab, processing classics like Maula Jutt and Heer Ranjha *. For decades, its sprawling 40-acre lot on Multan Road was the ultimate dream for any filmmaker. The studio's lifeblood, its film lab, operated for 56 years before finally falling silent, a victim of the digital age. The atmosphere inside was one of a close-knit family, but the decline of the industry has left its grand doors rusted and its floors deserted, a ghost of its former self.
No story of Lollywood is complete without Shahnoor Studios, founded by the legendary playback singer Noor Jehan (The Malika-e-Taranum, or Queen of Melody) and her director-husband, Shaukat Hussain Rizvi. Following the 1947 partition, the couple migrated from Bombay to Lahore, determined to build a film industry from scratch.
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 . Zulfi recalled how everyone, from actors to technicians,
Superstitions also governed the business of filmmaking. Directors refused to start shooting on certain days of the week, while specific colors were banned from opening scenes to avoid bad luck at the box office. The "Muhurat" (first clap of the slate) was treated with religious reverence, often accompanied by the distribution of sweets to the entire studio staff to ensure a smooth production. The Decline: Echoes in Abandoned Halls
This is the story of the studios that built Lollywood and the legends that walked their halls.
The decline accelerated into the 2000s. Rampant video piracy, the influx of Bollywood blockbusters, a lack of state support, and the political instability following the 9/11 attacks decimated the industry. As one report noted, Lollywood’s fall was a "disaster no one cares about". Nearly . The dream factory of Lahore fell silent.
Behind the Velvet Curtain: Forgotten Scandals, Triumphs, and Ghosts of Lollywood’s Golden Studios