Narrative Us Recite

Titled "Narrative Us Recite," my research delves into my personal connection with Lahore's film industry, often referred to as Lollywood. Growing up in the vicinity of the industry's main studios, I witnessed the making of many films. My memories take shape through a song written by my father for an unfinished film and the daily post-meal strolls he took through the neighborhood. Accompanying my father, a poet, I observed him immersing himself in the creative process of writing as he walked.

 

The late 1970s saw a dramatic downturn in the film industry, arguably marking its demise, resulting in many untold stories and unperformed actions like my fathers song. My research aims to construct my voice using the ruins and remains of Lollywood and its historical echoes, navigating the delicate balance of physical and temporal distance from my own recollections and the place of origin.

 

The research now ventures into the realm of possibilities, helping me craft a voice to find its tone within the context of a site of memory, by giving me multiple roles. I now act as a listener of recollections, extending invitations to others' memories and skills, fostering an ever-evolving conversation. I take on the role of a nonactor, leveraging the expertise of invited collaborators. I also function as an initiator and a patient individual, eagerly anticipating the construction's arrival. In the capacity of a sculptor, my past practice, I now utilize a camera to materialize distance, maintaining a connection with the production site. Simultaneously, I play the role of an uninvolved observer, achieving absolute presence by engaging with multiple cameras that record continuously and without guidance.

 

The research progresses not merely within but through the industry, transforming it into a dynamic site of production and reflection. It necessitates constant calibration with ongoing social and political changes, enabling me to speak from what may seem a dysfunctional place. This demands active facilitation of thought, documenting change beyond the confines of Lollywood and its own gradual disappearance.

 

The rapid availability of information has allowed my research to drag narrative inside the abandoned studios employing outdated skill sets. Lollywood's resilience to exist on its own terms has provided my practice an opportunity to tell stories despite limited resources. The amalgamation of Lollywood's storytelling ability, my role as a thinker, and the current era where all information seems present creates a fertile ground for ambitious tales to unfold. 

 

I am interested in a practice of filmmaking, who is not framing his own work. The development in communication technology has allowed me to stay in my studio even when the work is in production elsewhere.