Bollywood made a comeback on Pakistan's big screens on December 19 after Pakistani distributors and exhibitors decided to end three months of self-imposed “temporary suspension“ of Indian films in their theatres in retaliation to a resolution of film producers in India to ban Pakistani artistes when cross-border tensions following the Uri attacks flared up.

“We never called it a ban but a temporary suspension. It was a sacrifice we had to make, knowing that it would hurt us tremendously, in order to convey to stakeholders in India that their decision would bear bad consequences for both of us. We did suffer but enough time has passed. We are ready to go forward now and make things normal so that Indian filmmakers, too, find the strength to regain what we've lost,“ said Nadeem Mandviwalla, CEO of Mandviwalla Entertainment, a film production and distribution company and owner of Atrium Cinemas in Karachi.

Although the film fraternity in Pakistan, while admitting to acute revenue losses, are trying to bury the hatchet and holding out an olive branch to their counterparts across the border, producers in India are wary of the consequences that any reconciliatory move might yield since no one from the government has stepped in with a course of action yet.

“The atmosphere is still not conducive and we haven't received any indication from the government. We don't want to become a pawn or part of a witch hunt by political parties who've made scapegoats out of us. We had built a relationship with neighbouring artistes because the previous government had asked us to. It wasn't for commercial gain. Once the government in power gives us a clear diktat, we'll take steps in that direction,“ said Bollywood producer Mukesh Bhatt, member of the management council for The Film & Television Producers Guild of India. Bhatt's reaction is hardly surprising given the series of incidents following the Uri attack when members of Bollywood were singled out and made to toe a hard line on Pakistani artistes despite there being no official ban on them.

Indian films had sparked a steady revival of the cash-strapped Pakistani film industry after a four-decade ban was lifted in 2007. In recent years, Indian films fetched them an annual revenue of Rs 100 crore. Predictably, theatres bled during the three-month suspension reporting “50-60 percent loss“ in revenues, small town theatres downed shutters while pirated DVDS of new Bollywood releases made a re-entry, triggering the need for cinema owners to salvage their industry.

In December, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who according to a recent amendment of their import policy can allow the import of Indian movies, constituted a committee to look into the matter.

While screening of Indian films resumed with old releases ­ Freaky Ali and Baar Baar Dekho ­ that were pulled out of Pakistan's theatres during the freeze, the first set of new releases expected to make it across the border again are Shah Rukh Khan's Raees and Hrithik Roshan starrer Kaabil, on January 25. “NoCs are underway and we're expecting publicity material in the next 48 hours. We're trying our best for a simultaneous release with the rest of the world,“ said Satish Anand who heads the seven-decade old Eveready Pictures in Karachi and belongs to Pakistan's small community of Hindus. “Art knows no boundaries. It is in that spirit of cordiality and respect for talent that our government here, stakeholders and cinema-going population are looking forward to restart things.We hope that in the days to come, there will be some reciprocation from the other end, too,“ he said.

On a positive note, Pakistani actors Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui, are ready to resume shooting for Sridevi's film Mom after they were granted visas this month to shoot in India after several failed attempts.