25 Anniversary of ‘Choorian’ and ‘Waar’ Hits 10 Years Today at October 10

Some movies just stick in people's minds for a very long time, regardless of their box office success, number of weeks spent touring theaters, level of critical praise, or even cult status. 'Choorian' (1998) and 'Waar' (2013) are two examples of these landmarks.

Choorian Hits 25 Years

Before Pakistani cinema fell into a deep sleep in the early 2000s, Choorian became a huge hit in the country. The movie played in theaters for 290 weeks, bringing in nearly $700,000. Even today, that is a huge number, taking into account that the average ticket price at the time was less than 100 rupees (according to our most recent assessment).

The Syed Noor-directed movie, which starred Saima and Moammar Rana, was the buzz of the town when it first opened. The rumor that the movie made so much money that owners of small local cinemas in small towns got wealthy from ticket sales circulated at the time.

The storyline of the movie was essentially a Punjabi version of Cinderella. Its performances and songs quickly gained popularity. Its music could be heard at every restaurant, on every radio station, and in every barbershop. Choorian was always the crowning achievement for Syed Noor and Saima, even though "Majajan" and "Yeh Dil Aapka Hua" by Moammar Rana were subsequently equally huge successes. Choorian left a lasting impression on Pakistani film history.

10th Anniversary of Waar

Waar was the movie that brought fans back to theaters in 2013 as Pakistani cinema began to flourish once more. The movie, which starred Shaan Shahid, Ayesha Khan, Shamoon Abbasi, and Hamza Ali Abbasi, grossed more than $20 million domestically and over $16 million abroad. As of this writing, its inflated total is above 70 crore (according to our most recent assessment).

The movie had some exciting action scenes in addition to reintroducing Shaan to a new audience. Additionally, it introduced two new young talents to the field. The first was Hamza Ali Abbasi, who was amiable, gregarious, and highly opinionated. He would later appear as the lead in wildly successful plays like "Mann Mayal" and "Pyaaray Afzal."

Bilal Lashari came in second. The music video for Jal's song "Sajni" made him famous among a certain group of people, but 'Waar' introduced him to a larger Pakistani audience. He produced "The Legend of Maula Jatt," the most successful movie in Pakistani cinema history, over ten years later.

Choorian' and 'Waar' both continue to have supporters now, just as they did in the past. Producers, directors, and the entire film industry were inspired to continue by their success. To do the same and draw audiences back to the big screen, we need more movies that are comparable to or even better than them.