Will "White Noise" be the first Indian film to get a commercial release in Pakistan?

Debutante filmmaker Vinta Nanda, who has just returned from its screening at a Karachi film festival, certainly hopes so.

While leading lady Koel Puri was busy promoting her other movie "American Daylight" at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, Nanda was watching some 450 people fixed to their seats enjoying "White Noise".

"We showed the film on a 1964 USSR-made projector and it burnt down half way through screening. The air-conditioning also conked off," she said.

"It took 45 minutes to reset the screening but not one person moved from her seat. It was a very encouraging response, and very emotional."

Nanda saw little differences in taste and attitudes between India and Pakistan. "Karachi is like Mumbai, (with) lovely responsive people," she said.

"They had no problem identifying with Koel Puri's character. Musicians, writers, TV and film professionals as well as youngsters were present at the show. They all loved it."

Shouldn't her lead pair have been with her in Karachi?

"Koel is with us at the Florence film festival later this week. I missed both her and Rahul (Bose). People were all praise for their work. Rahul is a big star in Pakistan."

Another important film at the Karachi festival was Pooja Bhatt's "Rog", featuring Irrfan Khan, Himanshu Malik and Bhatt's husband Munish Makhija.

Rajit Kapur's "Raghu Romeo" and Nagesh Kukunoor's "Hyderabad Blues 2" were also screened.

Hopefully, the response at this festival will lead to more Indian participation in Pakistan's theatres.

--Indo-Asian News Service