00:09Come, today in this powerful explainer, let us go straight to the heart of Lahore i.e. Laxmi Chowk.
00:15This is not just an ordinary intersection.
00:18This is practically a history of South India, a living story of the glory of our film world and our best Khans.
00:26Is
00:26Today we will explore those beautiful memories and incidents scattered around here which may have faded away with time.
00:33has fallen
00:34Let's start with a very important question that is quite hot these days.
00:39Is it because of changing the name or putting up a new street sign in government offices?
00:44The decades-old identity and historical heritage of a place can be wiped out in a flash.
00:50Let us look at this debate in some detail.
00:53To truly understand the spirit of this place, our analysis will be based on these points.
00:59First came the battle for names, then the golden era of Lahore cinema, followed by the on-screen glory, the crowds, and the socialites.
01:06changes
01:07And finally it transforms into a great centre of mines.
01:10So the first part is Da Battle for a Name
01:13Let us see what immediate controversies are going on these days regarding the name of this square.
01:20There's a very clear conflict here.
01:23On one side the government has put up a board of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Chowk.
01:27And on the other hand, the public is adamant on saving its old name of Laxmi Chowk.
01:32Now the interesting thing is that this name is originally derived from a great fusion of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
01:39was kept
01:39who was present here historically
01:42If we remain completely neutral and look at the reactions of the public and social media
01:46So people's opinion is very clear that historical heritage cannot be restored only through government orders.
01:53As noted columnist Yasir Peerzada pointed out, this place should be named Laxmi Chowki.
01:59Because this is actually the spirit and essence of Lahore.
02:02Old names cannot be erased from people's minds overnight.
02:07The second part is Lahore's Cinematic Golden Age
02:11Now let's step back a bit from these modern controversies.
02:14Towards those beautiful pages of history which actually made this square famous all over the world.
02:21If we look at the history of Pakistani cinema
02:35Just imagine, at that time more than a hundred films were being produced here every year.
02:40It was indeed an amazing time
02:42This is specifics Vaagai mine blowing
02:45After the opening of United Player Studios near Rewi Road in 1939
02:50Royal Park became a major hub for film distributors and producers.
02:54Before Partition, stars used to roam here on the streets.
02:57And just listen, Azim Adkar Pran Strictly Pure was by chance standing here at a paan shop.
03:03When they were discovered
03:05And history also knows that Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was shot dead outside a cinema here.
03:10The people had taken it up on their shoulders
03:12History is hidden in every corner of this place.
03:14A term that was very popular at that time was 'khidki tod', meaning a mob that broke windows.
03:21Head here to see romantic chocolate heroes like Waheed Murad and Muhammad Ali at the peak of law and order.
03:28There used to be a reading rush
03:29that all that was visible was a sea of humans
03:31At that time, cinema was a great escape from everyday tensions for families and people of all classes.
03:38Used to be
03:38The third part is the fall of the screen
03:41But as with every golden age, this magic could not last forever.
03:46And this is where the collapse of this filmy paradise begins.
03:50The most important thing to understand is that this fall was not a one-day event.
03:55It was a combine defect
03:57The first step was the strict censorship laws of Zainal Ziaul Haq's era, which put restrictions on on-screen romance.
04:05Secondly, due to the new taxis, ticket prices started skyrocketing.
04:10And the third biggest was Jatka
04:12VCRs and the penetration of pirated Indian films into every home
04:16Which completely shook the foundations of the local cinema industry.
04:21This statement by a veteran cinema worker expresses the real pain of the entire situation.
04:26They say that if the dream or fantasy is no longer there, then what is the point of cinema?
04:32This question accurately highlights why the public stopped coming to theatres when escapism itself was strictly censored.
04:39left
04:39The physical aftermath of that era is quite visible today.
04:43On one side, Mubarak cinema can be seen which has lost its original identity and has now converted into a wedding hall.
04:49Already happened
04:49And on the other hand, there is Shabastan cinema which is still somehow surviving with the help of digital projections.
04:56stubbornly trying to
04:58Part 4: Shifting crowds and gender dynamics
05:01Now we will see how this collapse gave rise to a massive sociological shift and affected these places.
05:09The people who came changed
05:11This shift is worth noting. In the 1970s, theatres were a communal and family friendly space for women.
05:18There were designated protected family sections
05:21But by the 1980s, the situation had changed drastically, and the environment had become completely male-dominated, with no respectability or protection.
05:29in the name
05:29Women were practically pushed out of these public spaces and were completely confined to their homes to consume the media.
05:36But it was limited to VCR.
05:39And the cinematic content also reflected exactly this shift.
05:43Romance was suddenly replaced by violent formulaic action, notably Sultan Rahi and his 1979 film
05:52hit film Maula Jatke era
05:54Cinema came to be associated with cheap roaming crowds, which resulted in the middle class
06:01And women became completely disengaged from this entire sphere.
06:05This trend continued until his death in 1996. The fifth and final part is a thriving culinary hub.
06:13Despite all these challenges and the glory of cinema, the story of Laxmi Chowk does not end here.
06:19It found a powerfully new way to survive: its spectacular street food scene
06:26Today this square is legendary throughout the country for its food.
06:31Here you will find the historic Tabak restaurant which first served broasted Chicken Matarif in Lahore.
06:38Along with this, there are street vendors who make the famous Shahi Murkh Chana and Baghdadi Haleem.
06:45Here, day and night, a fair of tastes is held which is unique.
06:49If we talk about the history of the mines here, the name of But Karahi inevitably comes up, which has been in existence since exactly 1960.
06:56It is present here
06:57It is attracting hungry crowds from all over Pakistan with its famous Desi Murkh and Matan Karahi.
07:04This legacy has become an integral part of this square and just imagine this sensory richness.
07:12The year-old Nishad Cafe, where the legendary mix takatak plate costs up to Rs 3,000
07:19This piping hot, sizzling dish includes kidneys, capers, ham, and hearts.
07:26This pure lake is an experience that captivates visitors with the sound of crackling and the aroma of spices.
07:33A different world goes to the fair
07:34Let's wrap up this explainer with one final thought.
07:38Be it the captivating dreams of celluloid screens or the delicious aroma of the food stalls lining the streets here.
07:45How will the Vali Nasle remember this resilient form of Laxmi Chowk?
07:49Cultural landmarks never fade away with a signboard or a new coat of paint.
07:53They adapt, change over time, survive and remain in our collective memory.
07:59become forever scarred
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