Shakib's claim about Pakistan's cinema halls sparks debate — the real number is far lower

Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan has expressed interest in making films as a joint venture with Pakistan's film industry and in pairing up opposite a popular actress from that country. But the statistics he cited about the number of cinema halls in Pakistan while announcing the promising initiative have sparked widespread discussion and criticism in entertainment circles.

Speaking at a recent event, Shakib claimed that Pakistan currently has more than 1,200 active cinema halls, a large share of them modern multiplexes. According to his claim, a successful film there can easily do business worth 200 to 300 crore rupees. He said it was with that huge commercial market in mind that he became interested in working in a joint production with Pakistan.

However, no real match can be found between Shakib Khan's figures and the latest available data on Pakistan's film sector.

In a report published in April 2024, Pakistan's leading media outlet Dawn said the number of cinema halls in the entire country was approximately 60, with around 150 exhibition screens in total.

In another report published in March 2025, the influential newspaper The Express Tribune noted that, with nearly 40 percent of screens having closed since 2018, the number of active exhibition screens had fallen to just 115.

As a result, no credible recent evidence supports the claim that more than twelve hundred cinema halls are currently active in the country.

Film industry insiders believe the actor may have confused a historical statistic from the past with the present reality. An essay in the 2021 book 'Pakistan: Here and Now' records that around 1980 the country had more than 1,200 cinema halls, a number that declined steadily over the following decades amid a severe crisis.

Since Shakib's factual discrepancy came to light, many on social media have commented that the current market situation of the country concerned should have been verified before announcing a plan for joint international work. At the same time, many are also viewing the initiative to create a new market through a joint effort by the two countries positively, beyond the confusion over the figures.

As part of this bilateral initiative, Pakistani actress Kinza Hashmi is set to star opposite Shakib Khan in director Himel Ashraf's film 'Mohabbat', which is progressing with a target of release at Eid in 2027.

In addition, the actor is scheduled to take part in filming this week for director Mehedi Hasan Hridoy's new film 'Nihshwo', in which Kolkata's Idhika Paul will star opposite him. The film will be released in theatres at next year's Eid-ul-Fitr.