Aamir to Aishwarya, Emraan to Bipasha, Indian stars are popular faces in the city promoting various international brands
Aamir to Aishwarya, Emraan to Bipasha, Indian stars are popular faces in the city promoting various international brands
LAHORE: The sky of this Punjab capital is full of Bollywood stars. There’s Aamir Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, Amrita Rao, et al, promoting a range of international products, including watches, mobile phones and perfumes, on various billboards.
A glance at the billboards in Lahore will reveal that Indian actors have well and truly left behind their Hollywood and Lollywood counterparts in ad space. This is because most advertising companies believe Indian superstars have a great value in Pakistani market.
The marketing manager of an advertising agency said products that are available both in India and Pakistan are better marketed in Pakistan if an Indian superstar promotes them.
“This is the age of globalisation. If Indian movies can be shown on satellite television, Bollywood stars can certainly occupy billboards,” he said.
Beenish Ali, a student of Lahore University of Management Sciences, said she likes to see her favourite Indian film actors on hoardings in the city.
But there are also those who are opposed to the idea. One of them is writer and film producer Rukhsana Noor.
“The Indians want to propagate their philosophy and are using all means for it. Now, they have sought a new way to penetrate our society, these giant billboards. This dangerous phenomenon must be stopped,” she said.
Ghulam Mohiuddin, a leading Pakistani film actor, said, “On one hand, Indian movies are banned here, while on the other, hoardings of Indian film stars are being allowed.”
General Irfan Elahi, director of the Parks and Horticulture Authority, which gives NOCs to registered advertising companies to rent out hoardings and billboards, however, did not agree. He said, “If Indian movies can be officially screened in Pakistan, what is the harm in showing the faces of the same actors and actresses on billboards?”
amir.mir1969@gmail.com
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