Out of Lahore, and rising from the ashes of our past political turmoils, comes the Urdu film industry that we all so lovingly know as Lollywood. And while Lollywood has had some low points over the last few decades, recent years have been kind. We have not only gotten to see the raw potential and originality that this industry holds but also witness the acting and musical prowess of many veteran and up-and-coming artists.

1. Teefa in Trouble
   Released in 2018, Teefa in Trouble is a romantic action comedy film that follows the journey of a witty middle-class boy who gets into all sorts of trouble. Teefa is played by Ali Zafar who manages to pull off the role with style and emerges victorious at the end. Of course, no movie or movie plot is ever complete without a few hiccups. The movie was a commercial success despite being at the center of protests. The movie is also one of the few to hit the Rp50 crore mark at the box office. There has even been chatter and an announcement of a sequel but nothing solid so far!
2. Main Hoon Shahid Afridi
   Main Hoon Shahid Afridi released in 2013 is about a young boy who wants to follow in the footsteps of his cricketing idol Shahid Afridi. However, life happens and he soon has to face the hardships of life. The film was critically acclaimed by many and received great audience ratings. The movie was also a hit at the box office and the movie made almost Rp2.2 crores in the first week itself.
3. Moor
   Moor follows the story of a family that’s lost its matriarch and does a great job of portraying how integral women are to a family. The movie released in 2015 was critically acclaimed for its storyline, execution, music, acting, and more. The movie was also chosen as Pakistan’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Despite its critical acclaim, the movie failed to perform at the box office.
4. Waar
   Released in 2013, Waar followed the story surrounding the efforts of the country to tackle terrorism. The stylized concept of the movie made it the sixth highest-grossing movie in Pakistan. What contributed to its commercial success was its wide release and reception. On its day of release, the movie made a whopping Rp1.14 crore and every movie hall was packed. Waar was also nominated for many awards, and the creators soon announced that there would be a sequel, which was released in 2017.
5. Na Maloom Afraad
   Three struggling individuals want to get rich quickly and to do this they follow every possible means. Na Maloon Afraad, the 2014 comedy-thriller follows their journey filled with desires, ambition, and struggles. The movie claimed many firsts by breaking the record of Waar for the longest-running film, made almost Rp12.2crores domestically, and won multiple awards and nominations. The sequel Na Maloom Afraad 2 was released in 2017 and soon became the second highest-grossing film that year.

Of course, these are only a few examples of the talent that is left to be unearthed in Lollywood and the Pakistan film industry at large. From here on, we can and must expect better and larger movies!