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Going to the cinema is a very popular event in Pakistan. With some films being so popular that they are sold out for weeks or months leading to high black market prices in their resale value.

Most cinemas have only one screen and tend to show the same film for a year. The film industry in Pakistan is most prominent in Lahore (Lollywood). Cinema audiences can get very animated at certain films.

Punjabi films have a reputation for excitable audiences and it is best to avoid the cheap seats. The acting tends to be over the top, as is the action and quantity of blood spilled. The villians have big moustaches and deep booming voices and the heros are clean shaven and bullet proof. The heroins normally have wretched misfortunes heaped upon them until near the end when everything works out happily. And every film is a musical too! I went to see a film with my wife. Our understanding of the punjabi dialogue was very patchy to non-existant but we still followed the storyline without any problems and cheered when the Pakistani commandos prevailed against unbelievable odds.

Many film posters are painted by hand because of their large expanses. The artists responsible are obviously very talented. Unfortunately the artists' spelling skills are not always as advanced their artistic skills...