Also in 1931 the film khooni Katar was released. Immediately afterwards, the studio released the film Sarfarosh ( Brave Heart) in 1930 and film Farebi Daku in 1931, with Gul Hamid playing the lead role with more or less the same cast as in the previous film. Kardar vowed on not acting in any other film and instead focusing on direction. The film had mild success at cinemas, but prominently established Lahore as a functioning film industry. However basic and crude their working conditions, Kardar believed in his work and in 1929 he produced the first silent film in Lahore Husn Ka Daku ( Mysterious Eagle), under his studio's banner. It is reported that the team working at the studios would commute on tangas and even lost equipment once while traveling on the bumpy roads on the horse-drawn carriage. The dim-lit area presented with much difficulties and shootings were only possible in the day-light, but nevertheless the area had some very important landmarks like the Ravi Forest and the tombs of Mughal emperor Jahangir and his wife Noor Jahan. After scouting for locations, he settled for their offices to be established at Ravi Road. The history of cinema in Pakistan began in 1929, when Abdur Rashid Kardar set up a studio and production company under the name of United Players Corporation (later renamed Playart Phototone), which would become the foundation stone for the Lahore film industry. Since the shift to Karachi, Pakistani films have once again began attracting a strong cult following. Despite the industry crisis starting in the mid-1980s, Pakistani films have retained much of their distinctive identity. The shift has been seen by many as the leading cause for the "resurgence of Pakistani cinema". This was the time new generation producers stepped into the industry with short films with quality story line and new technology led to an explosion of alternative form of Pakistani cinema. By 2007, the wounds of Pakistan's collapsed film industry began to heal and Karachi had cemented itself as the center of Pakistani cinema. By 2000, the film industry in Lahore had collapsed and saw a gradual shift of Pakistani actors, actresses, producers and filmmakers from Lahore to Karachi. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the film industry went through several periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on state funding and incentives. However, between 19, the film industry of Pakistan went into decline due to Marshal law, strengthening of censorship laws and an overall lack of quality. During the early 1970s, Pakistan was the world's fourth largest producer of feature films. Pakistani films during this period attracted large audiences and had a strong cult following, was part of the cultural mainstream, widely available and imitated by the masses. Between 19, Pakistani cinema was based in Lahore, home to the nation's largest film industry (nicknamed Lollywood). The first Pakistani-film produced was Teri Yaad, directed by Daud Chand in 1948. The first film ever produced was Husn Ka Daku in 1930, directed by Abdur Rashid Kardar in Lahore. Over 10,000 Urdu feature films have been produced in Pakistan since 1948, as well as over 8000 Punjabi, 6000 Pashto and 2000 Sindhi feature-length films.
Several film industries are based in Pakistan, which tend to be regional and niche in nature. Pakistani cinema has played an important part in Pakistani culture and in recent years has begun flourishing again after years of decline, delivering entertainment to audiences in Pakistan and expatriates abroad. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its two largest cities - Karachi and Lahore. The cinema of Pakistan, or Pakistani cinema ( Urdu: پاکِستانی سینما), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan.