ahore Arts Council is undergoing a makeover. One can see piles of cement bags, bricks, tiles etc. The work means to give the centre of art activities a revamped look. But if one talks to the officials, they hint mostly at a set of reforms in commercial theatre industry to be unveiled soon.

Theatre has long been part of the province’s cultural life. For decades, families visited performance halls to enjoy live comedy, drama, music et al. Over time, many of these places became venues for cheap adult entertainment — full of double-meaning jokes, obscene dance items and so on. Families shied away. It became a boys-night-out activity.

Last year, Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari undertook surprise visits to major commercial venues in Lahore, such as Mehfil, Prince and Tamaseel, sealing halls and issuing notices to artists over poor administration and inappropriate performances. The minister also announced imposing lifetime ban on any actors or dancers found guilty of performing indecent act or using vulgar language on stage. Theatre owners are now required to submit formal undertakings to avoid such performances. Violators will face heavy fines, show-cause notices and licence cancellation.

In line with the government’s directions, the LAC recently announced that it was “redefining stage entertainment with family-friendly, high-energy and script-based comedy.”

Saif Awan, a representative of the Information Department, tells TNS that the “goal is to make theatre plays a family affair all over again.”

He names two prominent stage performers who were banned, namely Afreen Khan and Khushbu, adding that no previous government or ministry had taken such measures to regulate theatre.

According to him, the department is preparing a fresh law in this regard. “The first draft is complete; we hope to soon forward it for approval,” he says.

The idea is to give legal backing to the theatre reforms under way. A special committee has been formed to oversee matters. The committee includes officials from the department and members of the showbiz community. “By including people from within the industry, the government wants to make sure the reforms are practical,” Awan says.

“The core problem is administrative. Laws existed already to regulate theatre [performances]; the real issue was weak enforcement.”

nder the new system, the Punjab Arts Council is expected to get more powers. Previously, district administrations held authority over theatre affairs. The power balance will now shift in favour of the PAC, which means that key decisions will be the prerogative of a body that specialises in arts and culture, rather than general administration.

A striking aspect of the new system is going to be technology-based monitoring. As Awan says, the department has introduced live monitoring of theatres: “Every performance is now recorded and reviewed. This removes doubts about who should be served a notice, and why.”

Comparing the system to Safe City Authority, Awan says that just as a vehicle driver is issued visual proof of violation, the performers will now be shown footage of their performances along with a notice or ban.

Awan says that the department has identified 80 to 100 songs having vulgar and double-meaning content. These songs have been banned. Any theatre found playing these will face cancellation of their licence.

Awan says that the proposed law will require approval by the cabinet. This suggests that the reforms are moving from informal enforcement towards a legal framework.

heatre producer and writer Azhar Malik has a different take on the issue. He says that dance is rooted in Punjab’s culture. “Alhamra wanting to do family theatre is great; but why ban dance?”

He says that a majority of artists should not have to suffer for the fault of a few cheap performers. “That’s unfair. These performers are not respected in the industry any way; they should not even matter.

“Dance is an art form and should be respected as such.”

Malik does not like the idea of live monitoring of performances. “An artist’s performance is affected when they are conscious of Big Brother watching them,” he says. “A theatre performance is okayed by several bodies, including the PAC, the commissioner’s office, the Home Department, Excise and Taxation, and Information and Culture Department. Live monitoring is adding another layer of censorship.

“The core problem is administrative,” he says. “Laws exist already to regulate theatre [performances]; the real issue is weak enforcement. No new legislation can produce clean, family entertainment unless enforcement improves.”

Malik also raises concerns about the government inviting senior artists who left the industry over two decades ago, back to work. “These artists deserve encouragement, pension, gratuity and bonuses.”

Ahsan Raza is the editor of a Lahore-based English daily. He can be reached at [email protected]