Local lore suggests the studio was built on land that didn't take kindly to the "takeover." Stories persist of supernatural occurrences, such as actor Sultan Rahi supposedly being "pinned" to a tree by an unseen force long after a shot had ended.
It is widely reported that during the shooting of the iconic song "Akele Na Jaana" at a Lahore studio, the atmosphere was charged with intense creativity. The film’s composer, Sohail Rana, and producer/actor Waheed Murad, were perfectionists. The film became Pakistan’s first "Platinum Jubilee" hit, and it is said that crowds would break down the doors of cinema houses just to watch the film, with the studio floor often becoming a place of celebration for the cast and crew long before the film was released. 3. The Queen and the Rivalry: Madam Nurjehan on Set
Lollywood emerged in the 1950s as Pakistan’s film industry consolidated after partition. Lahore’s studios—such as Shahnoor, Bari, and Evernew—became production hubs where directors, producers, writers, musicians, and actors worked in intense, collaborative environments. During the 1960s and 1970s, Lollywood enjoyed a golden era: studios produced musicals, romances, and social dramas that combined melodious music with strong narrative rhythms, drawing mass audiences across Pakistan and among the diaspora. lollywood studio stories
Sound engineers reported hearing phantom anklets ( ghungroos ) jingling across empty wooden floors long after the lights had been turned off. Rather than causing fear, these entities were often treated with a strange respect; directors would sometimes leave a small plate of food or a burning cigarette on a prop table before a night shoot to ensure "good luck" and prevent expensive camera jams. Shahnoor Studios: The Epicenter of Melodrama and Music
On January 9, 1996, the industry's biggest star was returning from Islamabad when his car got a flat tire on the G.T. Road. In the darkness, unidentified men approached and opened fire, killing him. The crime remains one of Pakistan's most high-profile unsolved murders. Local lore suggests the studio was built on
If you'd like, I can: Share more about specific directors and their iconic styles Detail the rise of Pashto cinema and its influence Compare the Lahore and Karachi studio cultures Let me know what you'd like to explore next! The Rise and Fall of Pakistan's Film Industry
Beyond the technical specs, the soul of Evernew lay in its famous fountain. Veteran film editor Z.A. Zulfi, who has worked on over 300 films, once described it as the social hub of the industry: “Everyone seemed like a big family: actors and technicians would sit together near that famous fountain in the studio. That was like a dream, and won’t ever return now. All big actors chatted with technicians, enquired about their families, shared personal details. Such was the bond.” . The film became Pakistan’s first "Platinum Jubilee" hit,
One day, the spot boy mixed up the notes. The hero’s passionate letter landed in the hands of (the quintessential villain), who was sitting in the makeup chair getting his fake mustache glued on. Mustafa, thinking it was a fan letter, read it aloud in his booming villain voice to the entire cast. The silence was deafening. The hero turned white; the heroine turned red. Shooting was canceled for three days. The director later admitted that the genuine tension in the next scene—where the hero had to kill the villain—was the best acting of their careers.