Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan has expressed strong interest in producing joint-venture films with Pakistan, including his desire to share the screen with a Pakistani actress. However, while articulating this ambition, he made a claim regarding the number of active cinema halls in Pakistan that has sparked widespread discussion and criticism.
 
Shakib claimed that Pakistan currently has more than 1,200 operational movie theaters—a figure that sharply contradicts recent media reports and industry data.
 
Speaking at a recent event, Shakib highlighted his growing interest in the Pakistani film industry. He stated that during his inquiries into the market, he learned there are over 1,200 active cinema halls in the country, many of which are multiplexes. He also mentioned that a commercially successful film can gross between 200 and 300 crore Pakistani rupees. Driven by the potential of this lucrative market, the actor expressed his eagerness to pursue joint productions with Pakistan.
 
However, recent statistics on Pakistan’s film exhibition sector paint a very different picture. According to a report published by the Pakistani daily Dawn in April 2024, the country had approximately 60 cinema halls with around 150 screens. Furthermore, a March 2025 report by The Express Tribune noted that roughly 40 percent of cinema screens in Pakistan had shut down since 2018, bringing the number of active screens down to just 115. Thus, there is no credible recent data supporting Shakib’s claim of over 1,200 operational theaters.
 
While counts of standalone theaters, multiplexes, and individual screens can vary in reporting, the discrepancy between Shakib’s statement and published industry figures remains substantial.
 
Historically, however, Pakistan did boast over 1,200 cinema halls. An essay in the 2021 book Pakistan: Here and Now noted that the country had more than 1,200 theaters in the 1980s, before the numbers declined steadily over the following decades due to various socio-economic factors. It remains possible that historical figures were conflated with the current reality, though the exact source of Shakib’s information is unclear.
 
Following his remarks, social media users have been actively debating the issue. Many questioned whether it is essential to verify accurate market data before planning international collaborations, expressing curiosity as to how such an outdated or inflated figure reached the star.
 
Despite the factual controversy, many industry observers view the prospect of Bangladesh-Pakistan joint productions positively, noting that cross-border collaborations could open new markets and expand audience reach for artists from both nations. Nevertheless, Shakib’s miscalculation regarding theater numbers has overshadowed the broader discussion.
 
On the work front, Shakib Khan is slated to star in Himel Ashraf’s upcoming film Mohabbat, reportedly opposite Pakistani actress Kinza Hashmi, scheduled for release on Eid 2027. Prior to that, he is set to begin filming Mehedi Hasan Hridoy’s Nissho this week alongside Kolkata actress Idhika Paul, which is slated for release on Eid-ul-Fitr next year.