Time was when many weekly, fortnightly and monthly Journals used to be published in this country which catered to the taste of political scientists, sportsmen and cinegoers of the subcontinent.
Before the advent of National Press Trust a publishing house by the name of Progressive Papers limited used to publish a very good Urdu weekly billed as ‘ Lailo Nahar’ from Lahore which was widely read by the politicians and students of Political Science. It was designed on the pattern of famed weekly American magazines ‘ Time’ and ‘ Newsweek’. It vanished once the Progressive Papers limited was disbanded and converted by Ayub Khan into the National Press Trust. In the world of celluloid two Urdu monthlies both named as ‘Shama’ were widely read magazines, one was published from Lahore and the other from Delhi . Likewise, two film monthlies named as ‘Nigar’ and ‘Filmfare’ were published from Lahore and Bombay respectively. The management of these two magazines used to give awards every year to film personalities associated with various branches of films produced in Lolly wood and Bolly wood every year who had given outstanding performances in various branches of film industry like acting, music, writing ,singing etc. etc. They were considered as very prestigious wards. What a pity that electronic media, particularly ‘Begum’ the so called social media has taken a heavy toll on the aforementioned written work.
52
