Lahore, February 6 (Dawn): Rumours of Mahira-SRK starrer Raees releasing in Pakistan were ripe this past week. However, as per latest reports from the Censor Board, the film will not be releasing here because it allegedly portrays Muslims as criminals.
“The content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, [while also] portraying Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists,” a Censor Board source told Dawn Images .
The decision to ban the film was made on Monday.
Earlier the film was in turbulent waters owing to the sour relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistani artists were banned across the border following the Uri attack in Kashmir. Consequently, Mahira Khan was not able to promote her film Raees in India.
The rift also forced Shah Rukh Khan to commit to Indian right wing political party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that he will not to work with Pakistani artists in the future.
The Bollywood actor had met with the MNS supremo Raj Thackeray late last year and according to the Indian Express the meeting was to confirm that “Mahira Khan is not coming to India for any kind of film promotion and he will also not cast any Pakistani artistes in future.”
(The featured picture at the top shows an emotional scene from Raees starring Pakistani actress Mahira Khan with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan)
