Lahore/Karachi, February 9 ( The Express Tribune): Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat is facing another censor board review in Pakistan even as it is running well in theaters there.
In response to a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking its ban for portraying Muslims in a negative light, the court asked the Provincial Censor Board to see the film again and take a decision.
“A full board meeting will be held to review Padmaavat again. A decision regarding the ban will be taken after watching objectionable scenes and dialogues,” said Usman Pirzada, a senior member of Punjab Film Censor Board told The Express Tribune
Additionally, the Pakistan Film Producer Association has criticized provincial and central censor boards for issuing a certificate to the film in the first place.
The local distributors of the movie, HKC Entertainment told The Express Tribune that they haven’t been notified of any petition against the screening of the movie.
“We haven’t been notified of any ban on Padmaavat in Pakistan, therefore, there is no ban on the film as of now,” said a spokesperson for the HKC.
Ch Ejaz Kamran, Chairman Pakistan Film Distributors Associations and a senior member Pakistan Film Producers Association said that it is “sad that action is being taken when the film has already done well in the country.”
“I think it is useless now because the public has already watched it, and saw the inappropriate portrayal of Khliji in the movie. There was clear distortion of history the film, but it was Khilji’s character’s, not Padmavati’s.”
“It is sad that our censor boards allowed its release. It should be banned if the nation thinks it was a wrong decision.”
(The featured image at the top show Ranveer Singh as Allauddin Khilji)
