It feels as if one arbitrary censorship policy after another keeps viewers from watching curious films on the big screen right here at home.
Which is why it has come as both a shocker and a genuine surprise that Bohemian Rhapsody - the film based on Freddie Mercury and his music group Queen - is opening in Pakistan this past weekend.
Reviews may have been mixed but critics agree that Rami Malek’s flamboyant portrayal of the legendary singer is a worthy performance.
Notes a press statement: “As the story unfolds, we witness how Queen’s classic songs were created - from the ingenious and operatic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to their signature anthem ‘We Will Rock You’. It examines the band’s evolution, and later Freddie’s struggle with AIDS.”
It also relates “how the band shook the music world, rolling out hit after hit, from ‘Killer Queen’ to ‘Another One Bites The Dust’.”
The musical biographical could earn Malek, best-known for Mr. Robot award nomination come the award season.
Said USAToday about his performance in the film, “Using gusto and soul, the actor delivers one of the most outstanding performances of the year. And he single-handedly turns the formulaic biopic Bohemian Rhapsody into a riveting character piece.”
-The film opens in Pakistan on November 2, 2018