A number of Bollywood films, such as Veere Di Wedding, Raazi, Mulk and the most recent Manmarziyan were banned in Pakistan for one reason or another. Even the Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer Raees didn’t see the light of day in Pakistan for reasons best known to the censor board only.
Taking the sporadic bans a step further, the Pakistan Film Producers Association (PFPA) has demanded to ban all Indian films releasing in the country.
The Association has written a letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, asking him to consider the matter. PFPA has taken this step so that our local film industry may thrive; urging the government to impose the said ban. Besides, a petition has been submitted to Lahore High Court to ban Indian films.
In a recent interview, senior representative PFPA, Chaudhry Ejaz Kamran said, “If Indian stake holders and organisations can take a stand and do everything for the welfare of their industry, then why can’t we? They have banned our artists and films in the past so what’s stopping us?”
He added, “It is great to see that the business of filmmaking has restarted in Pakistan and we should do everything we can to support this. The last six years have proved that we are more than capable of holding our own.”
Chaudhry Ejaz Kamran further went on to say that either a complete ban should be imposed on Indian films or an active effort should be made to prioritise local content. “The latter entails increased promotion of local films as well as more screen time and shows within cinema halls,” he said.
In the past, PFPA has persuaded previous governments to implement the ban, but to no avail. Their appeal continues, with members of the association adamant that local films don’t do too well at the box office due to the release of Bollywood movies.
