Joy of banning

Pakistan seems to have a case of ban, rinse, repeat nearly every year. From YouTube bans to film bans, it seems all our people and governments hold is apathy or disgust at our own creative potential. The latest victim of the banning disease is Saim Sadiq’s ‘Joyland’ – the first Pakistani feature film to win a themed award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. But, while the world has applauded the film, in Pakistan it has now been banned, curiously after the censors had given it the go-ahead in August and after it was already scheduled to be screened across the country just three days from today. The film’s subject is different from what we normally get in Pakistani films and dramas. One would think that should have been a good enough reason to screen it and let audiences experience a film that is internationally recognized. But, in all its inexplicable wisdom, the Censor Board has retracted its earlier decision and a notification by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has cancelled the film’s licence. The reason offered by the ministry is that it received ‘written complaints’ about the film containing ‘highly objectionable material’ that does not align with Pakistan’s ‘social values’.

This is not the first time our ‘social values’ have been cited to curb creativity. The history of art and cinema in the country are a sorry tale of regressive thought dominating decision-making; recent years have been even worse. If the final arbiters of film had deemed it fit to be screened, why were ‘written complaints’ entertained to the extent of withdrawing the licence? Do such written complaints also extend to violence or misogyny in our entertainment offerings? Are ‘social values’ a static phenomenon as the objectors would like us to believe? Not satisfied with creating a culture of fear around artistic expression, the forces of bigotry in the country have also launched a smear campaign on social media against the film and its team. This is reminiscent of the recent campaign against the Transgender Persons Act which was passed protect transpersons but ended up facing the wrath of an ultra-conservative lobby.

That this comes at a time when Pakistan has garnered global attention for the work of some of its bright young artists is disappointing. The fact that the audience for whom these films are made are the ones who are deprived of the right to experience them should lead to introspection within state structures as well. Unfortunately, the paternalistic nature of artistic gate-keeping in the country means all joy will need to be constantly negotiated.