Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s critically-acclaimed movie Joyland has recently been banned in the country.
Being an Islamic country, the authorities banned its official Oscar entry ‘Joyland’ this weekend over alleged ‘objectionable material’. The film was supposed to release in theatres across the country on November 18.
However, the concern is should movies like these which are getting positive reviews across the globe to be banned in their own country.
Joyland
Joyland made history as the first feature film to be screened at the prestigious festival in March. Sadiq’s directorial debut film will compete for a spot in the final five of the best international feature category at the 2023 Academy Awards.
The movie follows a patriarchal family, craving for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, however, the family’s youngest son, the protagonist, secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a trans woman.
Cast
Joyland features an ensemble cast of Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada, and Sohail Sameer.
Banned
Joyland got the green light for its release on August 17 from the Pakistani authorities, however, just a few days before its release the same authorities banned the movie alleging that it contains ‘highly objectionable material’.
Complaints
In its notification which was issued earlier this month, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banning said, “Written complaints were received that the film contains highly objectionable material which does not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society and is clearly repugnant to the norms of ‘decency and morality’ as laid down in Section 9 of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979.”
Online condemnation
Many celebrities and social media users have criticised the ban and urged not to take away the moment of pride and joy from Pakistanis. People are smart enough to know what they want to watch or not so let Pakistanis decide, this was a specific statement released by many users.
Should Joyland be banned?
Unlike most countries, Pakistan has not one but three movie censor boards, all independent bodies that certify films according to their regional jurisdiction.
Our authorities have been banning movies deemed as offensive since the dawn of cinema. Whatever Pakistan’s soft-power intentions might be, censor board restrictions have done the burgeoning film business no favours.
When movies are banned, entertainment-starved people watch pirated movies on computers and TV sets. Everyone loses in the process, the producers, the exhibitors, and the government which ultimately means the common people. This tit-for-tat policy only aggravates an already messy, volatile situation that serves no one.
