Why has Pakistan banned film ‘Joyland’?

Pakistani authorities have banned filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s critically-acclaimed film Joyland alleging that it contains “highly objectionable material”.

The move comes months after a certificate was issued clearing the movie for public viewing. Joyland happens to be the country’s official entry for the 2023 Academy Award and has been acclaimed world over in film festivals.  

Joyland was granted the certificate for screening by the government on August 17. However, objections were recently raised over its contents. The protests and concerns led to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banning the film apparently to avoid a backlash by the public.

In its notification of November 11, the ministry said, “Written complaints were received that the film contains highly objectionable material which do 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.”

The film is Saim Sadiq’s directorial debut. It was supposed to release in theatres across the country on November 18. The film follows a patriarchal family, craving for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line. The family’s youngest son, the protagonist, secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a trans woman. Joyland features an ensemble cast of Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada and Sohail Sameer.