The government and censor board banned the film ‘Javed Iqbal’ on the day it was to release.
Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar were supposed to screen on Friday but got banned by the Punjab government and the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC).
The movie is based on the investigations surrounding Javed Iqbal, the serial killer who admitted to murdering 100 young boys in Lahore in 1999. Directed by Abu Aleeha, the movie was banned after the censor board had already approved it.
Here is how netizens reacted to it:
Journalist Zarrar Khurro said: “Whoever is behind ‘banning’ the #JavedIqbal movie is an utter idiot. I say whoever because no one is owning this asinine decision. I was looking forward to this.”
Whoever is behind 'banning' the #JavedIqbal movie is an utter idiot. I say whoever because no one is owning this asinine decision. I was looking forward to this.
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) January 28, 2022
Actor Osman Khalid Butt Tweeted that:
“Release the #JavedIqbal film!
Halting it ‘in the wake of persistent complaints received from different quarters’ 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 it was cleared for release by all censor boards is incredibly vague and a terrible look for the future of Pakistani cinema.”
Release the #JavedIqbal film!
— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) January 28, 2022
Halting it 'in the wake of persistent complaints received from different quarters' 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 it was cleared for release by all censor boards is incredibly vague and a terrible look for the future of Pakistani cinema.
The censor board has said that they had approved the film subject to some small edits but the film was being aired without their edits.
Iqra Aziz turning on her Instagram on Friday, raised her voice in a social media outpour, urging the audience to accept the harsh reality of the serial killer and the lives he harmed.
She said: “Why can’t we just accept the fact that this really happened in the 90’s. Kya sirf comedy film ya pyar bhara drama hi hai Pakistan ki entertainment. Humari audience kehti hai humain kuch aur bhi dekhao lekin doston kese dikhayein? (Are there only comedy movies and love-filled dramas left in Pakistani entertainment? Our audience says that they want to watch different content but friends, how do we do that?)
“Mujhe lagta hai humary Pemra ny ted bundy ki tapes nahi suni (I don’t think PEMRA has heard tapes of Ted Bundy),”
