Ban on 'Raees' sparks social media outburst

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 February 2017

The ban on 'Raees' has ignited a wave of reactions on social media in Pakistan. Critics argue the film unfairly portrays Muslims while fans defend artistic freedom.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's ban on Bollywood thriller 'Raees' sparked a social media backlash Wednesday, after the film featuring Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan was denounced for portraying Muslims as "terrorists".

The government’s decision to bar the 2017 action film came after Pakistani cinemas lifted their own ban on Indian films.

Bollywood movies and Khan in particular are immensely popular in Pakistan and the film also stars leading Pakistani actress, Mahira Khan.

But the industry has become a political battleground amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed states in the disputed Kashmir region.

Mubahsar Hassan, chairman of the Pakistan Film Censor Board said that the film "portrays Muslims as terrorists and violent people".

A second official complained about the comparison between Muslims and Hindus.

"This film gave a message that all Muslims do bad things and are involved in crimes while Hindus are gentlemen and they stop them from the dirty work,” he remarked.

But fans dismissed the concerns, with many arguing that art can be about politics but politics should have no place in art.

"This ban on Raees is an example of the kind of absurdities Pakistan's moral crusaders and grovelling bureaucrats can attain on their own," tweeted Pakistani film maker and journalist Hasan Zaidi.

"Ban on Indian movie Raees is a ban on Mahira for her barely acting debut. Why Pak censor boards hate Mahira so much?" said writer Haji S Pasha.

Some, however, backed the censors.

Yasmeen Ali, a lawyer and university professor wrote: "I support the ban on Raees owing to showing Muslims of a particular sect of Islam conducting heinous crimes & being terrorists".

Pakistani cinemas last October announced a ban on Indian films following strained relations between Islamabad and Delhi, lifting it only last month.

For its part, the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association banned Pakistani actors and technicians from working on Bollywood sets after last year's tensions.

The Pakistani censor board officials said other Bollywood films such as "Kabil" and "Ae Dil hai Mushkil" can still be shown as they do not contain objectionable content. - AFP

KEY POINTS:

• The government banned 'Raees' over concerns of Muslim portrayal as terrorists.
• Pakistani cinemas recently lifted a previous ban on Indian films.
• Filmmakers and fans expressed outrage on social media regarding the ban.
• Supporters of the ban cited the film's negative representations of Muslims.
• Other Bollywood films without objectionable content can still be screened.