News Desk |
The Federal government has decided to place a limited time restriction on the screening and filming of Indian movies in Pakistan’s cinemas.
The decision will restrict the screening of movies around Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. The duration of restriction will last from two days before until the second week of Eid.
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The Federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated their intent to promote the local film industry of Pakistan in the notification issued on May 24th.
The notification said, “in order to revive and promote the local film industry in Pakistan”. “The restriction shall remain in force for two days before and two weeks after Eid days.”
The notification calls the importers and distributors of Indian films to restrain from the exhibition and screening of the film in the cinemas across the country during the stated time period.
The two Indian films ‘Race 3’ and ‘Fanney Khan’ featuring Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai respectively, would face the delays in its screening in Pakistan’s cinemas. The two Pakistani movies-‘7 Din Muhabbat In featuring Mahira Khan and Sheharyar Munawwar, and ‘Azaadi’ starring Moammar Rana and Sonya Hussain will release on Eid-ul-Fitr 2018.
The third movie ‘Parwaz Hai Junoon’ featuring Hamza Ali Abbasi, Hania Amir, Shaz Khan and Ahad Raza Mir that was to hit the cinemas earlier on Eid-ul-Fitr has postponed its release till Eid-ul-Azha.
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The restriction can possibly be the outcome of the previous protests held by Pakistan’s entertainers against the excessive screening of foreign content on Pakistan’s TV channels and cinemas.
The protestors lamented that more than the permissible screening of foreign content is damaging the growing entertainment industry of Pakistan. They said people like technicians and make-up artists lose jobs as small producers are unable to compete with the foreign content.