List of films banned in Pakistan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pakistan started banning films since 1962, with restrictions tightened in 1979 when Muhammad Zia ul-Haq implemented an Islamization agenda and an even stricter censorship code.[1] A ban on Indian films and media (which was not always strictly enforced) was lifted in 2008, with the compromise that cinemas in Pakistan must equally share screening time between Indian and Pakistani films.[2][3]

2006[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2006 The Da Vinci Code United States Hollywood Banned due to protest by the Christian community in Pakistan.[4]

2010[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2010 Lahore India Bollywood It was banned as the censor board objected to some dialogues and scenes of film.[5]
2010 Tere Bin Laden India Bollywood Banned in Pakistan fearing the title could be misconstrued by Islamist extremists as reason for attack.[6][7]

2011[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2011 Slackistan United Kingdom Independent Director refused to make cuts requested by the Central Board of Film Censors.
2011 The Dirty Picture India Bollywood was banned by authorities.[8] However, it was later cleared for release only a week after the Indian premiere.[9]
2011 Delhi Belly India Bollywood was not allowed to be screened by the censor board.[10]

2012[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2012 Khiladi 786 India Bollywood was renamed as Khiladi for release[11] but promos and ads of the film were banned in Pakistan.[12]
2012 Ek Tha Tiger India Bollywood was banned because ISI agent role was depicted by Katrina Kaif's character.[13]
2012 Agent Vinod India Bollywood Banned because of Anti-Pakistan propaganda. It was mainly also against ISI spy agency.[14]

2013[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2013 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag India Bollywood banned because it depicts Pakistan Sports Authorities using unfair means. It depicts the country in a wrong way.[15]
2013 Raanjhanaa India Bollywood Banned because the film portrays an image of a Muslim girl (played by Sonam Kapoor) falling in love with a Hindu man and having an affair with him.[16]
2013 G.I. Joe: Retaliation United States Hollywood Banned due to the film's depiction of Pakistan as an unstable state and the fictional portrayal of a "foreign invasion of Pakistan’s nuclear installations".[17]

2014[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2014 Children of War India Bollywood It was banned for its portrayal of the 1971 war contrary to Pakistan's view.
2014 Haider India Bollywood was banned as it depicts Kashmir insurgency, a sensitive issue in country.[18]
2014 Noah United States Hollywood was banned due to the portrayal of Noah by an Actor.[19]

2015[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2015 Calendar Girls India Bollywood was banned by Pakistan due to objection in one of the dialogue in the film.[20][21]
2015 Phantom India Bollywood was demanded to be banned by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa.[22] Phantom is about 26/11 attacks based on book Mumbai Avengers by Hussain Zaidi.[23] Lahore High Court banned movie on 20 August 2015[24] as federal government wanted petition by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed to be dismissed due to its uselessness and the government doesn't wanted to be involved unnecessarily because no one in Pakistan asked for NOC to screen the film.[25][26] LHC judge Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan asked the government that what it could do to stop the movie CDs from being sold in market after ban.[27]
2015 Baby India Bollywood a Bollywood film based on Terrorism was banned in Pakistan.[28]
2015 Bangistan India Bollywood a film about two suicide bombers was banned by the Pakistan's Central Board of Film Censors.[29]

2016[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2016 Dishoom India Bollywood was banned because the movie talks about an Indian cricketer getting kidnapped before India and Pakistan match and that cause the country to think it is against Pakistan.[30]
2016 Udta Punjab India Bollywood was banned due to use of abusive language.[31]
2016 Shivaay India Bollywood was banned because of India-Pakistan border conflict.[32]
2016 Ae Dil Hai Mushkil India Bollywood was banned because of India-Pakistan border conflict.[33][34]
2016 Neerja India Bollywood was banned by Pakistan for allegedly showing the country in bad light, a fact denied by Sonam Kapoor, who portrays slain flight attendant Neerja Bhanot in the film.[35]
2016 Ambarsariya India Pollywood was banned in Pakistan due to direct references to Indian intelligence agency RAW inside the movie.[36]

2017[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2017 Viceroy's House United Kingdom British Banned in Pakistan for alleged misrepresenting Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Founder Of Pakistan).
2017 Tubelight India Bollywood was banned to prevent hamper of the release of local films[37]
2017 Tiger Zinda Hai India Bollywood Banned because was banned because ISI agent role was depicted by Katrina Kaif's character.
2017 Dangal India Bollywood Banned when Actor-Producer Aamir Khan refused Pakistan Censor Board's demand to remove scenes with the Indian National Flag and Indian National Anthem.[38]
2017 Naam Shabana India Bollywood was banned because it portrays Pakistan in "bad taste".[39]
2017 Jolly LLB 2 India Bollywood was banned because the film makes references to the Kashmir issue.[40]
2017 Raees India Bollywood was banned due to its "objectionable" content, as "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays some Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists".[41]

2018[]

Date Movie Name Country Film Industry The Reason Banned
2018 Pad Man India Bollywood A film with “taboo” subjects such as menstruation.
2018 Pari India Bollywood Promotes black magic.
2018 Raazi India Bollywood Showed an intelligence agent who spied Pakistan for India.
2018 Gold India Bollywood For fears regarding the depiction of the 1947 partition.[42]
2018 Veere Di Wedding India Bollywood For depicting obscenity and vulgar dialogues by female characters.
2018 Mulk India Bollywood The movie shows an Indian Muslim family accused of treason and ties with the Pakistanis.[43]
2018 Aiyaary India Bollywood Banned for anti-pakistan propaganda.[44]
2018 Race 3 India Bollywood The ban was imposed so that four big banner Pakistani films and other smaller regional language releases on Eid do good business without competition from Bollywood movies.[45]
2018 Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran India Bollywood Banned for anti-pakistan propaganda.

2019-Present[]

Since February 2019, Pakistan has banned the screening of all Indian films in retaliation to the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government pertaining to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.[46]

References[]

  1. ^ "Pakistan restricts screening of films from India". LA Times. Archived from the original on 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  2. ^ Nyay Bhushan. "Pakistani High Court Bans Screening of Indian Films, TV Shows". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Pakistan petition seeking ban on Bollywood films withdrawn". Dnaindia.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Pakistan bans Da Vinci Code film". Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  5. ^ "Bollywood's 'Lahore' banned in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  6. ^ "'Tere Bin Laden,' Indian Film With Osama Lookalike, Banned In Pakistan". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  7. ^ "Pakistan bans India Osama Bin Laden comedy". BBC. Archived from the original on 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  8. ^ "THE DIRTY BALAN STARRER "THE DIRTY PICTURE" BANNED BY PAKISTAN!". playtv.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  9. ^ "The Dirty Picture cleared for release in Pakistan – NDTV Movies". NDTVMovies.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  10. ^ "'Delhi Belly' denied public exhibition license in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 30 June 2011. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  11. ^ "Khiladi 786 renamed Khiladi for release in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  12. ^ "Akshay Kumar's Khiladi 786 promos banned by Pakistan Censor Board".[dead link]
  13. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger". ban at the tribune.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  14. ^ "Agent Vinod banned from Pakistani cinemas". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  15. ^ "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag banned in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  16. ^ "Pakistan Film Censor Board has banned "Raanjhanaa"". The Times of India. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  17. ^ Kaifee, Sib (2013-04-01). "'GI JOE 2: Retaliation' banned in Pakistan for portraying country in negative light". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  18. ^ "India's Haider might not see the light of day in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  19. ^ "4. Noah". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  20. ^ banned, Bollywood ‘Calendar Girls’ (24 September 2015). "Bollywood 'Calendar Girls' banned in Pakistan". The News Tribe. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ Dedhia, Sonil (24 September 2015). "Pakistan's Ministry of Culture refuses No Objection Certificate to Calendar Girls". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Controversial: Government issued notice over screening of 'anti-Pakistan' film". The Express Tribune. 11 August 2015. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  23. ^ IANS (11 August 2015). "No surprise if 'Phantom' gets banned in Pakistan: Saif Ali Khan". english. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  24. ^ "'Anti-Pakistan movie': LHC bans screening of Indian film Phantom". The Express Tribune. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  25. ^ "Accepting Hafiz Saeed's plea, LHC bans Phantom in Pakistan". Daily Pakistan Global. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 27 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  26. ^ "LHC stops screening of Saif's 'Phantom' in Pakistan on Saeed's plea". STAFF REPORT. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  27. ^ "Phantom banned in Pakistan: Hafiz Saeed wins yet again : Bollywood, News". India Today. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  28. ^ "Bollywood 'shocked' over Pakistan's ban on 'Baby'". Archived from the original on 2015-08-04. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  29. ^ Mahmood, Rafay (6 August 2015). "Bangistan gets a 'complete ban' by central censor board". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  30. ^ "Dishoom banned in Pakistan, Varun Dhawan upset with the decision". The Indian Express. 30 July 2016. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  31. ^ "Udta Punjab banned in Pakistan". The Nation (Pakistan). 20 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  32. ^ "Udta Punjab banned in Pakistan". The Nation (Pakistan). 20 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  33. ^ "Maalik". Banned at the Dunya News. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  34. ^ "Maalik". Banned at the BBC Urdu. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  35. ^ Desk, Entertainment (25 February 2016). "Sonam Kapoor simply can't get over 'Neerja' ban in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  36. ^ "Indian Punjabi film banned in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 31 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  37. ^ "Makers of Salman Khan's Tubelight release an official statement on its Pakistan ban". filmfare.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  38. ^ "Dangal: Pakistan wants Indian flag, National Anthem cut, Aamir Khan says no". Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
  39. ^ "Taapsee Pannu starrer 'Naam Shabana' banned across Pakistan". Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  40. ^ "Akshay Kumar-starrer Jolly LLB 2 banned in Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  41. ^ "Pakistan Bans Shah Rukh-starrer Raees for 'Undermining Islam'". News18.com. 7 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  42. ^ Varma, Lipika (2018-08-16). "Akshay Kumar requests for Gold's release". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  43. ^ https://www.firstpost.com/india/ban-on-mulk-in-pakistan-ironic-indian-movies-that-dispel-anti-muslim-stereotypes-dont-bode-well-with-film-censors-across-border-4898761.html
  44. ^ https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/160218/pakistan-does-it-again.html
  45. ^ https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/race-3-makes-opening-day-box-office-record-in-pakistan-post-ban-beating-avengers-infinity-war-4586671.html
  46. ^ Ghosh, Samrudhi (February 28, 2019). "Pakistan bans Indian films. But can they survive without 70 per cent revenue from Bollywood?". India Today. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
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