Anushka Sharma’s ‘Pari’ to not release in Pakistan

KARACHI: Anushka Sharma’s latest release, a horror film titled Pari has been banned from being released in Pakistan.

A post by Nueplex Cinemas announced this development.

The post read, “We have just been informed that Pari has been banned by the Central Board of Film Censors (CFBC), Pakistan. Hence the film will not be screened at Nueplex Cinemas.”

After that, Atrium Cinemas owner Nadeem Mandviwalla said the horror film was cleared by provincial censor boards, however, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) banned it. “Pari was cleared by the Sindh Board and Punjab Board, however, the Islamabad Board (CBFC) banned it,” he said while speaking to media outlets. “Even though the film could have released in Sindh and Punjab barring Islamabad, the distributors decided to not release it,” Mandviwalla added.

The Atrium cinemas owner further detailed that the movie supposedly contains objectionable sequences where Quranic verses have been used and thus does not comply with the rules of the censor board.

Sources in the CBFC confirmed the Anushka Sharma starrer had been banned as it was “against Islamic values.” “The film not only mixed Quranic verses with Hindu chants but also portrayed Muslims in a negative light as they were shown using Quranic verses to do black magic,” the source said.

Pari’s release was highly anticipated as it was Sharma’s first movie after her marriage and shows her in never seen before avatar. The film was due to release Friday and promotions had been in full swing across India and in cinema houses here in Pakistan alike. In fact, tickets for the film had already been sold.

However, after the ban of the film by the CFBC, the other censor boards of the country including the Punjab and Sindh Censor Board agreed to comply with its decision as they wanted to “avoid clashes.”

Last month, banned Akshay Kumar’s Padman on the topic of menstrual hygiene was also banned from being screened in the country as it had “objectionable content.”

Moreso, last week, India refused to withdraw a ban on Pakistani artists. According to ANI News, Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA) has refused to withdraw its ban on Pakistani artists working in India. The ban was imposed two years ago, before the release of Fawad Khan’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Mahira Khan’s Bollywood debut, alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Raees.