Sindh Censor Board stops unauthorised screening of Indian film 'Pathaan'

With millions of fans of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan in Pakistan, his recent blockbuster film Pathaan was inevitably going to be released in theatres all over the country, had an unofficial ban not been imposed. Although authorities put a stop to Indian content screening in Pakistan, a private company defied the law.

Following this, the Sindh Board of Films Censor (SBFC) investigated social media pages that were selling tickets for private screenings of SRK-Deepika starrer after a report published in Dawn on February 1 highlighted illegal screenings at different venues in Defence Housing Authority.

A statement issued by the Sindh Censor Board stated that a company called Fireworks Events was organizing a public screening of Pathaan at DHA on February 4, 2023 with tickets already booked.

It should be noted that SBFC allows only Board certified films for public or private viewing. “No person shall make or arrange a public or private exhibition of a film by means of cinematograph unless the film has been duly certified for public exhibition by the Board,” the SBFC said.

SBFC Chairman Khalid Bin Shaheen said that Section 4(10) of the Sindh Motion Pictures Act 2011 regulated the public or private exhibition of a film, and no one could exhibit a film without the approval of the Board. Therefore, it is appropriate that the screening should be canceled immediately.

In light of the provision mentioned, and citing other laws and punishments including imprisonment for up to three years and fines of as high as PKR 100,000, the board demanded Firework Events, which is responsible for the screenings of Pathaan, cancel its shows immediately. As a result of the warning, Fireworks Events cancelled all its private screenings of SRK's latest offering.

According to the report, the notice issued to the said company warned that if found violating the provisions of the said Act, they would be punished under Section 18(1), which states that in case of an illegal exhibition of any film not certified by the Board, the exhibitor shall be liable to imprisonment for three years or to a fine of Rs100,000 or to both. In case of continuing the offence, a further fine of Rs10,000 may be levied on a daily basis.

Pathaan 'screened' in Karachi despite ban