After facing years of delays and controversies, Sarmad Khoosat has decided to release his film “Zindagi Tamasha” on YouTube.
In an Instagram video, he announced the film’s full version will be available on August 4, free of charge, as his way of celebrating Independence Day and providing viewers with a chance to watch the film despite its ban from cinemas.
The film, Pakistan’s official entry to the Oscars in 2021, had its premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in 2019 and won the prestigious Kim Ji-Seok Award. However, it faced political backlash and was barred from release in Pakistan due to allegations of blasphemy by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Khoosat expressed frustration over the unfair treatment the film received despite following all administrative and legal processes. As an independent film without corporate sponsors, he had hoped for a cinematic release. But due to the controversies, he faced financial losses.
The filmmaker uploaded the version approved by censor boards on YouTube, urging viewers to watch it with an open mind and judge it on its own merits. He also plans to release a director’s cut on Vimeo as a video-on-demand feature.
While the film is entirely free on YouTube, he requested support for artistic independence and his production house through voluntary contributions. He hoped people would respect the film’s official channels and avoid downloading it illegally via torrents.
“Zindagi Tamasha” features an impressive cast, including Arif Hassan, Eman Suleman, Samiya Mumtaz, and Ali Kureshi. Despite the challenges it faced, the film earned international recognition, winning the Snow Leopard Award for Best Film at the 6th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF). Now, Sarmad takes the bold step of sharing it directly with the audience through online platforms.
Sarmad Khoosat s Zindagi Tamasha set to release on YouTube and Vimeo
