'Joyland' executive producer Riz Ahmed tells what prompted ban on film in Pakistan

British-Pakistani Oscar-winner Riz Ahmed, who has boarded Saim Sadiq's directorial Joyland as an executive producer, has shared his thoughts on the ban on the film in Pakistan.

Taking to his Instagram, Riz reposted Malala Yousufzai’s article she wrote in support of Joyland when it got caught up in the ban controversy. On his Instagram story, he wrote: “You know it’s an important movie when; the film gets banned and when @malala is one of your producers.”

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Although Saim Sadiq’s directorial film got approved initially by the censor board due to some pressure, but the board had to ban the nationwide release of the film later. The ban was imposed on the film because it "contained highly objectionable material".

The entire team fought hard to remove the ban on the release of the film and after sometime the review committee of the censor board lifted the ban.

Film Joyland stars Alina Khan, Ali Junejo, Sarwat Gillani, Sania Saeed and Rasti Farooqi in the lead roles. The film has also been selected as Pakistan's official entry to the 95th Academy Awards. 

A tale of the sexual revolution, Joyland tells the story of the youngest son in a patriarchal family who is expected to produce a baby boy with his wife. He, instead, joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for the troupe's director, a trans woman.

Oscar winner Riz Ahmed joins forces with Joyland as executive producer