Director Asim Abbasi sent a clear message to the critics of his web series ‘Barzakh’. Asim Abbasi shared a picture of the show on his Instagram story, where a person replied saying, “Please don’t add more to the fire by saying he ‘chose’ Saifu. They’re asking to boycott the show, and you’re giving them more reasons to so it. Glorifying these characters in the name of art is distasteful. It was wrong churails, its wrong here.”
On which Asim Abbasi, who is also the writer of Barzakh, replied, “With all due respect, if you find queer non-heteronormative storylines distasteful please do not watch my content.” Fawad Khan is playing the characters Saifullah and Lorenzo. The statement comes in response to a scene in episode 3 featuring an almost kissing moment between two male characters.
Asim Abbasi tagged the producers of web series with the caption on his story, “Shailja Kejriwal Waqas Ali and I will always champion rights of all, and tell stories that we believe in.”
The main plot of Barzakh is to explore the mysteries of life, the afterlife, and the enduring power of love. Set in the beautiful Hunza Valley, the story follows a 76-year-old recluse who invites his estranged children and grandchildren to his remote valley resort for a special event his wedding to the ghost of his first true love.
While activists and civilians flood the streets across the world protesting for Palestine, social media is actively reflecting the changing tides. Currently, the hashtag #FreePalestine has over 2 billion views on TikTok, while in contrast the hashtag #standwithIsrael has over 162.8 million views.
In a statement posted on Monday, the social media platform responded to US Representative (R) Mike Gallagher’s allegations that TikTok was “controlled by America’s s foremost adversary, one that does not share our interests or our values: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)”, calling for America to ban the app.
TikTok said the overwhelming support teens have for Palestine is dominating the app’s algorithm.
“Support for Israel (as compared to sympathy for Palestine) has been lower among younger Americans for some time. This is evidenced by looking at Gallup polling data of millennials dating as far back as 2010, long before TikTok even existed. A March 2023 Gallup poll, before the war, shows young adults have rapidly shifting attitudes towards the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. While an Echelon poll from October 26, 2023 shows that US TikTok users under 40 are more likely to support Israel (33% vs 28% for Palestine), and the proportions broadly reflect the split in the general under 40 population (32% for Israel, 23% for Palestine).”
Other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram show more audiences engage with the pro-Palestinian content than with Israel’s. Instagram shows that the hashtag #FreePalestine has over 6 million views, while in comparison #IstandwithIsrael has gained only 233,000 views.
Instagram was being taken to task by users for censoring and shadow banning prominent pro-Palestinian voices who were reporting on the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Freelance journalist Plestia Alaqad reported her Instagram account was hacked.
Gazan journalist Plestia’s IG account has been hacked. Do NOT send any money or engage with that account until we get an update!
Furthermore, journalist Ahmed reported he was locked out of his Instagram account and was warned it would be shut down for violating the company’s guideline.
Urgent
I got a message saying I may lose my @Instagram account.
For now the update is that I’m back on.
Backstory:
They say it’s a bug they can’t figure out.
They claim a video of me showing Israeli soldiers abusing Palestinian detainees goes against their guidelines.… pic.twitter.com/nZHvxMBX0q
When one thinks of Pakistani dramas, we all know what comes to our minds: weddings, divorce, the cheap version of 50 Shades of Grey, more weddings etc. But to distract ourselves from the current mundane pile of breakups, crying and abuse, we can’t forget that kabhi kabar you can find a gem, a refined drama that accurately reflects the stories we want Pakistani drama creators to tell. It’s not often that dramas with original, well crafted stories are brought into the spotlight as they get targeted with endless criticism from right wing critics and are even sent notices for displaying ‘vulgar’ content and soon are forgotten as the next show steps into the spotlight. We have found some dramas that were helmed by prominent women like Bee Gul and Angelina Malick, which shone light on taboos.
1 Kitnay Girhain Baki Hain (2011-2017)
Produced by Angelina Malick and written by Bee Gul, this series was an anthology of short stories that reflected the struggles of women in our society, and explored topics like homosexuality, infidelity, rape etc
2 Cheekh (2019)
When Mannat (played by Saba Qamar) finds out that her closest friend Nayab was raped by her brother-in-law and then murdered for trying to reveal the truth, she strives hard to find justice for her friend in court and in the process, has to face hurdles from her in-laws.
3 Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi (2021)
Penned by Amna Mufti and produced by Kashf Foundation, the show received several notices from PEMRA for ‘vulgarity’, so that’s even more reason to give it a watch. It delves into the lives of child sex workers, who are kidnapped from their homes and forced to work in prostitution in order to make a living.
4 Dastaan (2010)
Adapted from the novel ‘Bano’ by Rabia Butt, the show explores the trauma caused by Independence, and how it upturned the life of one woman, Bano. Bano and her family lived in India, where her brother supports the cause of the Indian National Congress, and is against the cause of setting up Pakistan. However, when the separation of the two countries was announced in 1947, Bano’s life was completely overturned overnight.
5 Neeli Zinda Hai (2021)
Aman and Sumbul are a married couple who have had stillbirth, and are now trying to restart their lives in a new home. When they shift with their daughter to a new house, the couple keeps hearing noises at night which convinces them that the house is haunted.
6 Manto (2017)
Directed by and starring Sarmad Khoosat, the series was previously released as a film in 2015, and then as a television drama in 2017. The drama revolves around the popular Urdu writer Saadat Hassan Manto, and the last seven years of his life when he had to face charges of obscenity for his short stories like ‘Thanda Gosht’, ‘Peshawar say Lahore’ and ‘Toba Tek Singh’.
7 Talkhiyaan (2012)
Written by Bee Gul, the drama is an adaptation of Arundhati Roy’s acclaimed novel ‘The God of Small Things.’ It revolves around the life of Bibi, who leaves her abusive husband and moves back to her parents home with her two children, Zoya and Jugnu, where her parents criticize her for taking such a stand, but refuse to treat her divorced brother the same way.
Netflix has started censoring meat for its Indian audiences. Netflix users took to social media to highlight how meat is being censored in Vikings on Netflix India.
Netflix India has censored meat (among quite a few other things) from Vikings. Same scene from India and Italy. pic.twitter.com/NXCE9Kzmh4
People started debating on the issue on Twitter. Some people even turned this into a Hindu-Muslim debate.
Not at all. They’ll glorify in your face scenes about beef eating (incredibly unappetizing to the 80% Hindus in India). The fact that they’ve censored pork is not only insane, but plays on a deep divide by both imposing never before seen censoring and catering to Muslim community
Netflix India did issue a formal explanation when the debate heated up. Netflix is just trying to be respectful towards the Hindu religious sentiments of not eating meat.
However, it is unclear that this censorship was voluntary or demanded by the Indian government. This wouldn’t be the first time India went heavy-handed with censorships demands.
Previously there have been demands for the streaming platform’s original series Sacred Games and Leila to be censored for hurting political sentiments.
Leila on @Netflix is a Hindu Hate series, using Hindu sacred terminology and symbolism to create dystopian propaganda. Would India have allowed such a series attacking Islam?
India censor board blocks much more benign stuff, yet this is allowed? No FIRs for “outraging feelings”?
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha will be critically reviewed by the Council of Islamic Ideology on the request of the Central Board of Film Censors. The film’s producer was also directed to postpone the release of his film for the time being.
مرکزی فلم سنسر بورڈ نے فلم “زندگی تماشہ” کا تنقیدی جائزہ لینے کے لئے فوری طور پر اسلامی نظریاتی کونسل سے رجوع کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ پروڈیوسر کو فلم کی ریلیز مؤخر کرنے کی ہدایت بھی جاری کر دی گئی۔
Awan’s announcement came hours after censor boards in Punjab and Sindh stopped the film’s release.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Government of Punjab through its Information and Culture Department barred filmmaker Sarmad from releasing Zindagi Tamasha “in wake of persistent complaints received from different quarters”. Following this, the Sindh Government also placed a ban on the film as it may create unrest within the religious segment of the society and disrupt peace.
According to a notification issued by the provincial government, the film will be re-examined and the film’s makers have been directed to arrange a show in this regard “in any cinema house” on February 3 at 3pm, so it may be reviewed. The film’s team has also been told to ensure the presence of a representative “for personal hearing, if required by the committee”.
Meanwhile, the director has also been instructed not to release the film “till final decision of the committee”.
Notification by the Punjab Government
Notification by the Sindh Government
It is pertinent to mention here that the censor boards of Punjab and Sindh had earlier cleared the film.
It is also being reported that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will once again hold a board members meeting to review the film in which a representative of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and a representative of the ministry will also participate.
“Film will only be cleared if the members of the religious party and government officials approve of the content,” said the report.
Following the temporary ban on the film, the TLP has cancelled its protest against the film that was scheduled to be held Wednesday.
Many people are criticising the government decision especially considering that earlier this month, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar had announced the formation of a task force on Art and Culture, in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to the notification, the initiative was taken to promote and revive performing arts, culture, heritage and the film industry. Shaan, Resham, Ali Zafar, Yousaf Salahuddin and Vasay Chaudhry are among the members of the task force.
Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha starres Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Qureshi in the lead. The film is centred around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society when a secret of Khawaja’s is leaked.
The official synopsis states: “The film is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on little gods on this earth who police our private passions.”
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival held in October 2019 where it also won the prestigious Kim Ji Seok Award.
Petition filed against TLP for hindering the release of Zindagi Tamasha
A few hours before the Punjab Government’s notification, a Lahore Civil Court heard the petition filed by Sarmad’s father Irfan Ali Khoosat against the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) for “trying to interfere into the smooth running, public screening/releasing” of Zindagi Tamasha. Judge Ziaur Rehman heard the petition and issued notices to all respondents to appear before the court on Wednesday to present their arguments.
According to reports, Irfan who serves as the director of Khoosat Films Private Limited, appealed to the court to “[restrain] the defendant permanently from interfering into the peaceful releasing/public screening of above-named film on big screen/cinema in all over Pakistan illegally, unlawfully”.
Sindh Film Censor Board, Punjab Film Censor Board and Markazi Film Censor Board were also named as though it was clarified that the censor boards were “mere [proforma] defendants and the plaintiff has not claim (sic) any relief against them”.
Irfan had also filed for interim injunction from the court under Rules 1 (cases in which temporary injunction may be granted) and 2 (injunction to restrain repetition or continuance of breach) of Order 39 read with Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Last week, the filmmaker had appealed to the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff to facilitate his film’s release explaining that he was receiving threats. Sarmad shared that there were attempts to stop his film from releasing despite it being cleared by the central censor board
In his letter, Sarmad clarified that “As a law-abiding citizen and with full conviction that there is nothing offensive or malicious in the film, in response I submitted the film for another review to the censor board. It was cleared once again with a few cuts to appease the complainants.”
Following that he penned another letter, this time addressed to “my beloved Pakistan and Pakistanis” detailing that he is getting dozens of threatening phone calls forcing him to reconsider the release of his film.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair was muted on-air by a private media outlet when he took property tycoon Malik Riaz’s name in relation with the £190 million settlement of United Kingdom’s (UK) National Crime Agency.
Discussing the issue, Zubair highlighted how the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was hesitating when it came to naming the Bahria Town founder publicly. He then went on to take Malik Riaz’s name twice, but it was censored by the TV channel both times.
WATCH VIDEO:
A news channel shamelessly mutes Malik Riaz’s name whenever the guest on the talk show, Muhammad Zubair, mentions it… pic.twitter.com/7Q2MjRdqIF
Media has largely been ignoring the news of Riaz’s settlement with the National Crime Agency, with majority of the English daily newspapers refraining from posting the news on their front page. While some are avoiding mentioning Riaz’s name, others are not reporting the settlement at all.
Government officials, including the premier’s aide on information and broadcasting, have also been spotted avoiding mentioning the name of the Bahria Town founder.
A reporter asked Firdous Awan yesterday to name the man who has to cough up £190m. Her reply:
Sharing the details of the settlement with the media, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday avoided mentioning Riaz’s name when asked about the family in question. “The report contains the name of the family that made the settlement,” she said.
