The film Joyland, which was made on the subject of homosexuality, which was banned by the provincial censor board in Punjab, has broken the box office as soon as it was released in Sindh. Joyland film gave housefull in the two big cities of Sindh, Karachi and Hyderabad.
But due to the ban in Punjab, people are deprived of watching this movie. The opening shows in Karachi’s biggest multiplex cinema were house full and the cinema goers loved it immensely.
Critics say that Sindh’s censor board can clear this film for exhibition, so what is the problem with Punjab’s censor board.
It should be remembered that the people of Punjab are deprived of watching the film in cinemas. Because the film was stopped at the last moment by the Provincial Information and Culture Department.
The reason for which was the objections raised by religious circles. Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami also objected to the Joyland. By saying that it will promote the trend of homosexuality.
This ban was not less than a setback for the people associated with this film. Because a day ago, the special committee established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had allowed the screening of the film after taking out a few scenes after a full board review.
With this decision, there was a wave of happiness among those who wanted to watch the film and the civil society was also considering it as their success.
Interestingly, in August this year, the Punjab censor board declared Joyland as a subject for general exhibition.
While the Sindh censor board had given him an A certificate. Which meant that the film is for adults only, but the notification issued by the Punjab government to the film’s assistant producer Sarmad Sultan Khoosat was very unexpected.
On the other hand, Culture Minister Punjab Malik Taimur Masood says that we are going to review Joyland again. Obviously, we want to make sure that there is nothing in it that will have a negative impact on our society.
According to Rashid Khawaja, the people who saw the film did not see anything wrong in it. This is the reason why the three censor boards initially passed it without cutting it.
Critics say that there is a Tehreek-e-Insaf government in Punjab and also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. But Joyland did not get release permission in Punjab. While the film has been released in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Former film producer and censor board member Rashid Khawaja believes that there may be political motives behind this. He said that since the federal government allowed the film, perhaps the Punjab government stopped it. It can also be related to political points scoring.