Why Pakistan is right in banning Phantom

[Zarvan]

ANANYA BHATTACHARYA
@ananya116

About halfway through Kabir Khan's latest film Phantom, comes a scene where Daniyal Khan (Saif Ali Khan) calls up the Pakistan High Commission in London. His demand is simple: get the High Commissioner on the line. On the other end of the line, the High Commissioner responds in a few seconds, once Daniyal tells the receptionist that he has information about the death of someone. This "someone" in discussion is Sajid Mir, the fictional counterpart of the real-life Pakistani spy by the same name, whose existence the country has denied time and again. While speaking to the High Commissioner, this random person gets to say that he wants to go to Pakistan and meet the Lashkar-e-Taiba chief, Hariz (read: Hafiz) Saeed.

Right after the scene, Daniyal is seen explaining his move to his comrade-in-arms Nawaz Mistry (Katrina Kaif). He explains that if the Pakistan government has been denying the very existence of a person for all these years, how will they now hold anyone responsible for his death?

Shahnawaz Pradhan as Hariz in Phantom.
A few weeks ago, Lashkar Amir and 26/11 Mumbai Attacks' mastermind Hafiz Saeed moved court in Pakistan seeking a ban onPhantom. His wish was granted. Pakistan did not let Phantom release in the country. Right after the verdict from the Lahore High Court, director Kabir Khan, Saif and Hussain Zaidi, whose book Mumbai Avengers the story of the film is based on, held a press conference. Here, they expressed their "shock" at Pakistan's decision to ban the film just on the basis of its trailer. But then, Pakistan had seen way too much in that two-minute clip itself.

Now, as the film is watched and debated, there's but one thing that comes to mind: exactly what is Kabir Khan's shock all about? Had he seriously thought that the Pakistan government would clear a film as out-and-out anti-Pakistan as Phantom (irrespective of what he claims)?

While making Phantom, the brains behind the film should have anticipated the ban. After all, there's nothing in Phantom that shows Pakistan in a good light. By "Pakistan", I mean the Pakistani government. Not the people. Pakistani people, at least in Kabir Khan's world, are happy to help absolute strangers and go against the state and people as powerful as Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.Phantom shows the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) repeatedly calling Saeed "Sheikh sa'ab", providing Z-grade security to him, sealing the borders shut after things go awry. And no matter how benevolent a light you show Pakistani nationals in, helping strangers who have sworn vengeance against Lashkar, there's no way on earth the state will clear the film. Because of the simple reason that it is the state - the government, the courts - which decide whether to clear a film or stay its release. Pakistan is a democracy; on paper, yes. But time and again, the rest of the world has been reminded of the (lack of) meaning of that word in the country. State machineries, contrary to what pedestal Kabir Khan might have placed the Pakistan government on, will never have a film bashing Pakistan this hard release in the country. Like the wishful tale called Phantom, the mere wish that the film could have been released in Pakistan too is just that: a wish. A wish, which will never see the light of the day.

Irrespective of the inherent goodness of the people of the two countries, India and Pakistan can never be friends. Not that it is a necessity, but maybe we should just let go of that illusion that Aman Ki Asha advocates. Even in times of peace, it is a simmering discontent between India and Pakistan. From peace talks not being paid any heed to, to the numerous ceasefire violations that we've had to deal with in the last few months, and to the ban on a film which supposedly highlights the kindness of Pakistanis, the answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind. No matter how many Bajrangi Bhaijaans want you to believe otherwise.

Why Pakistan is right in banning Phantom

@nair @GURU DUTT @OrionHunter @SarthakGanguly @Water Car Engineer

 

[zebra7]

Ban from what Cinema. Do Indian films are shown in Pakistani cinema.
What about LOC, Border movies.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Ban from what Cinema. Do Indian films are shown in Pakistani cinema.
What about LOC, Border movies.

they do and sadly a lot of Pakistanis watch it.But Film Industry and Theaters are struggling in Pakistan.

 

[Zibago]

they do and sadly a lot of Pakistanis watch it.But Film Industry and Theaters are struggling in Pakistan.

Come again?
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani makes history yet again!

Ham karein to kharish wo karein to skin infection
Zee Zindagi Served Legal Notice For Airing Pakistani Drama Dastaan | Brandsynario

 

[GR!FF!N]

Come again?
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani makes history yet again!

It was in the 1980s that Pakistan’s thriving cinema abruptly collapsed after a populist regime was replaced by General Zia-ul-Haq’s military dictatorship. Under his rule, the Pakistani mainstream film industry died a slow death. Even cinema halls started closing down, one after another.

A new censorship policy was put in place. The laws were more stringent towards the content in Urdu films, as opposed to Punjabi and Pashto films, which continued to flourish. In the few cinema houses that remained, these films—with mostly violent content—were shown for a predominantly working class audience.

“By the early 2000s, an industry that once produced an average of 80 films annually was now struggling to even churn out more than two films a year,” journalist Nadeem F. Paracha wrote in the Dawn newspaper.

“Indian films revived the cinema-going culture in Pakistan.”
In contrast, Bollywood flourished as it “managed to find a whole new audience: the Indian diaspora in the US, Europe and the Middle East,” Paracha wrote in another report.

Finally, under General Pervez Musharraf in the 2000s, the import of Indian films—which hadn’t been allowed for more than three decades—changed the course for the Pakistani film industry.

“Indian films revived the cinema-going culture in Pakistan,” Rafay Mahmood, film critic at the Express Tribune, told Quartz. Soon, the number of screens started rising steadily to showcase Indian imports—and young and independent Pakistani filmmakers were encouraged to try again.

Pakistan’s film industry is back in business—and not just because of Bollywood - Quartz

Things are changing slowly,but yet......

 

[Zibago]

It was in the 1980s that Pakistan’s thriving cinema abruptly collapsed after a populist regime was replaced by General Zia-ul-Haq’s military dictatorship. Under his rule, the Pakistani mainstream film industry died a slow death. Even cinema halls started closing down, one after another.

A new censorship policy was put in place. The laws were more stringent towards the content in Urdu films, as opposed to Punjabi and Pashto films, which continued to flourish. In the few cinema houses that remained, these films—with mostly violent content—were shown for a predominantly working class audience.

“By the early 2000s, an industry that once produced an average of 80 films annually was now struggling to even churn out more than two films a year,” journalist Nadeem F. Paracha wrote in the Dawn newspaper.

“Indian films revived the cinema-going culture in Pakistan.”
In contrast, Bollywood flourished as it “managed to find a whole new audience: the Indian diaspora in the US, Europe and the Middle East,” Paracha wrote in another report.

Finally, under General Pervez Musharraf in the 2000s, the import of Indian films—which hadn’t been allowed for more than three decades—changed the course for the Pakistani film industry.

“Indian films revived the cinema-going culture in Pakistan,” Rafay Mahmood, film critic at the Express Tribune, told Quartz. Soon, the number of screens started rising steadily to showcase Indian imports—and young and independent Pakistani filmmakers were encouraged to try again.

Pakistan’s film industry is back in business—and not just because of Bollywood - Quartz

Things are changing slowly,but yet......

100 Multiplex cinemas underconstruction,huge budgets like that of Yalghaar bhai in the next 3 to 4 years media will look back and write articles on this amzing recovery

Bollywood will always have an audience but with the revival of cinema culture our movies can take competition

 

[abp94]

Why would we even want this industry to succeed? Unlike Indians, we don't have daughters and sisters that will come naked on screen for money that we would also take pride in

 

[Zibago]

Why would we even want this industry to succeed? Unlike Indians, we don't have daughters and sisters that will come naked on screen for money that we would also take pride in

Umm .................................. leave it

 

[T90TankGuy]

Guys this movie was out a long time ago , hell the DVD copy is out , why are we still discussing this?

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

they do and sadly a lot of Pakistanis watch it.But Film Industry and Theaters are struggling in Pakistan.

LOC films and other shit like that isnt shown in Pakistan. Most Pakistanis here are into dramas, Pakistan dramas. Only bollywood films that are popular here are comedy films, but not any longer. Also Film Industry in Pakistan WAS struggling, ever since private film companies entered the scene like ARY films - Pakistani films is now very popular and are replacing what is left of the Bollywood movies.

 

[Super Falcon]

Phantom is historical failure even indian audiances rejected it big slap on kabir khan face

I suggest make few films on RAW spy who are selling terror in balouchistan and VIA AFGHANISTAN and APS attack also funded by india

 

[Zibago]

LOC films and other shit like that isnt shown in Pakistan. Most Pakistanis here are into dramas, Pakistan dramas. Only bollywood films that are popular here are comedy films, but not any longer. Also Film Industry in Pakistan WAS struggling, ever since private film companies entered the scene like ARY films - Pakistani films is now very popular and are replacing what is left of the Bollywood movies.

This movie is the highest earning Urdu movie it earned 4.4 Million $ globally our industry has already recovered

Phantom is historical failure even indian audiances rejected it big slap on kabir khan face

I suggest make few films on RAW spy who are selling terror in balouchistan and VIA AFGHANISTAN and APS attack also funded by india

WAAR was exactly that kind of film

 

[Super Falcon]

This movie is the highest earning Urdu movie it earned 4.4 Million $ globally our industry has already recovered

WAAR was exactly that kind of film

Waaar was but it was not poisnous like phantom

 

[xyxmt]

Pakistan is right in banning any movie they dont like, its their country their rules

 

[halupridol]

Pakistani movie Border
trailer ft shaan

complete muvi here