Pakistan’s central censor board gives green light to ‘Wazir’

Film watchdogs in Punjab, Sindh yet to decide fate of Amitabh, Farhan-starrer

KARACHI: Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s anticipated venture Wazir has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and is set to be released in the country on Friday (today).

Talking to The Express Tribune, CBFC Chairman Mubashir Hasan said, “Wazir was submitted to us a few days back and was screened for certification Wednesday evening. After careful consideration, it has been certified for public viewing with a few cuts.” Not elaborating on the nature of the excision, Hasan said the movie’s runtime and plot will not be affected.

Time for Wazir’s move

On the other hand, film watchdogs in Sindh and Punjab are yet to decide upon the fate of the movie. Earlier, the Punjab Board of Film Certification had rejected the film for screening but a full board review was scheduled for Thursday night, where a final decision was expected to be taken. No progress was made till the filing of this report.

While advance booking for the film’s premiere is already under way at cinemas in Karachi, Sindh Board of Film Certification (SBFC) has yet to give it a go-ahead. “We have viewed the film and are still discussing the possible excisions in it,” said SBFC Chairman Fakhr-e-Alam.

Wazir revolves around the camaraderie of a law-enforcement officer and a paralysed chess grandmaster. It has been directed by Bejoy Nambiar and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Aditi Rao Hydari, Neil Nitin Mukesh and John Abraham.

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With the subject of the film sounding seemingly apolitical, it does make a statement on the heated Kashmir issue. In the past, films concerning the Indo-Pak conflict have not been welcomed with open arms in the country. Vishal Bhardwaj’s critically-acclaimed Haider was earlier banned in Pakistan, with the CBFC citing it as a film “against the ideology of Pakistan.”

Here's the trailer:



Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.

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