Ban on ‘Maalik’ is violating freedom of expression: Azeem

Director says the decision on film’s fate is going to define future of Pakistani cinema

A few days after Maalik was blocked from exhibition in Sindh, then cleared before being banned across the country (again) the director of the movie, Ashir Azeem, has finally spoken about the longstanding controversy. Azeem along with some of the cast members spoke at a press conference held at Karachi Press Club on Sunday evening.

Terming himself an ‘average Joe’ when it comes to film-making, Azeem clarified that he did not seek to court any unnecessary attention by getting embroiled in controversy. The only reason why he intervened in this whole issue was because it had become a matter of basic constitutional rights — freedom of expression. “If I wanted attention, I would never have disappeared 22 years ago after Dhuaan. My problem is basically with the principle,” Azeem said.

According to him, the issue was not just restricted to the ban on the film. “The real issue is how the voice of a common man is being suppressed by the ban on the film.”





With Maalik being given an Unrestricted (U) rating by the country’s three censor boards and having fulfilled all legal requirements, the decision to impose a ban on the movie became even more unjustified, according to the film-maker. “This is setting a dangerous precedent for future film-makers,” he said.

Taking a dig at the country’s political brass, Azeem stated, “Just because the movie is hurting the egos of some of our baday sahabs, it doesn’t give them the right to block the exhibition of the film. That is not right.” Noting how Pakistani society had become divided in to two segments comprising ordinary citizens and high-profile politicians, he accused the latter of believing themselves above the system. “Unfortunately these people have started considering themselves as above us, the law and the system. For how long will we tolerate this?” he asked.



Azeem, who has already filed a petition against the ban on Maalik in the Sindh High Court, said the coming few days could be vital for the future of Pakistan’s film industry. “We will accept the decision of the court even if it does not go in our favour but the authorities also need to bear in mind that upholding the ban on Maalik would set a wrong precedent for the new wave of [Pakistani] films.”

Despite the backlash Maalik has received from authorities in Pakistan, Azeem told The Express Tribune that the movie’s international release is still on the cards. “I am still new to this field of film-making but once this issue is resolved, I will meet distributors regarding the international release of Maalik,” he explained.

Released on April 8, Maalik features an ensemble cast including Ashir Azeem, Hassan Niazi, Adnan Shah Tipu, Ehtesham Qureshi and Farhan Ally Agha. The movie follows the story of an SSG commando who retires from the armed forces after a personal tragedy and sets up his own security agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2016.

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