Following ‘Maalik’ ban, Ashir Azeem takes a break

Actor-director says he does not want more trouble with authorities

KARACHI: In the aftermath of the ban on his debut feature film Maalik, director Ashir Azeem is left with no option but to call it quits, for now. With the matter still sub judice and the government not budging from its stance, it seems Azeem has now begun to reevaluate the much-anticipated return he made to the entertainment industry, almost two decades after making Dhuwan.

Talking to The Express Tribune, he said he has absolutely no projects in the pipeline and it seems unlike the protagonist of his film, the real-life Azeem has given up. “I am going on a break. I don’t want more trouble with the authorities. I need some personal time to think things through and plan for the future,” he said.

Maalik lasted on the box office for not more than three weeks, running into trouble first with Sindh censors and finally the Central Board of Film Censors. There were those in government ranks who simply did not appreciate the representation of different ethnicities and politicians as a group in the film.



One can say that the controversy and the subsequent ban gave the film and Azeem more publicity and even sparked the interest of those who never knew a film called Maalik existed. Azeem disagreed with the notion. “It is like saying if there is a scandal, and I call and say ‘Hey, that gave you some publicity!’ No, it’s wrong. It hurt the film more than ever.” With so many other means of achieving publicity available, he would never opt for such options. “If I wanted more publicity, I would not go for such cheap stunts. I mean, why would I wait 20 years after Dhuwan to make a film and then employ such publicity tactics?”



Maalik depicted the prevailing corruption and lawlessness in the country and showcased the police as corrupt and incapable. It starred Azeem is a lead role alongside actors Sajid Hasan, Farhan Ally Agha, Tatmain Ul Qulb, Hassan Niazi and Adnan Shah Tipu.

International release

While Azeem had earlier denied plans of releasing the film at theatres outside Pakistan, recently his team initiated a promotion campaign on Facebook that says Maalik will soon be out in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the Middle East.

“At first there were no plans [for international release] but since the judgment is reserved for our court case, we are going ahead with the international release,” he said, adding, “The dates are not confirmed yet. We will soon confirm them.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2016.

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