'Screen Locked' sparks debate on digital fad

Creators warn Pakistan cannot ignore the mental health cost of screen dependence

KARACHI:

The short film 'Screen Locked' has stepped beyond the walls of traditional cinema and ignited a serious national conversation about digital dependence, as policymakers, academics and cultural figures confront the rising mental-health risks linked to screen addiction in modern life.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Khalid Hasan Khan, the production features noted actor Ali Khan alongside Atbaq Mohsin. Together they portray, with unflinching clarity, the psychological toll that modern technology and constant connectivity can impose on human behaviour, relationships and emotional balance.

The film's central philosophy stresses the urgent need for mindful digital engagement, warning that the relentless chase for online validation, likes and virtual identity has created a form of digital narcissism now reshaping society, particularly among younger and more connected populations.

'Screen Locked' argues that true freedom in the 21st century lies not in constant attachment to devices, but in the ability to deliberately disconnect and reconnect with real-world relationships, lived experience and inner awareness, restoring a healthy distance from technology.

In an unprecedented move in the country's administrative training history, the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) in Karachi hosted a special screening aimed at sensitising policymakers to the growing mental-health pressures emerging from excessive screen use and digital compulsion.

Speaking at the session, Dr Syed Saifur Rehman described the film as a timely intervention on "a very important and sensitive issue", saying it offered "a great lesson about maintaining balance in life" at a moment of rapid technological acceleration.

The screening went beyond a routine viewing. Through structured feedback, open discussion and a question-and-answer segment, the film's themes were directly linked to mental health, civil-service decision-making and the quality of public service in an always-connected environment.

By late 2025, the film had reached other intellectual circles. In Islamabad it was shown at The Black Hole, where physicist and author Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy moderated a focused discussion examining the neurological and scientific effects of continuous digital stimulation.

Lahore followed, with 'Screen Locked' featured prominently at the School of Tomorrow Events 2025 at Awa Garden Marquee in late November. A wide-ranging exchange between the director, actors, teachers and intellectuals stressed that tackling screen addiction is a collective social duty.

Through these diverse and influential screenings, 'Screen Locked' has emerged as more than a film.

It has positioned itself as a catalyst for social reflection, urging both individuals and institutions to prioritise digital wellbeing, mental balance and authentic human connection at the centre of public life.