Another one bites the dust
Akshay Kumar's upcoming new film Baby likely to be banned after SBFC's suggested several edits in the movie
Akshay Kumar's upcoming new film Baby likely to be banned after SBFC's suggested several edits in the movie. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Akshay Kumar’s upcoming action-thriller Baby is likely to be banned in Pakistan after the SBFC recommended several cuts and edits within the film to ensure that it was appropriate for Pakistani audiences.
The film had already generated a lot of controversy in Pakistan prior to its release due to mentions of Ajmal Kasab within the movie. Despite this Akshay Kumar, the lead actor of the film had earlier clarified in an interview with the Hindustan Times that Baby is not an anti-Pakistani film saying, “Terrorism has no religion, and we believe that religion and country are two different things.”
Baby tells the story of an Indian security agent Ajay Rajput (Kumar) who is part of the temporary security agency, Baby. While on a mission in Turkey Ajay Rajput discovers that a terrorist organisation has planned a series of attacks on Indian soil. The security agent then along with other members of the temporary security agency, Baby is tasked with the responsibility of foiling these terrorist attacks and ensuring the safety of his homeland.
Though the likelihood of Baby not being screened in the country has only been expressed by the SBFC so far there is a possibility that other independent censor boards shall follow suit as well.
Given that Sindh is home to one of the largest cinema-going audience of the country, it is possible that distributors might choose not to screen the film in the country given the heavy editing that was recommended by the censor board which has deemed it useless for screening purposes. In the past there have been instances of a movie being selectively banned within the country but still being regions like Sindh.
One notable example is that of Ragini MMS 2 which had been banned in the province of Punjab due to its questionable content after Usman Peerzada, Deputy Chairman of the Punjab Censor Board termed the movie as “pornography”. But after several edits the film was approved by the SBFC and CBFC, respectively for screening.
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Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015.
Akshay Kumar’s upcoming action-thriller Baby is likely to be banned in Pakistan after the SBFC recommended several cuts and edits within the film to ensure that it was appropriate for Pakistani audiences.
The film had already generated a lot of controversy in Pakistan prior to its release due to mentions of Ajmal Kasab within the movie. Despite this Akshay Kumar, the lead actor of the film had earlier clarified in an interview with the Hindustan Times that Baby is not an anti-Pakistani film saying, “Terrorism has no religion, and we believe that religion and country are two different things.”
Baby tells the story of an Indian security agent Ajay Rajput (Kumar) who is part of the temporary security agency, Baby. While on a mission in Turkey Ajay Rajput discovers that a terrorist organisation has planned a series of attacks on Indian soil. The security agent then along with other members of the temporary security agency, Baby is tasked with the responsibility of foiling these terrorist attacks and ensuring the safety of his homeland.
Though the likelihood of Baby not being screened in the country has only been expressed by the SBFC so far there is a possibility that other independent censor boards shall follow suit as well.
Given that Sindh is home to one of the largest cinema-going audience of the country, it is possible that distributors might choose not to screen the film in the country given the heavy editing that was recommended by the censor board which has deemed it useless for screening purposes. In the past there have been instances of a movie being selectively banned within the country but still being regions like Sindh.
One notable example is that of Ragini MMS 2 which had been banned in the province of Punjab due to its questionable content after Usman Peerzada, Deputy Chairman of the Punjab Censor Board termed the movie as “pornography”. But after several edits the film was approved by the SBFC and CBFC, respectively for screening.
POLL
[poll id="1412"]
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015.