📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Muhammad Ashar
Entertainment
Pakistan bans Indian patriotic film copy, sparks nationwide outrage
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 05:18 AM
👁 35
Pakistan’s film censorship board has prohibited a movie that mirrors a popular Indian patriotic film, triggering widespread protests across the country.
The Pakistan Central Board of Film Censors announced a ban on a new release that it said is a near‑identical copy of a well‑known Indian patriotic movie. The board cited concerns over cultural sensitivity and alleged infringement of intellectual property rights.
The decision sparked immediate backlash on social media, with thousands of users condemning the move as an act of censorship. Street protests erupted in major cities, where demonstrators demanded the film be allowed to screen, arguing that artistic expression should not be curtailed.
Indian film industry representatives also voiced disappointment, noting that the ban could further strain cultural ties between the neighboring nations. They called for dialogue rather than punitive action, emphasizing the shared cinematic heritage of the subcontinent.
Pakistani officials reiterated that the ban was procedural, pending a detailed review, but pledged to consider public sentiment in any subsequent decision.
The decision sparked immediate backlash on social media, with thousands of users condemning the move as an act of censorship. Street protests erupted in major cities, where demonstrators demanded the film be allowed to screen, arguing that artistic expression should not be curtailed.
Indian film industry representatives also voiced disappointment, noting that the ban could further strain cultural ties between the neighboring nations. They called for dialogue rather than punitive action, emphasizing the shared cinematic heritage of the subcontinent.
Pakistani officials reiterated that the ban was procedural, pending a detailed review, but pledged to consider public sentiment in any subsequent decision.