Censor Board refuse to issue ‘no objection’ certificate for film.
By Sreekanth A Nair
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani will not be released in Pakistan as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of Pakistan refused to issue a no-objection certificate for the film, terming it anti-Muslim.
The film portrays the life of Maratha leader Peshwa Bajirao and his love towards his second wife Mastani, who was part Hindu and part Muslim.
Mobasher Hasan, chairman of CBFC told The Express Tribune: “Firstly, the film is in Hindi and our ordinance does not allow Hindi films to be screened. Secondly, it is a historical drama that is indirectly against Islam and Muslims.”
The film starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra will be released in India on December 18.
Earlier, it was suspected that the film would be banned in Pakistan because of some intimate scenes and dialogues. But Mobasher ruled out those contentious point and clarified that it is because of the anti-Muslim character that the film cannot be allowed to release in Pakistan.
According to reports, two regional censor boards in Pakistan, Sindh Board of Film Certification (SBFC) in Karachi, and the Punjab Censor Board in Lahore, have given permission to release the film. It’s not known if the CBFC decision will prevail over theirs to screen the film.