Mahesh Bhatt's 'Awarapan' gets green signal by Pakistan's Censor Board

The green signal of Pakistan Federal Film Censor Board for Mahesh Bhatt's 'Awarapan' has created a history in Pakistan. The movie starring Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran and Mrinalini Sharma will now be released simultaneously in Pakistan and India on July 6.

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After Mughal-e-Azam, Soni Mahiwal and Akbar Khan's Taj Mahal, Awarapan is the fourth Indian movie and the first mainstream Hindi movie in four decades that will see a theatrical release in Pakistan. Indian films were officially banned in Pakistan after the 1965 war between the two countries.

Executive producer and investor of 'Awarapan' Sohail Khan said:

The film has been censored. Our main concern now is that PEMRA should ensure that cable TV operators do not air it as the pirated DVDs and VCDs have reportedly already hit the market.

The film is based on the Islamic tenets of freedom pronounced by Prophet Muhammad and has been welcomed by the Pakistan Film Exhibitors Association (PFEA).

On the release, Chairman PFEA Jehanzeb Baig said:

Co-productions release here was a step in the right direction. It will encourage the potential investors and producers and help in the revival of our film industry as artists, directors and technicians would get a chance to be part of big film projects.

Pakistan's censor board's nod has kept Lollywood debating whether co-productions or Indian films should be allowed in the country or not.

The cinema theatre owners support this move, however many Lollywood producers, directors and actors are concerned that it will hamper their local film industry.

The movie 'Awarapan is being released by Studio 18 International for which the Indian producers had earlier campaigned for official release in Pakistan.

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Source: Dailyindia