No Eid release for Tubelight in Pakistan?

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s highly anticipated film ‘Tubelight’ might not release in Pakistan for Eid as a few local filmmakers and organisations have demanded the release of the film in the country be put on hold.

The Pakistan Film Distributors Association and the Pakistan Film Producers Association, along with various local film-makers, are actively trying to stall the release of ‘Tubelight’, citing better business for the Pakistani films scheduled to release at the same time.

According to the protesters, as decided by the Federal Ministry of Information in 2010, the release of any Indian film on a Muslim holiday in Pakistan is forbidden. The filmmakers are even ready to take the matter to court, if required.

‘Yalghaar’ and ‘Shor Sharaba’ are two Pakistani films that have currently been slated for a release on the Eid 2017. "Indian films dominate our box office the whole year round. It's only fair that Eid being a Muslim festival should not be. Besides, as Pakistanis, we must support the release of local content first," said Sohail Khan, producer of ‘Shor Sharaba’. “My movie is supposed to release on Eid-ul-Fitr and if the government doesn't stall ‘Tubelight', I will not release my film as a protest," he added.

According to sources, the filmmakers will first urge the government to not give an NOC (No Objection Certificate) to ‘Tubelight’ and for this, the associations are planning to write an official letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Also, they held a meeting here wherein it was decided that the entire Pakistani film industry even its technicians and other less prominent members -- will join the planned protest to stop ‘Tubelight’ from being released on the Eid, Directed by Kabir Khan, ‘Tubelight’ also features Chinese actress Zhu Zhu.