Producer and director Javed Ahmed”s film ‘Javed Iqbal’ which was not allowed to be shown in cinemas by the Censor Board in Pakistan, is now screened in London as the inaugural film of the International Film Festival. The film has also been announced in other UK cities.
The UK Asian Film Festival 2022, which runs from May 4 to May 15, is held annually in the UK. Javed Iqbal – TheUntold Story of a Serial Killer was chosen as the opening film of this year’s Film Festival. The film premiered at the British Film Institute’s South Bank in London. The star cast of the film Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar has been specially invited to the UK on this occasion. He shared his experiences regarding filming, the Karachi premiere, and the later the ban on film screening.
Actor Yasir Hussain, who played the lead role in the film, said that those who banned the screening of the film did not say what was the real reason for the ban and what was shown in the film which is questionable. Responding to a question, Ayesha Omar said that movies were being made in Pakistan under the names of thugs and bullies and are still being made today. When a film is made on a social issue, there are obstacles in its way. In this age of social media where everything is available on YouTube and what is not shown on news channels but there is no danger to society from all of them, They are afraid of a dead person, We have tried to send a message of awakening to the society by showing its horrible deeds.
The film will be screened on May 7 at Phoenix Cinema, Leicester. Javed Iqbal’s special show on May 8 at London’s Harrow Arts Center. The film will be screened on May 11 at the Glasgow Film Theater, Glasgow, on May 14 at the Belgrade Theater, Coventry, and on the same day at the Arc Stockton Arts Center, Stockton on Tees.
Movie Javed Iqbal – The Untold Story of a Serial Killer tells the untold story of Lahore’s notorious serial killer Javed Iqbal, who confessed to police and media that he had Kidnapping, raped, and murdered more than 100 boys in Lahore between 1998 and 1999. He was arrested and sentenced to death, but he allegedly committed suicide in prison two years after his sentence.
Commenting on the film, Dr. Pashpinder Chaudhry, founder, and director of the UK Asian Film Festival said “It has been a common practice in South Asian societies to push such issues under the rug, but turning a blind eye to reality is not the answer. We need to focus on solving problems. Such films give a sense of responsibility to society۔
This year’s UK Asian Film Festival will conclude with the world premiere of the Bhutanese film Gangnam Girls. All films from the festival will be screened across the UK, including in Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Warwick, Bradford, Stockton, and Glasgow.