The Punjab Film Censor Board is receiving a lot of criticism from the public and social circles for allowing the Indian Punjabi film ‘Jee Ve Sohneya Jee‘, which is deemed anti-Pakistan and Islam, to be screened in Punjab. This is even though the Federal Film Censor Board of Pakistan and the Sindh Censors Board has refused permission for the movie to be exhibited.
It is important to note that despite the ban on Indian films in Pakistani cinemas over the past few years, Indian Punjabi films are being released. Unfortunately, there is no clear government policy in this regard. As a result, some Punjabi films are released, which promote ideologies that are against the basis of Pakistan.
Today, an Indian Punjabi film was screened in cinemas across Punjab, despite being banned by the SBFC and CBFC for promoting hatred towards Islam and Pakistan. However, the Punjab Censor Board failed to see anything wrong with the film and allowed it to be screened without any cuts or edits.
The Indian Punjabi film ‘Jee Ve Sohneya Jee‘ was released worldwide on February 16, including in Pakistan. Pakistani actor Imran Abbas played the lead role of Ali Parveez, a Muslim character from Faridkot, Punjab. The film’s plot follows Ali, a terrorist wanted by British police, who falls in love with Meher, a woman from Indian Punjab, and hides his identity as a Muslim and Pakistani from her.
The film attempts to highlight the impact of the partition of India and Pakistan on Punjabis and advocates for the ending of border allocation between the two countries, at least for Punjab’s sake. Some dialogues and scenes in the film have been deemed objectionable, leading to a ban on its screening in Pakistan and voluntary refusal by many cinema houses in Punjab to show the film.
The Punjab Film Censor Board has faced criticism for its past performance, including the banning of Pakistani films such as Javed Iqbal, Zindagi Tamasha, and Joy Land. The board has approved the screening of ‘Jee Ve Sohneya Jee,’ a film that openly propagates hostility towards Pakistan and Islam, raising questions about the board’s decision-making. The film’s trailer provides a glimpse into the film’s nuances for those who have not seen it.