Pak court bans Bollywood movie ''Phantom''

Lahore, August 20

The Lahore High Court banned the release of Bollywood movie ‘Phantom’ in the country after Hafiz Saeed, the suspected mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, claimed the movie “painted” him as a terrorist.

Saeed argued that the movie, based on Hussain Zaidi's novel ‘Mumbai Avengers’, set in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, denounced him and his organisation, Jamat-ud-Dawa, for the strike.

"There is a direct threat to the life of the petitioner (Saeed) and his associates emanating from the content of the trailer of the film. It is obvious that dialogues coming out of the lips of the different Indian actors and actresses will poison the minds of Pakistani public and will portray Hafiz Saeed as terrorist even though JuD has not been declared as a proscribed organisation,” Saeed’s petition filed on August 8 claimed.

‘Phantom’ has Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif in lead roles and was scheduled for release on August 28.

However, the court wondered how the Pakistan government would stop the film from being available in the country despite the ban.

"If a movie is banned in cinemas, what the government could do to stop it from being available in the market in CDs", the judge asked.

The Pakistan censor board has yet to clear the movie for screening. Since the government allowed exhibition of Indian movies in Pakistan, the Censor Board has ensured Indian films dealing with the subject of Pakistan, terrorism and ISI are not screened. Movies such as Saif Ali Khan's 'Agent Vinod' and Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger' also faced similar action, although the movies are still available on CDs and DVDs in Pakistan. — PTI