Why Pakistan film industry wanted Bajrangi Bhaijaan release stalled

“There were two make-or-break films for the Pakistani industry that were also slotted for an Id release: The Mahira Khan-Humayun Saeed drama Bin Roye and the Wrong No. A lot was at stake for the Pakistani film industry with these two releases. The Pakistani film industry experts felt if Bajrangi Bhaijaan was released during Id, the business for their own films would be wiped out.”

Apart from the qawwali controversy, the Pakistani Censor Board required several cuts before allowing the film to release there. A number of scenes and a few dialogues have been chopped from the final print which is being screened in Pakistan.

Among the cuts were dialogues like: “Pakistani bohot martey hain”, “Woh Pakistani is ka kya haal karengey” and “Kashmir ka chota sa hisa hamrey pass bhi hai”.

Among the scenes that didn’t make it were one where the Pakistani embassy is under attack (this is when Salman’s character goes to the embassy to request a visa for Munni so she can cross the border and be reunited with her parents). Shots of soldiers from the Pakistani Army and the concluding scene where “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” is being chanted have also been chopped from the final edit.

Not everyone was happy with the decision to pass the film despite the cut and Pakistan Censor Board chairman Fakhr-r-Alam has received threats on social media from people who feel that BB has “anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam” elements.

Alam, however, assured moviegoers that there were no such elements in the film and even asked them to highlight any anti-Pakistan content they found in the film. He also encouraged them to watch the two homegrown releases — Bin Roye and Wrong No. in addition to BB.

Responding to the agitation of Pakistani moviegoers, he took to Twitter to say, “Well NOW I am getting LIFE threats…I guess every Pakistani who is buying tickets is also a traitor then (sic)”. After receiving death threats, Alam also appealed to theatre owners in Pakistan to be on high alert and beef up their security.

BB finally opened as per schedule in Pakistan and is running to packed houses. A jubilant Amar Butala (the film’s co-producer) said, “Bajrangi Bhaijaan was released in Pakistan in over 80 screens for Id and is being loved by the audiences. It is doing incredible business in Pakistan and the overseas market in general. The box office numbers are historic and this will be Salman’s biggest overseas success to date.”

— With inputs from DC Correspondents