Sarmad Khoosat considers not releasing ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ amidst threats

Following an appeal to the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff to help facilitate the release of his film, award-winning filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat has now penned a letter to his “beloved Pakistan and Pakistanis.”

In his letter, Sarmad shared that he is getting dozens of threatening phone calls forcing him to reconsider the release of his film. Zindagi Tamasha was scheduled to release on January 24.

“I did not make Zindagi Tamasha to hurt, offend or malign anyone. It’s a story about a ‘good enough Muslim,” wrote the filmmaker in his letter.

“There was/is no mention of a sect, party or faction of any sort. Neither in the uncensored nor the censored version.”

“As an artist, the last thing I’d ever want to achieve through my artistic expression is anarchy or hatred. No! That’s not what an artist does. Or at least I don’t,” he asserted.

Read more – Sarmad Khoosat appeals to PM, President to facilitate his film’s release

Sarmad said that he doesn’t want any trouble over his film especially since it has been cleared by the censor boards.

“I don’t want anyone to have the pleasure of banning my film because legally, officially and morally, no one can…As a good, responsible citizen, I do not want my cities’ roads being blocked, people’s businesses and everyday routines disrupted or any other form of unnecessary trouble and chaos in the name of ‘just a film’.”

Sarmad concluded the four page note saying that he has left the matter to his Allah.

Sarmad also shared one of the threatening notes he has received.

Following Sarmad’s letter, celebrities and politicians took to social media to extend their support to the director.

Time and again we are made to realise our power and our influence. A film ( that people haven’t seen) can make some this scared.
Mushkil ko bata ke tera Allah kitna bara hai @KhoosatSarmad https://t.co/AGVeTl8Dfh

— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) January 19, 2020

Terribly sad, threatening calls are made to withdraw 'Zindagi Tamasha', despite the film cleared multiple times by censor boards. Shows there are dejure and de-facto govts. De-facto is driving the vehicle from the rear seat. Sooner or later such a vehicle fated to meet accident. https://t.co/qZJxCbwHKb

— Farhatullah Babar (@FarhatullahB) January 19, 2020

Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha starres Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Qureshi in the lead. The film is centred around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society when a secret of Khawaja’s is leaked.

The official synopsis states: “The film is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on little gods on this earth who police our private passions.”

The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival held in October 2019 where it also won the prestigious Kim Ji Seok Award.