Sarmad Khoosat’s ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ was all set to be released in cinemas across Pakistan on March 18th, after an ongoing censorship battle since its original release date in January 2020.
However, as confirmed by Khoosat himself, the Arif Hassan and Eman Suleman starrer will no longer be releasing in the anticipated Friday slot. A new release date is yet to be announced, much to the dismay of a thoroughly enticed Pakistani audience that was all geared up to show the film its due share of love.
The Narrative
With a narrative revolving around Rahat, a beloved, devout Muslim who is a naat Khawan, the film zeroes in on the protagonist losing the support of his community after a video featuring him goes viral, causing shame to befall upon him and his family.
Past Turbulence
The fact that the cast and crew of Zindagi Tamasha have already experienced exhausting turbulence with regards to the release of the film is public knowledge. Despite the Senate Committee for Human Rights approving the screening of the film, its 2020 release became a looming question mark after Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) took offense with the content of the film, calling for protests against its release.
International Recognition
Even though the release of Zindagi Tamasha has been a constant struggle, the film has already received international acclaim, having been the first Pakistani film to win the sought-after Kim Ji-Seok Award at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea – an undoubtedly impressing accolade.
Furthermore, it won the Snow Leopard Award for Best Film at the 6th Asian World Film Festival in 2021, and was the official entry by Pakistan in the International Feature Film Award category for the 2020 Academy Awards – all milestones that have doubled as feathers in the collective caps of all those involved in the production of the film, as well as that of the nation.
Having generated a fair amount of anticipation, audiences look forward to enjoying this unique tale, once its release date is locked down with the utmost certainty.
