After years and years of delay and no hope for the film to be released on the big screen, producer/director Sarmad Khoosat has taken the fate of Zindagi Tamasha in his own hands and decided to release the film for free, online, on YouTube. According to a frustrated Sarmad, who couldn’t get a clearance for release of the film, he has decided to set it free. Zindagi Tamasha will now be uploaded on YouTube on the 4th of August.
Who would say no to the release of a film that has garnered appreciation all over the world?
Pakistan.
Why?
Religious controversies that plague the fate of most of the films in the country, ate up the very chance that Zindagi Tamasha had for live screenings in Pakistan. The movie won a number of international accolades and was a highly anticipated movie in Pakistan. However, it just couldn’t get a clearance for release.
Why was Zindagi Tamasha delayed in the first place?
Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha revolved around the story of Rahat, a loving, devout Muslim and a naat Khawan who lost all support and love from his people when a video featuring him went viral, causing shame and misfortune to befall him and his family. Because the story revolved around a devout Muslim and his fall from grace, Zindagi Tamasha met a lot of backlash, thus delaying the film’s release.
Zindagi Tamasha’s initial release in 2020 was delayed after Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) took offense with the content of the film and actively called for a ban against its release. Khoosat even wrote a letter to the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and filed a petition against TLP in the High Court but to no avail. The film didn’t receive a clearance and Khoosat had to cancel the release after numerous threats.
Following this, the film was then cleared for release by the Senate Committee for Human Rights stating that Zindagi Tamasha could run in cinemas when they would open post COVID, however the fate remained undecided even after that. The film, then slated 18th March 2022 as its release date but couldn’t see the light of the day in Pakistan.
International Recognition
After its initial screening at the Busan Internation Film Festival in 2019, Zindagi Tamasha won the prestigious award titled Kim Ji-Seok Award. Following the first achievement the Sarmad Khoosat directorial again received an award at the 6th Asian World Film Festival in the category of Snow Leopard Award for Best Film at the 6th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) in 2021. Receiving one international award after another, Zindagi Tamasha become one highly awaited film especially for the film fanatics in the country who craved a good watch on the big screen and yet the film couldn’t be released.
Perhaps the decision of releasing Zindagi Tamasha online is a difficult one for Khoosat, not to say a financial murder, but perhaps as a true film fanatic, Sarmad Khoosat has finally swallowed the bitter truth and decided for the better.
