Joyland’s rather controversial themes of trans love and a letter from a senator could wind up working against its release in Pakistan.
Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed tweeted a letter from the Ministry of Information and Broadcast on Saturday labelling the previously certified movie as “uncertified.”
The letter that Ahmed posted poses two crucial problems. To start, it mentions complaints that were made following the “release of the film,” even though that date is really November 18 in Pakistan. It is unclear who, outside the censor boards, saw the movie and made the complaints.
Second, following the 18th Amendment, the CBFC’s jurisdiction has been restricted to the ICT (Islamabad Capital Territory), all countrywide cantonments, and the provinces that haven’t yet established their own boards, namely KP and Balochistan.
It is also important to note that all censor boards certified the movie for release, with only minor objections and adjustments recommended for public viewing.
If the letter’s recommendations are implemented, it will signify that the federal government has taken precedence over the recommendations of the provincial censor boards.