“Zindagi tamasha” tells tale of Woe that revolves around Conservatism and Intolerance
The Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival 2021 held from November 11 to 15, 2021 (VISAFF 2021), November 13 to 21 (Online Screenings). at Various times at the Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall and Online This year Canadian Muslim Women Society brought a feature film “Zindagi Tamasha,” of Sarmad Sultan Khoosat a Pakistani director, actor, producer and screenwriter, best known for his feature films Manto and Zindagi Tamasha, the latter becoming the first Pakistani film to win the top prize at Busan Film Festival 2019. The Hon Pakistani High Commissioner HE Ameer Khurram Rathore, and Consul general of Pakistan Hon. Janbaz Khan were the specials guests. Ms. Rabia Dastgir and president CWCC Dr. Babra Rana given the opening remarks. During the film both guests were left.
Why is Zindagi Tamasha banned in Pakistan?
The film was banned in Pakistan after an extremist religious group watched the trailer and became enraged at its portrayal of the cleric in the movie.Feb. 8, 2021
Why Most Pakistanis Can’t See The Film Pakistan Is Submitting For An Oscar Nod With Oscar nominations just a day away, Pakistan is hoping its picture gets one of the slots for best foreign film. But it’s a film that most Pakistanis aren’t able to see.
The 2-hour, 15-minute long movie is called Zindagi Tamasha, or “Circus of Life.” Set in the hazy old quarter of the Pakistani city of Lahore, prostitutes, devout families, drug dealers and men hustling a living live side-by-side. It is the fictional story of a devout, middleaged real estate agent and performer, Rahat
Khwaja, whose life capsizes after a guest at a wedding films him sensually swaying to an old Pakistani song, “Zindagi Tamasha” (the film is named after the song) as he sings it for the audience.The video goes viral and Khwaja, who is respected in his crowded quarter for his singing of devotional Islamic poems, is suddenly viewed by his community as vulgar. Religious events where he once starred as an esteemed singer are now off limits – he is literally pushed out of one event by other performers who are enraged by his wedding performance. He finds his face plastered across tawdry memes on the internet. Children who once loved him for the sweets he handed out in their crowded alley call him a pig and a pimp. A cleric threatens to accuse him of blasphemy – which can be a deadly accusation in Pakistan. Worse, his beloved daughter turns against him. The film was banned in Pakistan after an extremist religious group watched the trailer and became enraged at its portrayal of the cleric in the movie. Not only does he loosely hurl accusations of blasphemy against the protagonist, the cleric is painted as a sneering, arrogant man who turns a blind eye to child sex abuse in his seminary, even as he leads the charge to shame the protagonist. And the group rallied against the director.
Note: The Miracle Media has some reservations with the contents of this film and discussed the viewers at the end of Movie in City Hall Surrey.