“Pakistan Banning Pad Man Is Really Disturbing” Says Balki

The Pakistan censor board  , in all its wisdom, has banned R balki’s menstrual epic  PadMan from being released in Pakistan.

They accuse the film of “ruining Islamic traditions, history and culture,” and that  too without seeing the  film.

Deeply disturbed and angered Balki who is currently in scenic Maheshwari the city inMadhya Pradesh  where PadMan was shot,says  it is shame that a film that endeavours to eradicate the  stigma towards  menstrual  hygiene is being seen in this  negative lighy.

 Says Balki sadly,“I am very disturbed by this prejudiced  pre-judgement. I believe the Pakistan  censor board didn’t even  bother to see the film.They refused to have anything to do with it arguing that such films threaten Islamic  culture and history.Pray tell, how  does a film about the health concerns of women harm any culture in the world? As Akshay Kumar says in the film any healthy society needs its women to be  empowered and for this to happen women need to be healthy. It  is  truly saddening that we still look at a normal  monthly physiological occurrence as  something not to be spoken about.”

Interestingly Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat which was  released  two weeks earlier  and which portrayed the Islamic Invader Alalluddin Khilji as a brutal and barbaric  villain was approved of by the Pakistan censor board . But their “liberal” decision has been frowned upon by the politicians and  moralists  of Pakistan.

A source  from  Pakistan  says PadMan was being served  up an example of the country’s censorial austerity.  “By being liberal over  Padmaavat, the Pakistan censor board has incensed a powerful lobby in Pakistan’s politics  which  is now threatening a ban on  all Indian films in Pakistan. PadMan is suffering  a collateral  damage.”

 Adds Balki, “PadMan has nothing to do with politics.I urge the Pakistani censor board to view the film. They will realize  how deeply empathetic it is to the culture of  the Asian subcontinent  where women die due to a lack  of menstrual hygiene. Pakistan, please seePadMan.”