While there is not much freedom granted in Pakistan when it comes to creativity, Pakistani journalist and novelist Fatima Bhutto, who is the granddaughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and niece of Benazir Bhutto appreciates local artists for being daring and fearless.
Addressing Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha, the most controversial Pakistani film which didn’t see the light of day but is Pakistan’s official Oscar 2021 submission, the writer said that The Academy is lucky to have a film like this.
“Pakistan’s greatest cultural strength isn’t our diversity (we are diverse), range (lots of it), or style (brimming with it). But that our artists are daring and fearless,” she wrote adding that she is proud that Zindagi Tamasha is representing the country at the Oscars.
Is #ZindagiTamasha the first time a film that's banned in its home country makes it to the Oscars? I can't imagine but then…
— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) January 14, 2021
Zindagi Tamasha was scheduled to be released on January 24th 2020, however, it was caught in a controversy for its storyline.
Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha stars Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Kureshi in the lead. The film revolves around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Arif Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society after a secret from Khawaja’s personal life is leaked.
Despite winning at the Busan International Film Festival and being Pakistan’s official submission for Oscar consideration in the International Feature Film Award category for the 93rd Academy Awards, the film is yet to release in Pakistan.
