Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar disappointed by Censor Board’s decision to halt release of ‘Javed Iqbal’

The film Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer starring Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar was  scheduled for a nationwide release today (January 28) after several months of postponement. While it has been cleared by censor boards and is scheduled to begin airing in cinemas, the Punjab government has decided to halt the movie’s release due to the objection over the film from the public.

Following the notice, lead actor Yasir Hussain who plays the titular character in the film took to Instagram to question if independent filmmakers would get a chance in this country.

 

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A post shared by Yasir Hussain (@yasir.hussain131)

Ayesha Omar who plays  a determined police officer running the investigation on the serial killer and tracking down his accomplices also took to Instagram to share her disappointment.

“This is so sad. The film had been passed by all censor boards including Punjab and only then was the release date announced. But right after the Karachi premiere, 2 days before the release of the film, the Punjab Government decided to halt the release and review it again,” she wrote.

“Films like this, based on true events and real-life horror stories, which expose the psychology of psychopath serial killers like Javed Iqbal, talk about issues like child kidnapping, abuse and murder, shed light on the dark side of society and our social construct, are very, very important,” she continued adding that films like this need to be made and they need to be seen.

“We have worked very hard on this film. I do hope the government makes the right decision in order for conversations like this to start and continue, for Pakistani Cinema to survive, and also, so that “inhuman” humans like Javed Iqbal can be identified in society. The director and producer have filed a petition against this decision in Lahore high court. Praying for the best. Please help us to make this hashtag viral,” she concluded.

 

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The film will trace the story of the man who sexually abused and killed more than 100 children in Lahore, Pakistan between 1998 and 1999. The killer not only tortured and murdered the children but also butchered and dissolved their bodies in acid to get rid of the evidence. He was sentenced to death in the same way.

The Untold Story of a Serial Killer: Javed Iqbal is written and directed by Abu Aleeha and is produced under the banner of KK Films by Javed Ahmed. Other than Yasir and Ayesha, the cast also includes Paras Masroor, Rabiya Kulsoom and Aamir Yamin and several others

The film had its Karachi premiere at Nueplex Cinema on January 25 and was attended by the cast and crew as well as other several members of the entertainment industry.