Pakistan lifts ban on Indian films, R...Rajkumar to release in the neighbouring country

In a much needed relief to Hindi film industry which eyed Pakistan to release their films, a petition seeking a ban on Indian films filed before the High Court in Lahore has been withdrawn. A petition regarding the ban was filed by television talk show host Mubashir Lucman recently following which justice Mohammed Khalid Mehmood Khan issued a ban on exhibition of Indian films. According to Rashed Rahman, editor of the Pakistani Daily Times, Lahore, when the matter came up for hearing on Monday, a compromise was reached between the Pakistan Cinema Owners’ Association and film distributors and the petitioner. As per the compromise, cinema halls in Pakistan will be permitted to equally share screening time between Indian and Pakistani films. Following this compromise, Lucman withdrew his petition, it is understood. Noted producer Mahesh Bhatt welcomed the development. He said the Hindi film industry was shocked when the Lahore court banned Hindi films. “The petitioner had invoked an ancient law, as per which films produced in India could not be screened in Pakistan,’’ Bhatt said. The first Indian film that would release now is the Prabhu Deva-directed R…Rajkumar that was incidentally the last film that was forbidden from exhibition following the ban. The latest is that Dhoom 3 will also release in Pakistan.