First the trailer of Ek Tha Tiger was banned in Pakistan. Now, the film starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif has reportedly been banned too.
Ek Tha Tiger was slated to release in Pakistan on Eid weekend and was expected to do a good business. But now a prominent Pakistani distributor has confirmed that the film won’t release there because it hasn’t been granted clearance by the Pakistani Censor Board.
There has been no official word from the board itself, but going by the brief given by the Pak media watchdog at the time of the banning of the trailer, the authorities there are wary of their powerful spy agency ISI being shown in bad light in the film.
Those who have watched Ek Tha Tiger know that there is no such attempt by director Kabir Khan. Yes, the movie does show a sequence at the fag end where Salman Khan frees Katrina Kaif from the captivity of the ISI spooks and in the process also beat them up. But saving that, there is actually a message of friendship between India and Pakistan that’s being promoted through this film.
Director Kabir Khan is quoted to have said: “It is sad that a film promoting peace and friendship has fallen victim to politics.”
Ek Tha Tiger was supposed to release with 35 prints in Pakistan.
In India, the film has got off to a roaring start at box office and broke all the previous opening records with a first day collection of Rs. 32.95 crore.
