When in doubt, ban something
The Pakistan government has decided to ban the “portrayal of wicked characters as heroes” in motion pictures and has, so far, used this pretext to refuse permission to release four new films.
Culture Minister, Dr G G Jamali, confirmed the ban on Thursday claiming that, following the success of Maula Jatt in the 1980s, a trend has developed for films that “glorify villainous characters”.
This is probably true. Filmmakers, as much as anyone else in the entertainment business, will tend to try and replicate each others’ success and, if an idea works, others will tend to copy it. However, when Dr Jamali goes on to claim that such films are “brainwashing young men” he is talking rubbish. People don’t, on seeing a film with an anti-hero, rush off and become criminal masterminds and the idea that there is some sort of causal link between fiction and reality is one that should be challenged.
(via The Melon Farmers)
Sunday 25 Feb 2007 | Paul | Pakistan
