ISLAMABAD: According to the latest reports, 'PadMan' has been banned in Pakistan.
It however did not go well with the Twitterati and they took to the microblogging site to react to the news. Many women in Pakistan slammed the decision and supported the release of the film in the country.
Ammara Ahwad, a Pakistani journalist, wrote on Twitter, "Yes, Pakistani Women menstruate too. I support #Padman and menstrual hygiene. Ban on @PadManTheFilm in Pakistan is senseless. Release it now."
Another journalist, named Gharidah Farooqi, expressed her anger and said, "Against our traditions & culture" Oh well, coz women don't menstruate here... What stupid people sitting at Censor Board ! #PadMan must be allowed in Pakistan ! "
Mehr Tarar, the Pakistani columnist who sparred on Twitter with Congress' Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar, was also not left behind.
Mona Alam, a journalist, lashed the Pakistan censor board's move to ban PadMan.
"Insecurity, illiteracy & double standards of #Pakistani filmmakers who're okay with dirty raunchy item numbers but consider "unislamic" to film a social awareness topic of #menstruation on #WomenEmpowerment
Censor board, ??move," she wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Government wrote on its official handle, "The decision to issue an NOC by the Ministry of Information Broadcasting National History and Literary Heritage is yet to be taken on the release of a foreign feature film "Padman" as the film has not yet been pre-viewed by the Central Board of Film Censors."
On Saturday, Pakistan's Federal Censor Board refused to gives its nod for the release of 'PadMan' saying it was against "traditions and culture of the country."
Also, the members of Punjab Film Censor Board refused to watch the film saying it was based on a “taboo subject” and outrightly rejected any clearance certificate to it.
“We can’t allow the screening of films on taboo subjects in our cinemas as it is not in our culture, society or even religion,” a member of the Punjab Film Censor Board stated.
'PadMan' which stars Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor in pivotal roles, was released in India on February 8. The film deals with menstrual hygiene.
The film is inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu who introduced low-cost sanitary pads to villages in India.