India's Haider might not see the light of day in Pakistan

E-Paper | July 29, 2026

To release or not to release: that is the question being raised by the Pakistan Censorship board about the Indian film Haider based on Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

Although Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider is getting raving reviews after its premiere in India, it seems that the film might not get the much-needed NOC (No Objection Certificate) by the Pakistan Film Censor Board.

The film which stars Shahid Kapoor, Tabbu, Kay Kay Menon and Shrada Kapoor in the lead has been shot in Kashmir, which led to reservations about its release in Pakistan.

According to a source, the film was previewed and was sent to the Censor Board for approval. However after watching Haider's preview, the body decided not to go ahead with the release because of some controversial elements related to Kashmir.

Haider was slated for its release on October 2 alongside Hrithik and Katrina starrer Bang Bang, but while the shows for Bang Bang are scheduled in Pakistan, the much awaited Haider is nowhere to be seen.

It is expected that the distributors would not face a loss as they had already anticipated that the film may not be released in Pakistan.

Earlier, a film based on the Indian Army, Holiday, was screened in Pakistan but Salman Khan's Ek Tha Tiger could not make it to the screens because of the portrayal of anti-Pakistan elements.

Though the reasons were different, Rani Mukherjee's Mardaani also saw a similar fate.

Haider will be Bhardwaj's third adaptation of Shakespeare's plays, previous two being Maqbool (Macbeth) and Omkara (Othello).

Watch Haider's trailer here:

Entertainment

Taimoor Khan

Oct 01, 2014 04:09am

Have the Indian released WAAR in India? Lets see if they release the upcoming Operation 021.

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Oct 01, 2014 06:51am

Reasons please

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Unshackle Pakistan

Oct 01, 2014 08:03am

Grow up. This is fiction. For heavens sake we can find porn but not Indian movies. What kind of a country is this? @UnshacklePak

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Oct 01, 2014 08:04am

Good decision, it will make them to think twice before doing propaganda films against Pakisan

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SHAZIA

Oct 01, 2014 08:28am

Just another anti-Pak propaganda movie demonizing all things Pakistan. One is astounded why Pakistani cinema owners are so enamored with cheap overly dramatized bollywood tripe passing itself off as "entertainment" .. for whom exactly?? Certainly not for Pakistanis! Bravo Pakistan Film Censor Board for rejecting these movies which depict Pakistan in a vile light. It's about Pakistan made some more movies such as Waar, and send them to India- then let's see how the Indians react when given a taste of their own medicine.

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Ash

Oct 01, 2014 08:33am

Keep public away from truth, as usual.

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Sachin Dhawan

Oct 01, 2014 08:47am

whatever you do, people will see that if they want to see...

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Monkey King

Oct 01, 2014 08:53am

I don't understand. Would it not be wise for the patriotic gentlemen of the Censor Board to allow the screening of a movie set and filmed in Kashmir? Surely, knowing more about the place's beauty, would we not be more willing to be killed for it? Well, at least they OK'd "Bang Bang". Can the reporter share which esteemed gents constitute the board itself? Because they have been especially active lately, I would like to know more about my benefactors.

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Akbar

Oct 01, 2014 09:34am

Can India shows a Pakistani film based on Kashmir with Pakistan view? I yes, then it should be shown.

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Sunil

Oct 01, 2014 10:05am

No point in stopping the movie Haider from release. People may see it on line, or pirated DVD's will come out.

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Shahryar Shirazi

Oct 01, 2014 10:20am

@Sachin Dhawan They will, and they have been since the ban on Indian movies after the '65 war. However, this way the deserving people don't get their due monetary credit. The one place outside of India with a concentrated market of 200M people for Bollywood movies is Pakistan. No where else in the world you would find this. As a business man, one has to cater to and capture this market as well ...

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saad s

Oct 01, 2014 10:34am

if it contains anti Pakistan or Kashmir contents, it should not be released in Pakistan at all.happy to see Pakistan Film Censor Board still alive.

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roger_davis

Oct 01, 2014 10:37am

Well done Pakistan censor board. These kind of Anti-Pakistan and Anti-Kashmir movies should not be screened AT ALL.

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roger_davis

Oct 01, 2014 10:38am

@Ash What truth. Indian bollywood movies are a pack of lies from the start.

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Rising Engineer

Oct 01, 2014 11:00am

indian films against ideology of pakistan should not be released in pakistan. even Holiday shouldnot have been released here. indians have banned pakistani channels in india and waar movie was not released there. so y should we be extra open hearted??

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Nasir-ud-din Soomro

Oct 01, 2014 11:05am

Its great to watch a movie portrayed from Novel of Shakespeare! I would surely watch Shakespeare's plays, previous Maqbool (Macbeth) and Omkara (Othello).

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vinie

Oct 01, 2014 11:18am

Next day pirated version of haider will be availabel in market..

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Cupid

Oct 01, 2014 12:18pm

So, what shall we do? Bawl loudly? Haider is not only the source of entertainment we have here. Our politicians and container tamasha is much more fun and the great thing is that Haider is fictional while our container entertainment is 110% real.

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Mukhtar Aziz Kansi

Oct 01, 2014 12:37pm

@allabove - why are we getting so over obsessed with critcizing administrative actions that make perfect sense. I dont want to be so liberal to pay at a cinema and let my children realize how Pakistan bashing is properly done. Do you expect authorities to allow screeing of films that basically reinforce the current indian policy notion of "Pakistan should forget about Kashmir" ..before they would even enagage with us in any way. We all want peace...but should remain very clear on what cant be given away and what we have to stand up for....'truth'...that is.

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Oct 01, 2014 12:58pm

@roger_davis You mean to say all movies are based on true life stories? I am not a supporter of bollywood, but, very very few movies are true stories. hey are made for commercial gains.

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Gaurav Arya

Oct 01, 2014 01:49pm

@AJ - Sir, Haider is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. It is not an anti-Pakistan movie. In fact its not an anti anything movie. Its just a brilliant film. This article says that Ek Tha Tiger was anti-Pakistani. It was not. The main villain who is killed in the end was an Indian. The heroine was a Pakistani in the film. The plot was about an Indian businessman who plots to destroy Delhi. Both Indians and Pakistanis were shown and heroes and villains.

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IMRAN

Oct 01, 2014 01:51pm

I feel so sorry for Indian Muslims on the treatment of India to them. Muslims are portrayed as corrupt, gangster or prostitute in the movies. I am proud of my forefathers who gave their lives and gave us a gift of Pakistan. We will Inshala make Pakistan a best country.

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Gaurav Arya

Oct 01, 2014 01:53pm

@Taimoor Khan - Movies are a business. They are not a statement of foreign policy. There are many Indian movies which are made but not released simply because they cannot find distributors. If a distributor feels he will not make money on a movie, he will not buy it. Bol, Khuda Kay Liye and Ramchand Pakistani were released in India. Movies need to make money….and if they show financial promise, they will be screened. Lastly, the Govt of India does not control the film industry. And….they don't control IPL/ BCCI :)

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Kumar

Oct 01, 2014 01:56pm

Why all this commotion. Just India should ban Pakistani movies and Pakistan should ban Indian movies. Case solved. No need of this exchange bull.

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Gaurav Arya

Oct 01, 2014 01:57pm

@saad s - Bhai, its an adaptation of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. It has nothing to do with Pakistan or Muslims. Its a Vishal Bhardwaj movie. He made Maqbool, Omkara, Kaminey and Ishqiya. Vishal Bhardwaj does not make substandard movies. Watching a Vishal Bhardwaj movie is like taking a film direction class. Please watch the trailer.

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Beena Siddiqui

Oct 01, 2014 02:57pm

Propaganda movies should face a restriction.

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Salman

Oct 01, 2014 02:58pm

@Taimoor Khan WAAR is not baned in India, it just coun't find any distributors!!

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Oct 01, 2014 02:58pm

@IMRAN Of course!!!! You are on the right path. Carry on.

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Taimoor Khan

Oct 01, 2014 03:17pm

@Gaurav Arya WAAR is the highest money making movie ever in Pakistan, are you telling me it wont do business in India? It seems to be that all toms dicks and harrys can release the Indian movies regardless of their contents in Pakistan but when it comes to Pakistanis movie, the excuse of distribution pops up. People are not naive. Bottom line is, Indian government doesnt want their people to know the truth.

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riz1

Oct 01, 2014 03:19pm

@Taimoor Khan "Have the Indian released WAAR in India? Lets see if they release the upcoming Operation 021." You release movies that will make money. Bollywood movies make money in Pak irrespective of their content. Lollywood movies are an unknown in India - who knows, they may even make money.

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Taimoor Khan

Oct 01, 2014 03:19pm

@Salman That is a stupid excuse. WAAR has done a record business both in Pakistan and in Europe and yet it cant make money in India!! Come on dude talk sense. There is clearly Indian government interference in what they believe should be shown to Indian public. Fair to them. Pakistan needs to bring the same stringent checks and balances when releasing Indian flims as well.

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Oct 01, 2014 03:21pm

IMPORTANT: The Screenplay is written by a Kashmiri Muslim along with Vishal Bardhwaj. His name is Basharat Peer who grew up in the conflict. It is his side of the story. It is a loss of Pakistani people not to watch this brilliant movie.It is not Anti Pak or Anti Kashmir but an adaptaion of HAMLET woven around. There are a number of Kashmiri Muslim actors as well. The establishment needs such chances to refuel Anti India sentiments. So be it. As per WIKIPEDIA and as per the Film promos : It is adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', Haider - a young man returns home to Kashmir on receiving news of his father's disappearance. Not only does he learn that security forces have detained his father for harboring militants, but that his mother is in a relationship with his very own uncle. Intense drama follows between mother and son as both struggle to come to terms with news of his father's death. Soon Haider learns that his uncle is responsible for the gruesome murder, what follows is his journey to avenge his father's death. Going to see it on 3rd Oct in UAE.

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Taimoor Khan

Oct 01, 2014 03:28pm

@riz1 You said "You release movies that will make money. Bollywood movies make money in Pak irrespective of their content. Lollywood movies are an unknown in India - who knows, they may even make money." That is a stupid excuse. WAAR has done a record business both in Pakistan and in Europe and yet it cant make money in India!! Come on dude talk sense. I actually watched in UK, the first ever Pakistani movie released on UK cinema, and I can tell you , it was jam packed to the last seat.

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Taimoor Khan

Oct 01, 2014 03:30pm

@UR Release WAAR first in India and then come and talk.

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Calcutta Man

Oct 01, 2014 03:31pm

@AJ As if Bollywood depends on Pakistan for survival LOL

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AGK

Oct 01, 2014 04:26pm

@SHAZIA : Another person living in the world of ignorance. Haider is a remake of William Shakespeare play Hamlet. If you had watched Vishal Bharadway's previous movies you would have known that he is obsessed with Shakespeare. Maqbool - Macbeth, Omkara - Othello. Anti Pakistan movie it seems.

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gireesh

Oct 01, 2014 04:45pm

@AJ The business from Pakistan for any Bollywood film is a peanut. So nobody cares about it in bollywood

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Kaam

Oct 01, 2014 05:05pm

@AJ And you concluded that this movie is Anti-Pakistani.. How??? Have you seen it? If not stop posting, becasue you don't have anything else better to do.

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abc

Oct 01, 2014 05:07pm

Indian should ban Pakistani actors and singers in Bollywood.

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Oct 01, 2014 05:27pm

@Taimoor Khan : Boss Unfortunately , such movies have no demand in India. No distributor will be able to take it up. Their cups are already full with local movies. It is pure business by private players. Even South India movies have limited releases on North and vice versa. Indian movies run in other countries mainly because of Indian & Asian diaspora. Otherwise non Indians will not see it and Indians cannot and shouldn't complain. No distributor will pick them up. You seem obsessed as is evident from you comment on various articles. I pray that more sanity is bestowed upon you. Pl see it later on a DVD if at all you wish to do so.

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nan

Oct 01, 2014 05:42pm

@IMRAN You wont have to worry about indian muslims. We are happy here. You should worry about the american drones flying above your head and bombs which are blasting everywhere throughout your country.

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Haroon rashid khan

Oct 01, 2014 06:00pm

anything that promotes kashmir as part of india should not be released in pakistan.

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itrat

Oct 01, 2014 06:20pm

@nan take a chill pill , dude.

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Mr. India

Oct 01, 2014 07:11pm

@Taimoor Khan We are not talking. Dawn is Pakistani newspaper!! Name any Indian newspaper where this has been reported.

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Run

Oct 01, 2014 08:08pm

Its so funny to read comments from people out here when I am sure 90% of the commentators (both Indian and Pak) haven't read Othello on which the movie is based on. I don't remember reading any anti pak sentiments in Othello :) I would rather watch the movie and then make a decision if its anti Pak unlike most of my pak friends who are jumping with joy that Haider is banned.

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El Cid

Oct 01, 2014 08:54pm

@Mr. India:"Dawn is Pakistani newspaper!! " No it is not Pakistani. Only Its offices are in Pakistan.

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Usman

Oct 01, 2014 10:22pm

Seems like a good movie. Tabu looks fabulous as ever, and Shahid Kapoor looks very fresh and purposeful.

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Ad Zad

Oct 01, 2014 11:19pm

@IMRAN You are not only illinformed but also an idiot. Go abroad and ask the Indian Muslims living there if they are well off in India or if they want to migrate to pakistan. And ask your countrymen in US why they pretend to be Indians.

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Black Sabbath

Oct 01, 2014 11:24pm

Haider is actually written by a well known kashmiri journalist, Basharat Peer.

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Black Sabbath

Oct 01, 2014 11:30pm

@Taimoor Khan : There's no comparison between Waar & bollywood blockbusters. I agree Waar may be a good movie but as per wikipedia its budget was Rs. 17 crores & collection Rs. 21 crores. Al though the movie is critically acclaimed, I think the reason it did not do well in India is the bad image of the Pakistani film industry.

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sanatani

Oct 02, 2014 12:02am

@Gaurav Arya dost you tell the story of Agent Vinod starring saif and kareena(although it was also banned in pakistan).Ek tha Tiger is simply a love story about an indian and pakistani spy there is nothing anti pakistan or pro india in it.

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sumit

Oct 02, 2014 01:13am

no problem.... watch "bang bang"

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Ad Zad

Oct 02, 2014 02:14am

Its not wrong to ban an Indian movie in Pakistan if it has any Pakistani overtones. Similarly an anti-Indian movie like Waar cannot be released in India. Nothing wrong in both the cases. I was surprised though that Ranjhnaa did not release in Pakistan.

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Aima

Oct 02, 2014 06:11pm

@Taimoor Khan I find the comments by Pakistanis utterly naive. The movie is pro Kashmiri and even there are Indian Hawks asking the movie to be boycotted as it doesn't show India in good light as well. If Pakistan really means they are pro Kashmiri People they should allow the movie to be released in Pakistan. India has done a mature thing by allowing such a movie to be released. Its no propaganda but truth about Kashmiris.

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VINAYAK

Oct 03, 2014 05:38am

@GC Is there any Film Making Industry In Pakistan ?

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Sierrabrave

Oct 03, 2014 07:42am

You allow pulp movies like Bang Bang but not Haider??? Way to stunt intellectual growth of your people

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Southie

Oct 03, 2014 07:49am

@imran haha ....haha

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Sujatha

Oct 03, 2014 08:42am

I saw the film. Dont understand why it is banned in your country. All your people should watch it. I dont know the truth about Kashmir. But it is a scathing criticism of Indian Army and I dont know how it got cleared in India. it should never have got cleared in India. My Pak Friends watch it to understand that your marketing skills have succeeded to infiltrate the Indian Artistic mind.

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rainman

Oct 03, 2014 11:24am

trust me people in Pakistan will like Haider it is not ant-Pak but shows how kashmiris suffered during 1995 when militancy was at peak it is about suffering of kashmiris al though it does not show kashmiri Hindus suffered

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rainman

Oct 03, 2014 11:26am

@SHAZIA if you see the movie you will be surprised how has projected the suffering of kashmiri people

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rainman

Oct 03, 2014 11:28am

@Cupid love ur comment

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Aditya

Oct 03, 2014 11:40am

Funny the joke is on Pakistani Censor Board it was a Pro Kashmiri and Anti-Indian movie and somehow managed to get a NOC from Indian censor board is shocking.Waar was less of an anti-Indian movie than this.

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Rohit Kumar

Oct 03, 2014 12:28pm

In my opinion, Pakistan should ban all Indian movies and be done with it. Bollywood does not need Pakistani market to survive. We have 1.3 billion people, so that is where the biggest consumer base lies. By releasing Indian movies in Pakistan, it is Pakistani distributors who are making some money, for Indian producers this is just spare change which makes no difference one way or the other. Hoping to see Pakistan ban all Indian movies, and everything Indian... Certainly, hardly anything Pakistani is popular in India, so to me it does not make any difference whether Pakistanis allow Indian films or not..

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vinay

Oct 03, 2014 02:06pm

@AJ And here in India peoples protesting Haider as Anti Indian movie. There is an urge to boycott this. Lets not be judgmental without watching it. Vishal's literary adaptations are always a treat to watch.

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Sami

Oct 04, 2014 03:22am

Most of the people commenting on haider being anti Pakistan haven't seen the film. I'm a Pakistani and I believe as patriotic as you all are... if anything haider is more anti India than anti Pakistan. It's rather pro Kashmir and pro freedom. Genius of a film. As far as waar is concerned, its an average storyline with high production values. if anything, disjointed at several places and has horrible casting of ali azmat. Comparing waar to haider will be an insult to haider. Take it with a pinch of salt from a Pakistani.

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SuNidhi

Oct 04, 2014 07:49pm

@AJ haha do you really think success of Indian movie is dependent on pakistan?

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Ali

Oct 04, 2014 10:52pm

I have watched the movie , believe me the film was more against Indian Army then Pakistan !!

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Aditya

Oct 05, 2014 07:21pm

The film is not anti-pakistan at all, infact it is pro kashmir and a brilliant piece of cinema. do watch it and skip the trash called 'bang bang'.

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glassyman

Oct 06, 2014 12:51pm

@SHAZIA have you nseen the movie to make such rhetoric comments. on the contrary to your views the film depicts otherwise. still, you will get pirated cd s in your country. do watch it and get unbrain washed :-p

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vasan

Oct 06, 2014 05:33pm

We indians won't show enthusiasm about (LOL)ly wood movies!

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Minhaj

Oct 06, 2014 08:34pm

This movies has nothing against Pakistan instead its revealing the truth of Indian army in 90s. Brave move by Bhardvaj of making a movie on such critical issue.

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RW911

Oct 07, 2014 12:18pm

@Monkey King India's war strategy against Pak is showing them brain-numbing movies like Bang Bang and erode Pak IQ to even lower levels. Damage to Indian audience is collateral damage.

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Ansairi

Oct 07, 2014 01:22pm

Some Indian groups are protesting to boycott this film, Pakistan is not releasing this film and in Indian Kashmir there are no cinema halls left. So the question is what kind of film is this?

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