KARACHI, Aug 31: Hundreds of children, majority of them handicapped, had a lot of fun for over a couple of hours watching an entertaining Hollywood movie on Saturday morning.

The screening of the movie — George of the Jungle — was organized by social worker Jimmy Engineer and the Sada Welfare Foundation, at the Star Cinema.

The movie is based on the famous charter, Tarzan, who saves an urban girl lost in the jungle and brings her to city. They fall in love, he returns to jungle, she follows him there and eventually they get married.

The children liked the film, which is a parody, and the packed cinema continuously echoed with laughter, whistles and clapping throughout the show. Many of the animal characters also spoke like people and also cracked jokes, which was enjoyed by the children who were also provided snacks during the interval.

Jimmy Engineer said he had been taking the handicapped children out for fun and food to various city hotels and it was noticed that the children liked the entertainment part of the programme, which comprised music and songs. So he thought of organizing film shows for them so that they also had the same opportunity to have entertainment.

He said the parents of the handicapped children felt embarrassed and faced difficulties in taking their children out, particularly at the crowded places like cinemas, so these children were kept at homes.

He said by seeing him organizing film shows for the handicapped children, the parents would also gain confidence and take their children out. He urged the parents to give their special children more exposure so that they also got confidence.

He said in the western countries the governments provided many facilities to the handicapped people, but here they were not even being given what was their due.

He also urged philanthropists to assist the organizations that were involved in upliftment work for the handicapped.

Huzurul Nawab of the Mandviwala Entertainments, which provides the movies free of cost, said when Jimmy brought up the subject two cinemas — Nishat and Star — immediately volunteered to provide the cinema houses freely for the children. He said a Lahore cinema had also agreed to hold free show for the handicapped children there.

Children from Ida Rieu School and College for the Deaf and Blind, Prewa, Fatimid Education Society, Ma Ayesha, Hope and Faith, Darul Sukoon, and others enjoyed the film show.