Certain reports of the highly anticipated Barbie film allegedly being banned in Punjab have caused quite confusion online.
A tweet claimed that the Punjab Film Censor Board withheld the NOC (No Objection Certificate) for the movie, citing “objectionable” content, while a few major Lahore cinemas such as Cue Cinemas, Cine Star, and Universal Cinemas are not screening the film, further fueling such speculations.
However, it seems that some cinemas in Pakistan are still screening the movie without any reports of an official ban. Popular cinemas in Karachi, such as Nueplex Cinema, Atrium Cinema, Cinepax Cinema, The Arena in Bahria Town, and Cinegold Plex in Bahria Town, are among those still showing the film.
It is to be noted that Universal Cinemas, who first reported not screening Barbie, have confirmed on their Threads account that they have received clearance from the Punjab Film Censor Board.
The original tweet, that went viral, stated,
Barbie has been banned in Pakistan’s Punjab region for showing pro-LGBTQ content. Punjab censor board has withheld NOC for the movie unless ‘objectionable’ content is removed.
Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is being screened at all the theatres mentioned, leading to questions and confusion among moviegoers about the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-starrer.
“Wait, what? I just booked my tickets,” tweeted a user. “Hope they ban Oppenheimer for ‘nudity’ too,” another voiced their frustration.
The Punjab censor board allegedly stated that the film would remain banned in the Punjab region until the objectionable content is removed.
It appears that the movie has not been entirely banned in the country. Instead, there are delays in the certification process, likely due to the existence of separate provincial censor boards, and Barbie continues to be shown in theaters in Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory.
For now, the situation appears fluid, and audiences in Pakistan may have to wait for further updates to know the final decision on Barbie’s release in the region.
