Daily Times

Actor and host of SAMAA TV show Super Over, Ahmed Ali Butt believes Pakistan’s queer-themed movie Joyland should be considered an adult movie and must carry a rating to reflect it.

The Saim Sadiq directorial Joyland has received severe backlash from conservative sections of the public and renowned celebrities, some of whom have demanded that the movie should be banned completely because of its theme and alleged negative impact on society.

Responding to questions on the red carpet of the Lux Style Awards, Ahmed Ali Butt said that he does not support a ban on movies.

However, he argued that the movie contained a very adult and mature themes and must carry a rating to reflect that rather than promote it as a family movie.

The actor added that the movie must get a 18+ rating but should not be banned.

Joyland became the first Pakistani movie to be screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and it also made its way to the Toronto Film Festival.

The movie won the Cannes Queer Palm prize for best LGBT, “queer” or feminist-themed movie. The film also won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard segment.

The storyline follows a patriarchal family as they crave for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for a trans woman.

The film is directed and written by young filmmaker Saim Sadiq, stars Sania Saeed along with Ali Junejo, Aleena Khan, Sarwat Geelani, Rasti Faruq, Salman Pirzada, Sohail Samir.