Tubelight: Salman Khan's Film Might Not Release In Pakistan

New Delhi: Superstar Salman Khan's Tubelight might not release in Pakistan on Eid, reports news agency PTI. The Pakistani Film Distributors Association and Film Producers Association are trying to stall the release of the film as they want better business for their films during the Eid holidays. "If Tubelight also releases on Eid, it will certainly hit the business of these Pakistani films and that will not help our industry," PTI quoted Pakistani actor Mustafa Qureshi as saying. A law passed by Pakistan's Federal Ministry of Information in 2010 forbids release of Indian films on a Muslim holiday. Producer Altaf Hussain told PTI: "If required we can even go to the court." He added that associations would approach Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with an official letter requesting him to look into the matter.

"It has been decided that all those related to the Pakistani film industry will support the Pakistani films that are supposed to release on Eid-ul-Fitr," PTI quoted Hussain as saying. Pakistani films, titled Yalghaar and Shor Sharaba are scheduled to release on the same date as Salman Khan's Tubelight.

"My film is supposed to release on Eid-ul-Fitr and if the government doesn't stall Tubelight, I will not release it as a mark of protest," PTI quoted producer of Shor Sharaba Sohail Khan as saying.

According to sources, Ministry had given directives to stop the release of Tubelight and Vidya Balan's Begum Jaan in advance.

Chaudhry Ejaz Kamran, the chairman of the Pakistan Film Distributors Association told PTI: "It is not fair asking our films to compete with big Bollywood projects on Eid and it is cruel to our industry."

Tubelight, directed by Kabir Khan, is set against the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The film also features Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and Sohail Khan. The teaser of the film is scheduled to release in four days.

(With PTI inputs)