We reported earlier that writer-director Nandita Das’ biopic Manto, that chronicles the life of Saadat Hassan Manto, had been reviewed by SBFC and cleared with four major cuts. But now, filmmaker Nandita Das has officially confirmed that the biopic, which stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role, will not release in Pakistan. Nandita Das took to social media to express her disappointment. “Disappointed that Manto will not be seen in theatres in Pakistan,” she wrote on her official Twitter handle. “I was keen as he belongs to both countries equally.”

In a recent interview with Scroll.in Nandita said, “The reasons cited are that the film has anti-Partition narrative theme and explicit scenes, which is against the norms of Pakistani society.”

However, recently an online petition has been initiated requesting Prime Minister Imran Khan to lift the ban on the screening of Manto. Apart from that, Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry has also extended help by “trying to pursue importers to bring this movie to Pakistan.”The open letter in the petition says: “Manto, a critically acclaimed film, directed by Nandita Das, celebrates the life of the Urdu writer, who chose Pakistan as his home during the Partition but is collectively owned and revered by the people of the sub-continent. The audiences and critics worldwide have appreciated the film. However, it is a matter of huge concern that Pakistan has recently decided to ban the film. The disappointing decision to ban the film has created a hue and cry among writers, poets and intellectuals in the literary circles of Pakistan.”

The petition, initiated by journalist Saeed Ahmed, protests the ban and terms it an attack on freedom of expression, and has been signed by a number of veteran journalists and other prominent personalities including Manto’s daughters Nighat, Nusrat and Nuzhat along with I.A. Rehman, Hussain Naqi, Sehyr Mirza, Beena Sarwar and Saleem Asmi among others.

Appreciating the efforts, the actress-filmmaker tweeted: “I am grateful to the activists, writers, artists and concerned citizens in Pakistan who have spontaneously come together and signed an open letter to their PM.”

Let’s wait and see whether the film sees the light of day in Pakistan or not.