After facing years of delays and controversies, Sarmad Khoosat has decided to take matters into his own hands by announcing the free release of his film, Zindagi Tamasha, on YouTube.
Frustrated with the hurdles encountered in getting the movie to cinemas, the renowned filmmaker has expressed his desire to “free Zindagi Tamasha” for the public and uploaded the full version of the film on August 4.
In a heartfelt video, Sarmad Khoosat acknowledged the challenges and controversies surrounding the film, as well as the sense of failure, not just his own, but of the system that led to its ban. Zindagi Tamasha is an independent film without corporate sponsors, and Khoosat’s greatest wish was for it to be screened in cinemas.
However, due to the unfairness and injustices faced by the movie, he has decided to make it available for free on the official Khoosat Films YouTube account. He assured that the version uploaded on YouTube would be the one approved by the censor boards, and a director’s cut would also be available on Vimeo as a video-on-demand feature.
Despite the financial loss incurred due to controversies, Khoosat requested the audience to watch the film on YouTube or Vimeo rather than through torrents. He provided a link in the YouTube description box for those who want to support artistic independence and a small production house.
Zindagi Tamasha had been Pakistan’s official entry to the Oscars in 2021 and received critical acclaim and awards at international film festivals. However, it faced political controversy and protests from Tehreek-i–Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), who alleged that the film was blasphemous.
Sarmad