Total Dhamaaal won't release in Pakistan

In the wake of the Pulwama attack, the makers of this week’s comedy flick Total Dhamaal have taken a collective decision to not release their film in Pakistan.

This may, in principle, seem like the politically correct thing to do. Except for the fact that the release of this loud comedy was already iffy in Pakistan even before its makers came forward with their decision.

Sources close to the BJP government inform that all cultural exchange including film releases will be banned henceforth until the tension at the border is defused.

A more immediate concern for the makers of Total Dhamaal is the war film Uri: The Surgical Strike. The film projecting the inside details of the surgical strike against Pakistan in 2016 is again seeing a massive footfall in theatres across the country.

The manager of a theatre from a popular multiplex chain says Uri reflects the mood of the country. “People are very angry and they want revenge for what’s been done to our jawans. Uri is about avenging the aggression from across the border. The film had already done record-breaking business. It’s now showing another sharp increase in footfalls after the Pulwama attack. Total Dhamaal is not what the audience wants at the moment.”