"Mamnooʿ"—forbidden.

In the second layer of When Screens Go Dark, the voices and lines from the first layer are covered in stark black lettering. This visual erasure symbolizes the literal and metaphorical silencing that occurs through censorship. The black forms subtly spell out ممنوع (mamnooʿ), the word used to describe countless banned films, scripts, and dialogues across Pakistan’s cinematic history.

The History of Film Censorship in Pakistan

Film censorship in Pakistan has always been more than just a regulatory practice. It has been a tool for shaping cultural norms, controlling public discourse, and reinforcing power structures.

  • 1947 to 1979
    Early censorship in Pakistan was influenced by colonial-era laws inherited from British rule. Films could be banned or edited if they were considered politically subversive, morally offensive, or damaging to national unity.

  • 1979: Motion Pictures Ordinance
    Under General Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime, censorship became more aggressively aligned with conservative Islamic values. The Motion Pictures Ordinance of 1979 gave the state extensive powers to ban any film that "glorifies vice or crime," offends religious or cultural sentiments, or is seen as a threat to public morality.

  • Post-2000s
    Even after the return to civilian rule, censorship remained deeply entrenched. The rise of extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) added new layers of informal censorship through public pressure, protests, and threats of violence.

Today, three major boards regulate films:

  • Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC)

  • Punjab Film Censor Board (PFCB)

  • Sindh Board of Film Censors (SBFC)

However, decisions are inconsistent and often swayed by political or religious groups. Even films that pass the boards can be banned or pulled after extremist backlash, as seen with Zindagi Tamasha and Joyland.

Censorship as Erasure and Control

Censorship does not only remove offensive content. It systematically shapes which stories are allowed to exist and which are erased. In Pakistani cinema, this has meant:

  • Silencing criticism of political and religious institutions

  • Suppressing marginalized voices including women, queer people, and religious minorities

  • Preventing social critique of power, injustice, and inequality

As a result, censorship has produced not just gaps in storytelling but also a culture of self-censorship. Filmmakers often edit themselves before the censor board ever sees their work, fearing rejection, public backlash, or worse.

The Visual Language of Censorship in the Artwork

The blacking-out in this layer is not just an aesthetic choice. It mirrors:

  • Official censorship, where scenes, dialogues, and even entire films are cut or banned

  • Social censorship, where fear and taboo lead to silence

  • Violent erasure, where threats and intimidation force artists to withdraw their work

By using black Urdu lettering to spell ممنوع, the artwork visualizes how censorship operates: not just as a rule but as a shadow that covers and suppresses creative expression.

This layer challenges viewers to confront the power of what has been hidden, and to recognize the human cost behind the silence.