Shoot On Sight' banned in Pakistan

Jagmohan Mundhra's next film Shoot On Sight , set for release in India on October 17, has been banned in Pakistan as it portrays an actor from that country as a terrorist.

But Jagmohan Mundhra says he is not surprised.

Yes my film 'Shoot On Sight' has been banned in Pakistan because Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfikar who plays Zaheer, a terrorist, is shown to be from that country".

Pakistan has objected not only to the actor but also to the character of the terrorist being from Pakistan.

"In a dialogue between Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri , it is revealed that the character Zaheer is from Pakistan. The Pakistanis didn't like it," said Mundhra.

"Shoot On Sight" is based on the July 2007 London bombings. The film is a riveting drama that unfolds the turmoil in the life of Tariq Ali (Naseer), a Muslim police officer at Scotland Yard, who is asked to track down suspected suicide bombers involved in the strikes.

What puzzles Mundhra is that even after facing several problems, Khuda Ke Liye released in Pakistan.

"'Khuda Ke Liye' had Pakistani actors in Pakistan playing fundamentalists. The only thing is, they didn't show any terrorism-related violence. They only showed fundamentalism. But, 'Shoot On Sight' shows the violent underbelly of fundamentalism. The Pakistanis didn't like that," said Mundhra.

Apart from Naseer and Om, the movie stars Brian Cox, Greta Scacchi and Laila Rouass.