I saw Tere Bin Laden last night in Lahore at a private viewing! There! The secret is out and I now face mortal jeopardy with the Taliban (from here onwards to be called lovingly as the T-Boys) probably hatching a plan to send a suicide bomber to either blow up me or the screen I watched the movie on!

The film in question is about a Pakistani journalist played by model turned renowned singer and now actor, Ali Zafar, who is desperate to get a US visa and pretends to score an interview with the elusive Al-Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden, after finding a suitable look-alike. Things don’t go as expectedwhen the world’s attention turns to the threatening video of the interview and the journalist’s plans for America go out of the window. While this particular article is not really a movie review, it goes without saying that Ali Zafar glows with his acting and seems to exude a sharp sense of enjoyment while dealing with the most outrageous of circumstances. The movie may not be a big-budget venture, it might have its weak points regarding the script, the props, the dialogue quality and delivery here and there, but nothing can take away the fact that this is one whacked-out satire that is better than any we’ve seen so far this year from Bollywood (let’s not even go in to what Lollywood has/had to offer for obvious reasons).

Two years ago, when Ali Zafar first read the script, he got very much interested in doing the film. A basic premise on which Ali had based his decision to get involved in Tere Bin Laden was that neither did the concept malign any religion or ideology nor did it contain any vulgar, derogatory or controversial material within. It was a comedy film like any other and it still is. Sometime before the scheduled launch, Ali Zafar even changed the title to Tere Bin for smoother distribution in Pakistan. Perhaps there were fears of a possible problem arising from the use of word Laden already in his mind.

Come July 2010 and barely days before its grand launch in Pakistan, Tere Bin Laden (you got it), gets served with a release ban notice by Pakistan’s Central Board of Film Censors. Even after being reviewed by an appellant board on Friday, July 16 the decision was withheld by the Ministry of Culture and the final word is expected in the last week of July.

So let me get this straight! It is OK to ‘ban’ the movie from being played in the Pakistani cinemas but it is perfectly acceptable for movie shops across the country to stock pirated copies of it, rent or sell it, and for the cable operators to run it mad on the tele!

Technically, it isn’t a ban then is it? A ban would be something that is unlawful and carries legal actions against someone who disobeys a particular law or decree. A ban is supposed to be unilateral and, in the case of a movie, should be applicable beyond cinemas and must encompass all mediums that can promote, sell, rent, or showcase such a movie. That of course is not the case here. Since we’ve established that, we will no longer be calling it a ‘ban’ but in fact a ‘partial restrictions’ which is quite unnecessary indeed.

A few years ago, when Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Le Liye was released and shown all across the country, it was hailed as revolutionary and a ‘much needed eye-opener’. It attracted attention – both good and bad and served to show some true (and some over-rated according to a few) aspects of an extremist’s life and ideology. It also challenged the Taliban way of life that the T-Boys are still trying to impose in parts of the country where they have not been kicked back by the Army. The movie basically did everything but tickle a funny bone about the T-Boys or their leader that Tere Bin Laden does pretty well. Hey, who doesn’t like a little laughter? I’m sure even our T-Boys have their own versions of ‘three men walk in to a bar…’ jokes involving for perhaps Obama, Zardari and Karzai. Wait… that actually IS a joke! Ahem, moving on then.

So while Pakistan’s censor board broods and discusses about the possible repercussions of having Tere Bin Laden displayed across cinemas, many in the comfort of their homes are done watching and enjoying the movie already. Sure it would deprive cinema lovers of catching the flick on the big screen but would any restriction stop them from watching it nonetheless is a ridiculous notion. In a country like Pakistan, qualitative cinema culture is not as prevalent with a thriving piracy industry. So people would not have many problems getting their hands on the movie’s DVD or watching it late night on cable – ban or no ban.

Ali Zafar has been pursuing the highest echelons in Pakistan to get the film approved. An appeal has been made to Pakistan’s president and prime minister to lift the imposed ban on Tere Bin Laden. Governor Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer, has also been tweeting about his efforts to convince the Ministry of Cultural to give the movie a chance in the Pakistani cinemas.

Will the efforts bear fruit? Only time will tell. Until then, catch Ali Zafar’s Tere Bin Laden on cable or grab a DVD with popcorn, friends and family.

You won’t be disappointed.