Zindagi Tamasha

Loved the ending, as I was expecting controversial ending, but Mr. Sarmad covered it well. Told us about the sensitivity and didn't hurt our feelings at the same time.

The story n cinematography is excellent.

The scenes of "Mehfil.a.Naat" are the peak of story but not doing any unnecessary drama was the maturity of Director.

I think if someone had watched it n then commented there must not be such huge uproar from religious people.

Dear Sarmad Thanks for releasing it I wish could pay you for this.

Tell me how can I Send you Money so that you keep us entertained without suffering any financial loss.

Worth Watching. Lovely Movie,

Just watched it after they released it for free on youtube.

The pace of the movie is rather slow but the acting from the leading characters is very good.

There aren't any dialogues or lines in the movie that stand out (comparing to other hit Pakistani movies like Bol/Khuda Kay Liye) but some scenes are very powerful. I really liked the scenes involving the hypocrisy of the clergy.

The soundtrack is nice as well.

Some, especially the international audience, might find the story slow or boring and might not really understand the subtleties of the topics in the movie, but it is quite relevant to the Pakistani society.

It's a good effort by everyone involved.

Kudos to creative team for dealing with subject of masculinity, patriarchy and religious orthodoxy in one go. Personal is political!

Characters i liked- Rahat had a stoic presence in the way he dealt with the mayhem around him. He was just being human and enjoying his little delights. Alas! Society thinks otherwise Son In Law - Such a sweetheart. Mediator between daughter and father. Supported the family without any judgment throughout. World needs more men like this

Being from a neighbouring country, could relate to each and every nuance portrayed in the movie.

Breach of privacy and memefication of someone's personal moments, that's how our society is behaving. Mercilessly, creating stir in one's life.

Appreciate the way LGBTQ community is showcased in many Pakistani dramas. Quite sensitive.

Overall, a must, is you want to watch drama without theatrics!

Heartbroken for director Sarmad Khoosat, as his cinematic masterpiece was denied a theatrical release by higher authorities, settling for YouTube. This country's treatment of artists deprives us of quality cinema.

Undeniably one of Pakistan's finest cinematic creations, portrays the poignant story of an elderly Naat reciter who commits a mistake, not a grave sin. Tragically, he has been outcast by his community, including his own family, solely due to his age and religious profession.

This movie bravely shows the extremism in religious clergy, and ironically extremism is the reason why this movie is not released in cinemas.

P. S : This movies shows us that extremism is not always means to kill other people.

Sometimes extremism means to not forgive others for their forgivable misdeeds.

Finally, finally, finally I get to see "Zindagi Tamasha", a brainchild of the immensely talented Pakistani director, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, that had not seen the light of day in cinema screens across the country due to its criticism and depiction of the mainstream religious clergy dominating the socio-political spectrum of the country.

Unfortunately though, the only medium graced by this movie, a considerable loss for all associated with the creation of this gem, was You Tube. Khoosat, in his introductory note, is visibly emotional as he lets his creation out of a cage imposed upon it by fundamentalists that have, for decades, proved to be an impediment to free artistic growth and expression in the country.

"Zindagi Tamasha" depicts an aging man who still has an air of youthful exuberance about him along-with a genuinely affectionate heart trapped in a quagmire of criticism and societal rejection when a video of him replicating a childhood dance to his friends is posted on social media.

"Zindagi Tamasha" depicts the human need to categorize events and characters into "right" and "wrong", "good" and "evil". It talks about how an intellectually starved society has no space to cultivate acceptance and fluidity of thought, emotions and opinions. Rather, every individual is expected to fit a mold, a pre-conceived caricature of righteous and non-righteous beings. In this belief, a transgender individual is an inherently evil being while an aged man who recites religious hymns is inherently pious, devoid of any interest in activities that do not fit the ideals of a dominant sect.

Voices like Sarmad Khoosat are key in the preservation of artistic expressionism in a country that has, in recent years, lost its voice out of fear and repudiation. In a spine-chilling scene a typical Molvi (cleric) unabashedly blackmails the protagonist, Rahat Khawaja, in a crowded gathering by saying, "Lagaun naara?" ("Should I raise the allegation?"), referring to the weaponization of archaic blasphemy laws prevalent in the country that to this day are used to stifle dissenting voices and minds.

A true gem of Pakistani cinema and a beacon of hope for independent, thought-provoking film-making in a country that is in dire need of it.