From Joyland to Khamosh Pani: A list of Pakistani films that have been banned over the years.

Pakistani cinema has often been criticised on social media for not exploring enough genres and sticking with overly done romantic story arc but the minute a new story arrives in the market, it either gets banned or becomes mired in controversy. We saw that happen before our very eyes with Saim Sadiq's internationally recognised film Joyland.

The film was given the green light to release in Pakistan on November 18 but a week before its release, the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) revoked the censor certificate granted to the filmmaker months ago over written complaints received about the still unreleased film. But is Joyland the only film that has received this treatment in Pakistan? No.

Here are some Pakistani films that have been banned in the country, courtesy of Twitter user Javaria Waseem.

Jago Hua Savera (1959)

Jago Hua Savera told the story of East Pakistani fishermen and their struggles with loan sharks, set and shot in modern-day Bangladesh. Directed by Lahore-based director A J Kardar, the film boasted a screenplay by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. However, just days before its premiere, it was stalled by General Ayub Khan. It was a joint production of East and West Pakistan.

Jibon Theke Neya (1970)

Zahir Raihan's political satire Jibon Theke Neya (1970) was a Bengali-language Pakistani film that the government had repeatedly tried to halt. According to IMDb, the film portrayed the Bengali Language Movement of 1952 and was a tribute to the martyrs of the movement. The story presents a dominating image of a woman in a family consisting of her husband, two brothers and servants. It symbolised Ayub Khan's regime while representing 1969's mass uprising and the arrest of political workers.

Insan Aur Gadha (1973)

Insan Aur Gadha was a political satire film by Syed Kamal. The film stars famous comedian Rangeela and was a satirical take on the human condition in Pakistan. Rangeela played the human version of a donkey who had prayed to God to transform him into a human being. Weeks after its release, the film was banned by the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government based on a scene from the film that was a parody of the political leader.

Aurat Raj (1979)

Produced and directed by Rangeela, film Aurat Raj was one of the first Pakistani feminist movies. It was released to much hype, ran in cinemas, and was then banned.

Maula Jatt (1979)

Punjabi musical Maula Jatt directed by Younis Malik was banned shortly after its release due to its 'excessive sexual content...