The film, “Tere Bin Laden,” is about a Pakistani journalist desperate to get a visa to the US who pretends to score an interview with the elusive Al-Qaeda chief after finding a look-alike. Though a Bollywood film, it is unusual because it stars a Pakistani actor, Ali Zafar.
The film was set for release in Pakistan and elsewhere on Friday. There were reports that producers would release it here by just the name “Tere Bin” to downplay the focus on the Sept. 11 mastermind.
“Tere Bin Laden” means “Without You Laden,” so the shortened version would mean “Without You.” Pakistan’s film censor board decided that, because of the Bin Laden connection, the movie could trigger terrorist attacks in a nation already suffering from them, said a senior board member.
Zafar’s manager Faraz Ahmed said the actor, currently in Mumbai, was aware of the decision but that it had not been conveyed in writing.
