# Zindagi Tamasha

Zindagi Tamasha, titled Circus of Life in English, is a 2019 Pakistani drama film directed by Sarmad Khoosat. It premiered at the 24th Busan International Film Festival and went on to win notable awards at both Busan and the 2021 Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles. The release of the film was repeatedly delayed due to censorship concerns and protests by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.
After multiple delayed releases and the censorship it faced, it was eventually released on YouTube on 4 August 2023. Later, it was also made available on myco app. In a groundbreaking move, TikTok collaborated with Khoosat Films to bring Zindagi Tamasha to its platform, marking the first-ever full-length film release on the popular short-form video app.

## Plot

A devout Muslim who writes, composes, and even records hymns praising the Prophet Muhammad, Rahat is a respected elderly man who works in real estate and takes care of his bedridden wife. One day, he attends the wedding of a friend's son, where he inadvertently shows off a dance in front of his friends. His dance gets recorded and then uploaded to social media, which then gets broadcast on television. And the chaos begins to ensue in his quiet life. Other than his wife, no one else in the world understands Rahat's circumstances. His daughters and neighbors criticize him, his friends turn their backs on him. Circus of Life provides a calm and detailed picture of challenging issues, in a strict Muslim society and the search for the identity of an elderly man who gradually comes to realize his "minoritiness".

## Cast

* Arif Hassan as Rahat Khawaja; a devout Muslim becomes victim of a leaked video
* Samiya Mumtaz as Farkhanda; Rahat's bedridden wife
* Eman Suleman as Sadaf; Rahat and Farkhanda's daughter
* Ali Kureshi as Danish; Sadaf's husband
* Faani Jan as Faisal; Rahat's friend, Asad's father
* Arslan Khan as Asad; Faisal's son
* Adeel Afzal as Usman; a DVD shop owner
* Shahrus Khan as Muzammil; leaks Rahat's dancing video
* Zoya Uzair as Amara; Sadaf's co-producer
* Sikandar Nawaz Rajpoot as Young eunuch; eunuch in the neighborhood of Rahat

### Cameos

* Nadia Afgan as Saira; TV show host
* Mehar Bano as cousin
* Sarmad Khoosat as dancer
* Adnan Jahangir as classical dancer

## Production

Zindagi Tamasha is a Pakistani drama film directed by Sarmad Khoosat.
The title of the film is inspired by the eponymous song of the film Naukar Wohti Da (1974), the rights of which were purchased by Khoosat. It is produced by Khoosat's sister, Kanwal Khoosat and written by Nirmal Bano. The film features Arif Hassan, Eman Suleman, Samiya Mumtaz and Ali Kureshi.
This film shows an intimate portrait of a family who lives in Lahore.

## Release

Zindagi Tamasha premiered at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on 6 October 2019 under the section "A Window on Asian Cinema". The film was set to release on 24 January 2020 under the banner of Khoosat Films, however, Pakistan's Central Film Censor Board asked director of film to approach the Council of Islamic Ideology for critically reviewing his film, after which its release was postponed due to the widespread protests by the political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan against the release of the film.
It was then decided to release the film in theaters on 18 March 2022 as announced in the trailer which was re-released in December 2021. However, the release was postponed and the reasons were remain hidden.
In August 2023, the film was then decided to release on YouTube and Vimeo as announced by Khoosat who stated that he wants to free his film in this month of Independence. The film was eventually released on 4 August 2023 on YouTube.

## Accolades

Zindagi Tamasha was selected as Pakistan's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but was not nominated.
The film was awarded the Kim Ji-Seok Award at the Busan International Film Festival.
As of March 2021, it had won four awards, including the Snow Leopard Awards for Best Film and Best Actor for Arif Hassan at the 6th Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles in March 2021.

## Controversy

After releasing its first teaser, this film become controversial. Its teaser was removed from YouTube. The release of the film was suspended after religious uproar. Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's Khadim Hussain Rizvi promoted protests on the release of this film. Rizvi further accused Khoosat of blasphemy. The supposedly "blasphemous" material includes criticism of ulama and an alleged reference to bacha bazi.
Detractors of Rizvi were quick to point out that suggest criticism of ulama is blasphemous, may in itself constitute blasphemy as it implies ulama hold sacred or holy rank. Rizvi was also criticized for using charges of blasphemy to prevent criticism of religious fundamentalism. No charges against Rizvi have been filed at this point for engaging in blasphemy. A petition against TLP was subsequently filed by Irfan Ali Khoosat, director of Khoosat Films. The Sindh government also banned the film.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed and produced by Saakin and released on 9 November 2019.