Why Is Barbie Banned In These Nations

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, has been playing to sold-out crowds across the United States since its debut on Friday. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, as well as an ensemble cast that includes, among others, Will Farrel, America Farrera, Simu Liu, and Dua Lipa. While the film has been praised throughout the world, it has encountered a stumbling block in Pakistan, and its release date has been temporarily postponed. 

According to rumors, Islamabad is considering a ban due to the film's LGBTQ+ themes. 

Barbie has been temporarily banned in Pakistan.

The Censor Board of Pakistan's Punjab province has provisionally banned the film due to 'objectionable' content. The film's suspension will be removed, according to sources, when the censor board reevaluates the content and eliminates the problematic information.  The film will be released in Pakistani theaters at a later date since the procedure would take a few days. 

Ban on Barbie in other Muslim nations 

Pakistan is not the only Muslim country that has outlawed the film. Other Islamic countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, have banned the film, as most Islamic countries do not support pro-LGBTQ content. Hollywood films and television shows with pro-LGBTQ material are frequently scrutinized in these nations. 

While several nations have called for Barbie to be cut, it has been outlawed in Iran, Russia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Why is Barbie being banned?

The video was temporarily banned in Russia because Moscow believes it fosters a consumerist mindset among newborns. Meanwhile, Vietnam and the Philippines have prohibited it owing to its representation of the Nice Dash Line, which these countries allege breaches their sovereignty because depicting this line reinforces China's claims in the South China Sea, which these countries have flatly rejected.

Critics have mainly given the film good reviews. Shomini Sen of WION described the film as a smart parody. "With several pop culture references, Barbie is truly Meta." In this room, Mattel's CEO chats about dolls, business, and small girls while getting tickled by his staff, who are all dressed in corporate suits. At various points in the novel, dolls are mistaken for humans, and humans travel to the doll realm to solve things or even explore deeper into inner tensions. It's a fine line that Greta expertly walks throughout the film's plot. "Everything is plastic and fake but very real," Sen said in her evaluation.  Read the complete film review here.