In a move to stop bad pictures, nudity and mujra in stage plays, the Punjab government made the “Punjab Theatrical Performance Ordinance 2023.”
This law replaces the old Dramatic Performance Act of 1876. It aims to control and watch over stage plays in Punjab more strictly.
All theatre halls, including those in Lahore, now come under the Information and Culture Department.
The Punjab Arts Council (PCA) now oversees all theatre activities. This change follows earlier attempts to stop bad content in big theatres, which had many legal problems.
The PCA now controls everything about stage plays, from approving scripts to watching and punishing.
Before, the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and the Home Department watched theatre activities and talked about problems. But often, actions happened after plays were done and artists had moved on.
The PCA now advises the government on all arts and culture policies, as per Section 10 (a) of the Punjab Council of Arts Act, 1975.
A PCA committee reviewed the old Dramatic Performance Act and suggested changes to make it stronger. The PCA will now make rules for big theatres, making sure everything from scripts to plays is watched.
Artists are happy about this change. They think it will help stop bad things on stage. Qaiser Sanaullah, Chairman of the Punjab Theatres Producers and Artists Association, was one of the first to speak against bad things in theatres.
He said we should make plays for families and liked the play “Zill-e-Shah” at Tamashil Theatre.
Sanaullah thinks the new Drama Act will bring back the old glory of stage plays by stopping bad things.
He thinks this will make more plays for families, making Punjab’s culture better.
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