Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture has been cleared for release in Pakistan by the Central Board of Film Censors, Islamabad. Screenings begin this Friday, December 9th. Earlier, the Pakistan Censor Board had refused to clear the movie for release in their country. Earlier this year, Delhi Belly too was not cleared for a release there.

The Dirty Picture was submitted for review to the Censor Board of Pakistan after it was cleared by the Indian Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). "However, they rejected the application saying it is not suitable for theatrical release in Pakistan," reveals a source, adding, "They deemed the movie inappropriate for viewership in Pakistan, due to its bold and controversial content."

Tanuj Garg, CEO of producer Ekta Kapoor's company confirmed the news, saying, "Yes, our overseas distributor informed us that Pakistan Censor Board deemed the movie unsuitable for theatrical exhibition. Unfortunately, the audience in that country will not have a legitimate means of viewing the film which is sad given the huge buzz there for the film." The Dirty Picture, starring Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor released in India on December 2.