A critically acclaimed Pakistani film on Islam has been released across cinemas in India.

It is the first Pakistani film to get a wide commercial release in India in over four decades.

Khuda Kay Liye (In the Name of God) focuses on the lives of Muslims after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.

"It's been long that terrorism has been linked with Muslims and it has become synonymous with the community," Shah said, the Reuters news agency reports.

"It was high time that an answer to this was given to the West... That is the only reason that this film has mostly been made in English, to cater to the western audiences."

"It is a very good movie and more films like this should be made," Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar said.