Adipurush row: Pokhara joins Nepal capital Kathmandu to ban all Indian films
An announcement in this regard was made by Pokhara Mayor on Sunday, directing cinema halls in the Metropolitan city of central Nepal to stop screening of all Bollywood films starting from Monday morning.
Pokhara Metropolitan City in Nepal has joined Kathmandu Metropolis in banning the screening of Indian films following the controversy surrounding a dialogue in the movie Adipurush. The decision was announced by Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, who directed cinema halls in the central Nepali city to stop showing Bollywood films. This move came shortly after Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah enforced a similar ban in the Nepali capital.
Mayor Shah cited the objectionable dialogue in Adipurush, which referred to Janaki as India's daughter, as the reason for the ban. He emphasised the importance of protecting Nepal's national interest, freedom, independence, and self-respect. The mayor expressed concern that the film's content could potentially damage the national identity, nationality, and cultural unity of Nepal.
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In response to the ban, the cinema halls in both Kathmandu and Pokhara have replaced Hindi or Bollywood films with Hollywood and Nepali movies in their schedules. The Kathmandu Metropolitan Police has been deployed to enforce the ban on screening Indian films in the capital city, which is home to 17 film theatres.
The controversy surrounding the dialogue in Adipurush caused delays in its release in Nepal. The film production company, T-Series, addressed the issue by stating that the dialogue was not intended to cause disharmony and that it aimed to show respect towards women. They requested that the film be viewed in its artistic form and emphasised their intention to create interest in history among a wider audience.
Mayor Shah, in his earlier correspondence, requested the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to halt the screening of Indian films in Nepal until the objectionable dialogue was removed. He urged the government to take diplomatic initiatives with India to address the issue and protect Nepal's cultural integrity.
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The ban on screening Indian films in Kathmandu and Pokhara signifies the local authorities' commitment to safeguarding Nepal's national interest and cultural values. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and whether the concerns raised will be addressed by the filmmakers to pave the way for the resumption of Indian film screenings in these cities.
(With ANI inputs)
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First Published:19 Jun 2023, 10:11 AM IST
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