FOLLOWING THE controversy surrounding a dialogue in the Indian film Adipurush, both Kathmandu Metropolis and Pokhara Metropolitan City in the neighbouring Nepal have imposed a ban on the screening of Indian films. The mayors of both cities issued orders directing cinema halls to stop showing Bollywood films and replace them with Hollywood and Nepali movies.
Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah took to Facebook to announce the ban and deployed the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police to enforce it. The mayor stated that the dialogue in Adipurush claiming Janaki as India's daughter was objectionable and demanded its correction within three days. He emphasised the duty of all government authorities to protect the national interest and prevent damage to Nepal's nationality, cultural unity, and national identity.
Mayor Shah further asserted that if the film continued to be shown as it is, Nepal's cultural integrity would be severely damaged. Therefore, the screening of Indian films in Kathmandu was prohibited until the objectionable parts were removed from Adipurush. The Kathmandu Metropolitan Police relayed the ban to the 17 film theaters in the city.
Pokhara mayor Dhanraj Acharya sent letters to three movie theatres asking them to stop the screening of all Indian films.
In response to the ban, the production company of Adipurush, 'T-Series,' wrote a letter to the Nepali Mayor expressing that it was never their intention to cause disharmony and defending the disputed dialogue as a means of showing respect towards women. They requested the film to be viewed in its artistic form and emphasised the intention to create interest in history among a wider audience.
The controversy arose due to a dialogue in Adipurush that stated, "Janaki is a daughter of India." The dialogue was removed in Nepal after objections from the country's censor board, leading to a delay in the film's release.
Mayor Shah had previously written letters to various government bodies, urging them to take diplomatic measures with India to remove the dialogue and declaring that no Hindi films would be allowed in Kathmandu until the controversial wording was eliminated in both Nepal and India.
The ban on Indian films in Kathmandu and Pokhara highlights concerns over cultural encroachment and the protection of national interests. The authorities aim to address these issues and maintain the integrity of Nepal's cultural identity.
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