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"Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag", Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma's
much-talked about remake of the blockbuster Hindi film "Sholay",
has come under fire from Maoists in Nepal, who say the film has
obscene scenes that would pollute society.
The controversial remake, which was released in four cinemas in
Kathmandu Valley Friday, has been especially taken to task for a
sizzling dance number featuring Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar.
In her bid to outdo the "Mehbooba, mehbooba" number danced in the
original film by Bollywood's former siren Helen, the scantily clad
Urmila and her troupe go through a vigorous bump and grind routine
in the best approved Bollywood tradition in "Aag".
The posters in Kathmandu's multiplexes advertising "Aag" show an
image from the dance.
The number created a furore in Nepal's film censor board that was
revamped last month to include a Maoist representative.
Chhintang, the Maoist man on the board who comes from the
guerrillas' cultural brigade, objected to the "vulgar" gyrations
and recommended that the film be screened either with cuts or with
an 'A' certificate, that would keep away viewers under 18.
"We are now going to strictly censor scenes that promote
obscenity," the Maoist censor reportedly told a Nepali tabloid. "No
one can do whatever they want to now, as they could do in the
past."
Another member of the censor board, producer Shyam Sapkota, also
agreed with the Maoist member that the film had obscene scenes, the
Naya Patrika daily said.
Despite the censorship, the valley's theatres however are yet to
run the film under 'A' certificate to keep away minors.
One cinema said it had pasted a notice to that effect in the hall
but it had been torn up. Others said they did not know about any
censorship. The censors said they had "taken serious note" of the
flouting of their instructions by the theatres.
The Maoist controversy may be just the thing Varma needs to perk up
viewership of a remake that is bound to get unflattering
comparisons with the original film.
On Saturday, the first review of "Aag" in Nepal panned it severely,
saying "Varma proves one known fact - 'Sholay' cannot be remade."
"'Aag' is a disappointment," the Himalayan Times daily said. "It
does not have the masala, action, hard-hitting acting, all-time
favourite one-liners or the songs the original had."
Earlier this year, the Maoists' women wing waged war on Nepal's
best known beauty contest, Miss Nepal sponsored by Dabur Nepal, on
the ground that it promoted women as a commodity and made them show
skin.
However, despite vigorous protests that were also taken up by some
rights groups, the Maoist minister for information and culture did
not order the state-run television station to stop broadcasting the
pageant live.
This is probably the first time that a Hindi film has come under
censors' scissors in Nepal for obscenity.
Other films banned or censored in the past were done so due to
political reasons.
Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan's films were banned for some
time after violence erupted in Nepal in 2000 over anti-Nepal
statements wrongly attributed to him.
Last year, Manisha Koirala's films and posters were "banned" by
the Maoists for supporting the controversial municipal election
held by King Gyanendra that was boycotted by all major parties.
Indo-Asian News Service
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