Kathmandu. Observers are concerned over the deteriorating Nepal-India relations as Nepal’s Ministry of Information and Communication issued new regulations for screening of national and international movies in the country, according to media reports Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009. The new regulations come after the country-wide protests against a Bollywood film ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ featuring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone. In fact, the controversy marred the relations between India and Nepal.
According to the new guidelines, producers or distributors must take permission from the Nepal Film Development Board to screen any film within Nepal. In case of international films, English translation of the film's script should be submitted to the Censor Board and the film can only be screened once it is approved by the Board.
The Nepali government has taken these measures following the release of ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ in Nepal, reports say. The Nepalis were furious over a scene where film’s hero (Akshay Kumar) is described as a man hailing from the birth place of Lord Buddha (India).
However, the fact is that Lord was Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal, which is revered by Buddhists all over the world. Nepalis are proud of this fact. Later, the scene was deleted in Nepal, but it was retained in India and elsewhere.
The Indian producer of the film Ramesh Sippy has apologised for the mistake. Talking to reporters Monday, Sippy said the film did not intend to hurt anyone's feelings. But, he admitted the film's script team fell short in research while handling a historical fact.
"The controversial scene is just a voiceover and was not even required. It would be deleted," he said apologising on behalf of the entire cast and crew.
Bollywood films are popular in Nepal as most of the country understands the main language of these films- Hindi. The Nepali film industry is yet to assert itself.
The making of Nepali films is said to have begun with D. B. Pariyar's Satya Harishchandra, which was the first Nepali Language film to be shot. It was produced from Kolkata, India, and was released on September 14, 1951, says the internet-based Wikipedia.
Manisha Koirala in Maniratnam's 'Bombay'The most famous actress of Nepali origin in Bollywood has been Manisha Koirala who was born in Kathmandu in the family of a former Prime Minister of Nepal. Making her acting debut in Nepali movie Pheri Bhetaula (1989), Koirala made her acting debut in Bollywood with Subhash Ghai's top grossing drama Saudagar (1991).
Nepal Film Producer's Association (NFPA) was established in 1998 ‘when it became inevitable to protect Nepali cinema and assert itself amidst both healthy and unhealthy competition in the sector,’ says the NFPA.