Nepal Maoists lift ban on Hindi movies

Hindi movies are back in cinema theatres in Nepal from Thursday----10 days after hall owners decided to stop screening them following a ban imposed by a breakaway faction of ruling Maoists.

Updated on: Oct 11, 2012, 13:03:04 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Hindi movies are back in cinema theatres in Nepal from Thursday----10 days after hall owners decided to stop screening them following a ban imposed by a breakaway faction of ruling Maoists.

A statement issued by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist on Thursday stated that the party decided to lift the ban across the country in view of the coming festive season.

The party headed by hardliner Mohan Baidya, which split from the ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in June, had called for a ban on Hindi movies from September 10.

It is not yet clear whether the ban will again come into force once the Dashain and Tihar festivals end in mid November.

The party had imposed a ban on ‘vulgar’ Hindi movies in a bid to ‘safeguard national sovereignty’ and ‘promote a self-reliant economy’.

Multiplexes and single screen theatres in Kathmandu began screening ‘Barfi’, ‘Heroine’, ‘Oh My God’ and ‘Kamal Dhamal Malamaal’---Hindi movies which were released before screening was stopped.

New releases like ‘Makhhi’ and comeback films of Sridevi (‘English Vinglish’) and Nepal’s Manisha Koirala (‘Bhoot Returns’) are likely to hit the screens from Friday or next week.

Due to the ban hall owners were either forced to down shutters or screen Nepali movies in few screens on discounted rates. But the response from movie goers was not enthusiastic.

“Movie halls incurred losses valued at nearly NRs 2.5 crore (Rs. 1.5 crore approx) during the 10 days from October 1 to October 10,” said Ashok Sarma, managing director of Digital Cinema.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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