Manoj Muntashir publicly apologises for ‘Adipurush’ fiasco
Almost six months after he stoked the controversy over ‘Adipurush’ with his statements, lyricist-writer Manoj Muntashir has apologised for the dialogues he wrote for the film.
In a recent development, the Kathmandu metropolitan area has made the decision to stop screening all Hindi films in theatres and multiplexes, effective from June 19.
This move comes after Mayor Balen Shah expressed his concerns on social media regarding the controversy surrounding the film ‘Adipurush’, where it is claimed that Sita, a prominent mythological character, is portrayed as the daughter of India.
Mayor Balen Shah took to Facebook to address the issue, stating, “Three days ago, we demanded the removal of the objectionable message that Janaki is an Indian daughter, which was included in the Indian movie ‘Adipurush’. It is the responsibility of every government, governmental organization, non-governmental sector, and Nepali citizen to safeguard the national interest and preserve Nepal’s freedom, independence, and self-respect.”
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The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has taken measures to prevent the screening of the film ‘Adipurush’ by deploying city police officers to the theaters within the metropolis starting from Monday.
Shah further emphasized that the constitution of Nepal, specifically Clause 6 of Article 5 and Article 56, assigns the duty of protecting the national interest to the federal, state, and local governments. Mayor Balen Shah expressed concerns that if the film is shown without any modifications, it could potentially cause severe and irreparable damage to Nepal’s national identity, cultural unity, and sovereignty. The film’s depiction was seen as a form of cultural encroachment on Nepal, drawing significant attention to the metropolitan city.
As a measure to uphold the national interest, the Kathmandu metropolitan area has decided to prohibit the screening of the aforementioned film. The ban will be limited to the Kathmandu metropolitan area, allowing the film to be shown in other regions of the country unless the local authorities of those places decide otherwise.
Following Mayor Balen Shah’s initial reaction to the film, Asim Shah, a leader from the Rashtriya Swatantra Party Nepal, raised the issue in the Nepali House of Representatives. He advocated for a ban on the film to protect the cultural heritage of the country.
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