Adipurush row: Nepal halts screening of the movie in Kathmandu

On 18 June, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah ordered all movie theatres in Nepal’s capital to stop showing all Bollywood movies. Three days ago, Shah sent a final letter to the Indian producers of “Adipurush”, asking them to remove part of the dialogue referring to Sita as “India’s daughter”.

Mr. Shah called the speech false because Sita was believed to be the daughter of King Janak of Janakpur. The conflict in Nepal is the latest in a movie that has been at the centre of the controversial debate.

Kathmandu Mayor demands ban on all ‘Hindi’ movies, claims Janaki was not Indian

“Three days ago, we called on the producers of Adipurush to remove the stigma that made Janaki an Indian woman. Defending Nepal’s freedom, independence and Self-respect is the main responsibility of the Nepalese government, NGOs and Nepalese citizens.

This objection is from the movie. If it is removed, no Indian films will be allowed to be shown in the Kathmandu region,” he said. The Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah appears determined to stop showing all Hindi-language films currently showing in all 17 cinemas in the capital.

The movie has been criticized on social media for its bad visuals and dialogues, Manoj Muntashir Shukla, Lord Hanuman’s dialogue in ‘Lanka Dahan’ etc. Many viewers and party leaders noted that the language of the characters, especially Bajran (Hanuman) played by Devdatta Nageh, was too simplistic. The makers said that with a budget of Rs 500, Adipurush raised Rs 240 crore in two days.