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Movie screening in Manipur: On Independence Day, a Hindi movie will be shown in the ethnically troubled Manipur for the first time in more than twenty years. The Hmar Students’ Association (HSA), a tribal organization, has scheduled a Hindi movie screening for Tuesday night at Rengkai (Lamka), in the Churachandpur district. The title of the movie was not stated, though.
HSA’s statement
In a statement released after Monday’s midnight, the HSA said that on Tuesday, in honor of the nation’s Independence Day, they would screen a Hindi movie in public.
“This is to show our defiance and opposition to terror groups which have subjugated the tribals for decades,” the statement said.
“Join us in taking a pledge to continue our fight for freedom and justice,” it added.
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Last Movie screening in Manipur
The HSA said the last Hindi film that was publicly screened in Manipur was ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ in 1998. State government had earlier screened “Kashmir Files” and “Rocketry” for a limited audience in Imphal.
“We will be declaring our freedom from the anti-national terror groups who have announced a boycott of Independence Day,” the statement added.
The ban on screening of Hindi films was imposed in September 2000 by rebel outfit Revolutionary Peoples’ Front.
Officials said that within a week of imposing the ban on September 12, rebels had burnt 6,000 to 8,000 video and audio cassettes and compact discs in Hindi collected from outlets in the state.
Though the RPF gave no reason for the ban in the northeastern state, cable operators said the militant group feared a negative impact of Bollywood on the state’s language and culture. Movies in Manipur have been a luxury indeed because of all this.
