ONLY a few weeks after “Barfi,” a Bollywood flick with a Nepali actor playing an important part, won the hearts of the Nepali audience, a majority of the cinema halls around the country have shut down. The halls were forced to shut shop starting Monday following the ‘ban’ on screening of Hindi movies by CPN-Maoist. Apparently, these movies undermine Nepali culture and are demeaning to Nepali people. The hall owners decided to shutter down not because they agree with the decree, but because they fear reprisal from the hard-line communist party. This has reportedly resulted in a collective daily loss of up to Rs. 2.5 million to cinema halls around the country. More than the financial loss, this has raised serious doubts on the intentions of CPN-Maoist.
The then CPN (Maoist), which later turned into UCPN (Maoist), started a decade-long armed struggle against the state in 1996. Despite their violent history, people trusted them with their votes in 2008 CA polls, giving the former rebels a benefit of doubt that they would not return to violent ways. But just four years down the line, the party has not only failed to meet people’s aspirations, it has witnessed a damaging split, with the Maoist ideologue Mohan Baidya deciding to break ranks with the mother party. Now CPN-Maoist under Baidya is trying to reorganize its cadres and spread its wings all over the country to restart the “people’s war” all over again. There is no doubt that CPN-Maoist is trying to make its presence felt, both at national and international level. The current ban on Hindi movies is its latest publicity stunt towards that goal.[break]
It is not difficult to understand that CPN-Maoist is seeking our southern neighbor’s attention by banning Hindi movies and stopping vehicles with Indian number plates from entering Nepal. Anti-India rhetoric has always been an attractive tool for Nepali parties to garner people’s attention and prove their ‘nationalist’ credentials. And CPN-Maoist is no exception. Their brand of ‘nationalism’ has always been centered on anti-India agenda. But the party should understand that by banning Hindi movies, it has not only worried those trying to consolidate Nepal-India relations but has also deprived Nepalis of their right to entertainment. In other words, common people understand that CPN-Maoist’s ban on Indian movies and vehicles is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Even more damaging for the party might be getting into the southern neighbor’s bad books this early in its life.
A section of the society has been arguing that this ban on Hindi movies will ultimately help Nepali movies prosper. But Nepali movies by themselves are not enough for hall owners to sustain themselves, as they are yet to attract sizable audiences in Kathmandu, especially at multiplexes. But if the ban continues, what it will certainly do is lead to the closer of cinema halls, which could send out a negative message on the country’s investment prospects. Veteran actor Neer Shah feels the ban is a violation of human rights. We second his argument. It is not for CPN-Maoist to dictate what Nepali people should watch. Nepalis have been watching Hindi movies for generations; they have no reason to give the movies up just because a group of hotheads deems them ‘immoral’. We urge CPN-Maoist to respect people’s ability to make informed choices for themselves and withdraw the movie ban immediately.
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