MOVIES

'Is this a pro-Pakistani film?'

By Sonil Dedhia
March 13, 2014 17:48 IST

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has objections to Total Siyappa, starring Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam.

HJS feels the film glorifies Pakistan and shows India in bad light.

Directed by E Niwas, the film tells the story of a Pakistani youth (Zafar) settled in London, and his relationship with an Indian girl (Gautam).

Manoj Solanki, the HJS convener in Goa, objects to dialogues in the film.

"There are dialogues like 'In India, more people die of corruption than a bomb blast in Pakistan' and 'R&AW is more dangerous than the ISI.' They seriously insult our country. Is this a pro-Pakistani film?" Solanki asks.

He also questions the film's producers. "Are they not Indians? They show India in a bad light."

"I am not against Hindu-Muslim weddings, but the movie shows a different approach," says Solanki. "It is probably the first film to show a Pakistani guy falling in love with an Indian girl."

Solanki mentions Sunny Deol's 2001 blockbuster Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, which was banned in Pakistan. "When Gadar released, there was an uproar in Pakistan. The film wasn't even allowed to release there."

"The government should immediately ban the film," Solanki says.

E Niwas, the film's director, said he isn't aware of the HJS's objection.

"All I can say is that the dialogues aren't meant to be taken in the literal sense. It's a film. We are not judging any country or community through it," says E Niwas about his film which has bombed at the box office.

Sonil Dedhia in Mumbai

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