A film theatre in Islamabad finds itself in the eye of a storm after secretly screening Bollywood blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham last weekend as the audience, mostly youngsters, began dancing to its irresistible tunes, including Vande Mataram and 'Sare Jahan Se Accha, Hindustan Hamara'.
The theatre, Melody, in central Islamabad reportedly violated the ban on screening Indian movies and held a private show on Saturday midnight for an exclusively invited audience, local daily The Nation alleged.
Although the theatre management has denied charges of having screened the movie, the newspaper said young invitees danced to the tunes of Indian patriotic songs.
The show apparently was in violation of a ban on exhibition of Indian movies and on Indian television channels.
"The theatre's decision to show K3G may have been aimed at accelerating the proposed peace process between the two countries besides increasing people to people contacts and cultural ties," the daily said.
Interestingly, the newspaper quoted an attendant of the theatre complaining that Indian films and channels were banned for the common man while the elite enjoyed them in secret shows.
"Here the elite is allowed to violate the law of the land but a similar right is denied to common citizens," he told the paper.