Hindu organization in Nepal, Vishow Hindu Mahasangh, has asked the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu to stop screening of Rekha Thapa‘s movie ‘Hifajat’ (Letter attached below). In response, the CDO of Kathmandu, Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, has stopped the screening of the movie.

The film maker and other film professionals however have protested the CDO’s action.
They argued that the movie was being screened after receiving the government permission and after being passed by the censor board. By the order of the CDO, the police has removed the posters of the movie and stopped the screening at Puspanjali and Asthanarayan Cinema Halls in Kathmandu.

Our friends at MoviesNepal have rightly said that religion shouldn’t be brought in such a minor issue:

… Making a god on a fashion item doesn’t demand protest… बरु उक्त फिल्मको पोस्टर, जसमा विदेशी पोस्टरको हुबहु नक्कल गरिएको छ, तेस्को बिरोध हुनु पर्छ.

Rekha Thapa has worn a yellow dress with ‘Hare-Ram Hare-Krishna’ scripts in the song ‘Naran Naran …’ and a fight scene. The scenes of dance(03:05) and the fight scenes (00:30) can be seen in the following trailer.

In the letter, the Hindu organization has accused the actress of downgrading the religion by wearing a ‘ripped dress’ with Hindu chants ‘Ram-Krishna-Shiva’ written on it. They also told that the writing is upside down in the dress (it doesn’t seem so in the attached photo).

I was wondering what the following writing on the letter mean (It is actually written on the dress not on the body):

… “Hariram Harekrishna, Om Namah Sibhaya” chants written on sensitive parts of women’s body…

If writing chants on body is against Hindu sentiments why don’t they talk with Esha Deol, an Indian actress, about removing Gyatri Matra tattoo on her back ?

The letter is signed by Kamala Sharma of Dharma Sanskriti Sanrachan Manch (Religion Protection Forum), Mahamaya Prasad Singh of Vishow Hindu Mahasangh (World Hindu Organization), and Bijayajung Rayamajhi of Vishow Hindu Yuva Sangh (World Hindu Youth Organization).

The organization has been trying to reinstall the “Only Hindu Country in the World” status of Nepal. They also regard the ousted king, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

A team comprising of actress Rekha Thapa, producer Chhabi Ojha, director Gyanendra Deuja, actor Aayoush Rizal, KP Pathak, Rajkumar Rai, Ashok Sharma, Yuvaraj Lama, Udaya Subba, Suresh Darpan Pokharel and others went to meet the CDO in protest. They were planning to meet the officials of Vishow Hindu Mahasang to discuss the matter.

UPDATE : Other bloggers are also talking about the issue: (Please post links to your blog in comment,  if you want yours to be featured here)

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• Mysansar
• Moviesnepal