The release of the Indian film “Dhurandhar” has been banned in six Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, for showing anti-Pakistan content.
These countries have objected to the presence of biased content against Pakistan in the film, due to which the screening of this film was banned. “Dhurandhar” is an Indian film in which negative content against Pakistan is shown on an important occasion. It presented the Pakistani army in a negative light, and through this, an attempt was made to arouse the emotions of Indians. The story of the film and the scenes presented in it not only gave rise to political but also cultural sensitivities, due to which Gulf countries objected to it.
The Gulf states rejected the request for the screening of the film, saying that the content in the film did not comply with their social and political principles. These countries have a large Pakistani community, and they feared that the screening of the film could further increase the already existing tension between Pakistan and India.
The Gulf authorities made it clear that they had decided to ban it in view of the nature of the film’s content. They said, “Our top priority is to protect the sentiments of our people, and showing such films in any country that could cause international controversy is not acceptable to us.”
This is not the first time that Indian films have been banned in the Gulf. Various Indian films have been banned in the Gulf before due to their political or religious content. For example, films like “Padmaavat” and “Kashmir Files” were also banned in several Gulf countries.
The Pakistani community has welcomed the ban and said that the screening of such content could further strain relations between the two countries. They say that films and media exacerbate hostility between the two countries and create a negative image globally.
A spokesperson for the Indian film industry, reacting to the ban, said, “We did not target any nation or religion in making the film; however, we believe that we should respect these restrictions, keeping in mind the different laws and sensitivities of different countries.”
This incident is another example of how the sensitivity of films and other media content is taken into account globally. Whenever content is politically or culturally controversial, it can be banned, especially when that content challenges the national or cultural sensitivities of a country. The ban on Indian films has become a major issue in Gulf countries, and such incidents could lead to similar restrictions in the future.
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