Local communities in violence-hit Manipur screen Bollywood hits to defy two-decade long ban against 'Indianisation'

In a display of defiance against a 23-year-long ban on Hindi movies imposed by an armed outfit, Manipur's Kuki-Zomi-Hmar-Zo community celebrated Independence Day by organizing an open-air screening of Bollywood blockbusters in Churachandpur. The ban was originally enacted by the outfit to hinder what they termed as "the process of Indianisation". As per a TOI report, the event, held at the Tuithaphai joint headquarters of the Hmar Students' Association, was intended to mark their opposition to the anti-national terror groups.

Movies like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hain", a 1998 hit that was the last Hindi film screened in Manipur, along with classics like "Sholay" from the 70s and the more contemporary war drama "Uri: The Surgical Strike", were part of the Bollywood lineup. The open-air theatre was erected on the campus of the student organization at Rengaki in Tuithaphai district, an area that has been affected by ethnic violence in recent times.

Lalremsang, an executive member of the association, highlighted the importance of public access to performing arts and movies produced across India. He emphasized that the ban on Hindi films by militants was driven by a perception that these movies exert a negative influence on Manipuri culture. The association aimed to challenge this notion through their event. Notably, even films like the Priyanka Chopra starrer "Mary Kom" (2014), a tribute to the world boxing champion, have never been screened in Manipur.