Afghan cultural sensitivities..
I cannot say that I follow the Indian film industry closely, but I believe it has sparked its first diplomatic row since the 'Rushdie' film, this time with 'Kabul Express', set in Afghanistan at the time of the fall of the Taliban. It is the dialogue that does it, apparently, with the Hazara people described as the '"most dangerous tribe of Afghanistan" for whom "looting is their business."' One of the characters runs through the horrors one might suffer at the hands of the Hazaras, with this deathless pay off: "Then they would have sold your car in Pakistan".
Given that the film has not been in released in Kabul, Kandahar, or come to that the Tora Bora Ritzy, the Afghan government would appear to either have had a Tessa Jowell 'Brass Eye' fit, or else the powers that be have been watching a pirated video tape. Meanwhile, "Afghanistan's Outlook newspaper reported on Saturday that the independent Afghan TV had announced a 72-hour ban on Indian songs or films, a mainstay of Afghan entertainment, in protest" and rather more ominously, the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission thinks "the perpetrators should be brought to justice". Gulp.
Meanwhile, I've had reports of troubles posting since yesterday's blogger maintenance and seen a few multiple postings of comments. Please e-mail me if having problems posting.
Given that the film has not been in released in Kabul, Kandahar, or come to that the Tora Bora Ritzy, the Afghan government would appear to either have had a Tessa Jowell 'Brass Eye' fit, or else the powers that be have been watching a pirated video tape. Meanwhile, "Afghanistan's Outlook newspaper reported on Saturday that the independent Afghan TV had announced a 72-hour ban on Indian songs or films, a mainstay of Afghan entertainment, in protest" and rather more ominously, the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission thinks "the perpetrators should be brought to justice". Gulp.
Meanwhile, I've had reports of troubles posting since yesterday's blogger maintenance and seen a few multiple postings of comments. Please e-mail me if having problems posting.
Labels: Media, South Asia
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on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 6:57 am.
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Is this a musical? It would be done best as a jolly adventure with coy glances ,side to side head wiggling and lots of colour . It’s a shame it usually sounds like screeching cats in dentist drill disharmony.
Noooo no no please don`t cut off my feet
So sorry but I `ll try to make it neat
Please you bandit with your ratty beard
Don`t sell my car to Pakistan( how weird)
?
Not forgetting the all important intercuts of waterfalls and crashing waves when the lovers kiss.
Something similar happening with a film/doc called Obsession over at Dizzy's Blog.
Teri - "a film/doc called Obsession"? You mean the "Obsession" that prompted the murder by a Moroccan immigrant on the streets of Amsterdam of filmmaker Theo van Gogh and the pinning of a death threat to Hirsi Ali on his chest with a stiletto as he lay on the road dying? That "film/doc"?
To the film in Afghanistan, there will have to be pillars. Lots of pillars for the lovers to peek around and dance around with verve.
Point of order, that was 'Submission'.
You're right, Croydonian! I have a feeling Obsession is also about muslims, though ... and it may have been made by Hirsi Ali? She was always going to do a follow-up to 'Submission'.
Yes, Obsession is about radical Islam, but not by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. I do owe Teri an apology.
Melanie Phillips reprints an excellent description of the war we are in now over on her website. Unless we face this war, there will be no Gates of Vienna this round.
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