HVK Archives: Border edited for UK screens
Border edited for UK screens - The Asian Age
Mahesh Hebbar
()
23 July 1997
Title: Border edited for UK screens
Author: Mahesh Hebbar
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: July 23, 1997
International distributors of the Bollywood film Border have decided to
delete two scenes from the controversial film being screened here after
intense pressure from Britain's Muslim community.
The move came after a five-member delegation from the self-styled Muslim
Parliament gave its own verdict last week, calling for censorship and
describing the film as "crude Indian propaganda that portrayed Pakistan in
the worst possible light."
The film's UK release coincided with minor rioting by Pakistani youth in
the northern town of Leeds last month.
Indian filmmakers, however, are displeased with the decision by
London-based Eros International, owners of worldwide screening rights for
Border, to pander to what they regard as extreme censorship demands.
Mr Yavar Abbas of Face Films, a UK-based filmmaker specialising in
documentaries on India, said that to "portray Pakistan as the enemy was no
doubt in bad taste" but that a "filmmaker should have the freedom to make
his point." "Censorship in any shape or form is close to fascism," he said.
When contacted, officials from Eros International refused to comment on
their decision which is likely to provoke wide-spread condemnation and
ridicule in film circles. it came only weeks after the company vowed it
would not bow to pressure and make amendments to the film.
One of the scenes to be deleted involves a Muslim-villager's gratitude to a
Hindu soldier who risks his life to retrieve a copy of the Quran from a
burning house. The Muslim Parliament's report describes the scene as
"petty and condescending" and "using the Quran to make a cheap political
point."
The second scene to be dropped involves a discussion between two Sikhs
invoking a maxim of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru. lie report
claims that this scene could damage community relations between Sikhs and
Muslims in Britain, given the current tensions that exist between the
communities in places like Slough and Southall.
While some large cinema s in northern England have opted not to screen the
film, Border has for the most part been running at cinemas across the
country for several weeks without incident. In June. four police officers
were injured and five youths arrested when a mob in Leeds attacked a video
shop that distributed the film.
Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament which has
campaigned relentlessly, for Border to be banned in Britain, said that the
sensitivities of religious faiths had to be taken into account when making
and distributing films of this nature. "We hope that Border will become a
test case for some kind of procedure to emerge to correct past mistakes,"
he said.
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