Monday, October 01, 2007

Fiji Hindi film not allowed to be shown in Fiji



from w
The movie Adhura Sapna

The Censor has decided the themes and perhaps language are not suitable for Fiji audiences - even though the film is a local story and has Fiji actors. Maybe the censors think it will stir up racial undercurrents or something. It has already been shown selectively in New Zealand and Australia I believe.

For a summary of the story go to a website here

from a Fijilive yesterday:
No screening of Adhura Sapna in Fiji
Sunday September 30, 2007
Fiji made Hindi movie, "Adhura Sapna" has been banned from public exhibition in Fiji.

Former Fiji citizen and director Vimal Reddy said the Fiji Censor Board viewed the movie recently and certified it as unsuitable for screening due to strong racial themes. Reddy said in reply to an application for certification in Fiji, a board member stated "I have found that the movie is base on land issue and racial discrimination. I have also found some dialogues to Indians and Fijians unsuitable".

He said a spokesperson from the Attorney General's office said an appeal could be made directly to A-G Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

"While we are very disappointed with the decision, we will respect the reasons given by the Film Censor Board in Fiji and abide by it," said Reddy.

"We strongly believe that despite the very frank portrayal of the land lease and racial issues in the cane-farming community, the message in the movie is a positive one. It is about unity and a possible solution for the two races to live together peacefully. This message to the people is not possible to be shown in a movie without openly discussing the problems being faced".

Reddy added the dialogues of the movie had already been considerably altered from the extremely blunt original version of Raymond Pillay's 1970's script.

Meanwhile the Melbourne based producers of the movie are looking at the option of making an appeal for re-consideration.

The movie is about a grandfather's dream of being a successful farmer. He is faced with a lot of difficulties such as lease expiry and is unable to fulfil the dreams, hence "Adhura Sapna."

Both lead artists are from Suva. Former Miss Hibiscus contestant Naazmeen Dean plays the lead actress with Rajnel Prasad who has completed his acting classes from the Fiji Institute of Technology.

Also some comments from
http://headheeb.blogmosis.com/2007/02/an_expired_lease.php

Thus, although Adhura Sapna was "shot in Suva, Lautoka and Tavua" and has a uniquely Fijian plot, it is aimed primarily at an expatriate audience for whom Fiji Hindi is rapidly becoming less relevant. Within another generation, the Indo-Fijians living in Australia, New Zealand and the United States will become exclusive English speakers, leaving a diminishing and increasingly impoverished community at home. It may be that Fiji Hindi's literary flowering has come a little too late, and that its use as a language of prose and film will lose the race against its decline as a medium of communication.

27 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:26 AM

    to get few coins in the pocket, people will do anything even if it costs the hate and racial themes.the producers should have had a better view of what will happend before even they went in this venture.
    an advice to all, be wise.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Perhaps sometimes it is wise NOT to make a movie about some subjects. On the other hand, a difficult topic can provoke the audience to think about it, even to decide that the certain sensitive things like racism and discrimination are wrong. I don't know if the purpose of this film was to make money or to make people think. I just do not know the producers and their motivation.
    w.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous10:12 PM

    I am not sure if the person who wrote the first comment has actually seen the movie.Firstly,the theme of the movie is of love,understanding and unity. Secondly ,it was never about a few coins in the pocket. By the way the only people who made a few bucks were the video pirates. In fact I hear that it was a bonanza for them

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous,
    I would really like to see the movie and judge for myself. The subject is thought-provoking and deserves more than just an outright ban.
    w.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4:56 AM

    I can send you a DVD.Please give me address.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's very kind of you Vimal but we don't put our email address or snail mail address on this part of the internet but a google search might track us down! e.g. via Diversitat site.
    I think it is an important film and therefore should be shown.
    w.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous7:46 PM

    is the DVD being sold in Suva? if so can i have one....and one more thing, there is another movie coming up.....Tsunami some thing....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4:33 PM

    I dont understand why people are so critic about this movie. Like my friend said earlier, the theme is 'Love', 'Unity'. this is potrayed at the end of the story. Together we stand, united we fall. thats what happens in this movie and is a lesson to everyone who watched it. Fijians and Indo fijians live together in the same country and it shows some real life situations.
    Heads up for the makers of this movie, very interesting and real story.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous3:38 AM

    I loved the movie--who says its abt makinn $$..its just a reflection of the society--face it..

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous6:58 PM

    hey isnt Naazmeen Dean a low budget porn actress?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous9:07 PM

    This movie is a great movie. Can't wait for the next vimal reddy film to come out "GHAR PARDES". The songs of that movie are just like the ones you would here in the Indian industry the main actors are local from austraila. Why because it won't get band. Oh In the new film there is a remix by india's top remixer DJ LOVE.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous9:11 PM

    Yeah I heard about that new movie. shot in Melbourne right. And some shot in fiji. I can tell that this movie be better because i heard lots of people talking about it.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO

    WWW.GHARPARDES.COM

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous9:26 PM

    THAT SONG FROM GHAR PARDES "MERE SANG NACHLE" IS COPIED FROM O YAARA DHOL BAAJAKE

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous3:18 AM

    Just a feedback. I really loved the movie. What a beauty. The fact that everything remained so original ie setting, language and situation - it really brought back nostalgic feelings for the village people of Fiji. Kudos to the movie makers. You couldnt have done it better!!...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6:24 PM

    How can it a copy of Yaara Dhol Bajake - thats so Stupid- Thats like saying all Bhangra songs are like Panjabi MC. I heard the song. It's pretty awsome.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:30 PM

    That person that said that one of the songs are copied he/she is right. but yeah songs are great

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous10:35 PM

    when is this movie ghar pardes going to come out. i have seen the tralier on you tube and the camera work is realy good.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:38 PM

    Movie has not yet been known when to be released.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous12:42 AM

    Chandani Chowk to China has not been banned in china so why does Adhura Sapna got to be banned in fiji.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Saturday 16th May, 7:30PM
    Agora Cinema, LaTrobe University, Bundoora.

    $15.00 PER PERSON

    BUY ONLINE AT

    WWW.GHARPARDES.COM

    ReplyDelete
  21. Perhaps sometimes it is wise NOT to make a movie about some subjects. On the other hand, a difficult topic can provoke the audience to think about it, even to decide that the certain sensitive things like racism and discrimination are wrong. I don't know if the purpose of this film was to make money or to make people think. I just do not know the producers and their motivation.
    w.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous5:01 PM

    The main characters need to go and learn to act first especially the female lead character. The best act was by the character played by Jona. His the only one who could act. This was a poor attempt to a movie if i could call it one. The Editing was the worst ever. Any one could tell that the story was based on discrimination and racial agenda. Overall cheers to censor board for banning this movie and to the female lead character please go learn to act before acting.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Melbourne Pre-screening & Premiere sold out!

    Sydney Sessions Released!
    Date: Sunday 29th June 2009
    Venue: Casula Powerhouse, 1 Casula Road, Casula, NSW
    Session Times: 11:00am, 1:30pm, 4:00pm
    Tickets are $15 per person.

    ReplyDelete
  24. vimal, Iam in Brisbane and reading from the comments, seems like that you have a DVD which you might like to share. I am really intrested in seeing the movie but have no access. I happy to return the dvd after viewing if you want me to. Please reply if this can be arranged. Thanks KNarayan

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous5:41 AM

    DVD is available on www.adhurasapna.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous4:42 PM

    Ghar Pardes Released Today (26th June) World Wide. I bought a copy. The movie is so good.

    ReplyDelete
  27. It won't truly have effect, I suppose so.

    ReplyDelete