Bollywood producers want to meet Musharraf


Sunday, 07 December , 2003, 20:40

Mumbai: Indian film producers said Sunday they will ask the government for permission to meet Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to try to lift a ban on their films in Pakistan.
"I am seeking an appointment with the minister of state for external affairs, to request him that the office bearers of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) be given permission to meet Musharraf so that the ban on Indian films can be lifted," said Sawaan Kumar, IMPPA president.



The IMPPA is an organization of Indian film producers with more than 5,000 members.

"Many of our office bearers have shown keen interest to meet him and give our proposal on lifting the ban on Indian films in Pakistan," Kumar said.

Indian films have been banned in Pakistan for more than four decades, because of the traditional hostility between the two countries and because Bollywood was seen as a threat to Pakistan's much smaller film industry based in Lahore and known as Lollywood.

They are not shown in cinemas and it is illegal to take copies of Indian films into Pakistan.

Despite this Bollywood is hugely popular in Pakistan as pirated copies of films are common.

Kumar said ongoing peace moves between the two countries should include films.

"When we have re-opened air-links, rail and bus links. Why not films too? After all it is one of the most popular form of entertainment for the people of the Indian subcontinent," said Kumar.

India and Pakistan came close to the brink of war last year, but ties have been improving since April.

Kumar's new film "Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya" (Heart has been lost to a stranger), portrays the love affair between a Pakistani girl and an Indian boy.

"From my film I have tried to bridge the gap and make an understanding about eachothers culture," said Kumar.

"It is high time that we give up our hate attitude for each other and seek permanent peace with our neighbour. If things go well we can have an Indo-Pak co-production film too," he added.

Separately, Pakistan has also imposed a ban on Indian television channels since February 2002, accusing them of broadcasting anti-Pakistan propaganda.