Adipurush: Shows cancelled in Kathmandu over controversial Sita dialogue

The morning shows of Asopa have been cancelled in Kathmandu, Nepal as mayor Balendra Shah and people from the valley have demanded that a contentious line about the origin of Sita be removed from the film everywhere. Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah on Thursday announced a ban of Hindi films from screening in Nepal's capital until a portion of the dialogue is removed from Adipurush, a retelling of the epic Ramayana.

Until the line 'Janaki is a daughter of India' contained in Adipurush is removed not just in Nepal but also in India, no Hindi films will be allowed to run in Kathmandu Metropolitan City," Balendra wrote on his Facebook wall.The Nepal Censor Board had also issued a directive to the makers, claiming that Adipurush will not release in the neighbouring country unless the makers remove that line. While the release has been cleared now, as per a report by News18, the morning shows have been cancelled over security concerns. As per a report in News18, the makers, UV Creations and Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, have now removed the controversial line, allowing the Om Raut film to release in Nepal on Friday, the same time as India. The film is made on an enormous budget of Rs 500 crore. After its advance bookings opened on Sunday, the film did a business of Rs 12 crore. The national theatre chain PVR sold over one lakh tickets in the Hindi market itself and trade analysts are expecting a huge opening at the ticket counters across the country.