Aamir won't release 'Dangal' in Pakistan over demand for cuts

Actor-producer Aamir Khan has decided against releasing his Bollywood blockbuster "Dangal" in Pakistan after the censor board there demanded that two scenes involving the Indian flag and anthem be cut.

Mobashir Hasan, Pakistan's Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) head, told IANS over social media: "Yes, the board unanimously decided to skip two scenes."

Asked why the Indian flag and anthem needed to be cut, Hasan said: "The decision is the collective wisdom of the board."

He added that it was now up to the local distributor -- Geo Films -- to release it or not.

Subsequently, Aamir has decided not to release the movie in Pakistan, saying the demanded cuts were crucial to the spirit of the film, his spokesperson told IANS.

"Dangal" is a movie inspired by the real-life story of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, who trains his daughters to become wrestling champions.

The movie was loved by Indian audiences, which was proved by its whopping Rs 385 crore-plus collection in the country.

The news comes just over two months after Pakistani film exhibitors and cinema owners lifted a self-imposed ban on the screening of Indian films in the wake of heightened tensions with India over the September 2016 terror attack in Uri that left 19 Indian soldiers dead.

--IANS

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