Afghans Ban Bollywood Film, Calling It Offensive To Hazaras

(Courtesy Photo) January 6, 2007 -- Afghan authorities have banned an Indian film about journalists in their war-ravaged country because parts of it were deemed offensive to the Hazara minority.

"Kabul Express" opened in India in December.

The film charts a 48-hour period during which two Indian and an American journalists, along with an Afghan guide, are taken hostage by a Pakistani soldier, according to the Internet-based International Movie Database (IMDb).

The Shi'ite Hazara population, estimated at under 10 percent of the population, have at times faced persecution in Afghanistan.

(Reuters)

Central Asian Cinema

Central Asian Cinema

Gulnara Abikaeyeva's June 29 presentation in Prague (RFE/RL)

EAST OF THE WEST: On June 29, RFE/RL's Prague broadcasting center hosted a presentation by GULNARA ABIKEYEVA, director of the Central Asian Cinematography Center in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Abikeyeva is a leading expert on Kazakh and Central Asian cinema, a chairwoman of the jury of this year's East Of The West section of the Karlovy Vary film festival. Abikaeyeva gave an overview of major trends in Central Asian cinema since the 1960s. Abikeyeva has just completed a major DVD collection of the most popular films of the five Central Asian countries and is now beginning work on a similar collection of Central Asian documentaries.

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Listen to the complete presentation (45 minutes):
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Other Articles On Central Asian Culture:

Silk Road Revival Grows As More Sites Protected

Central Asian Directors Discuss Issues Behind The Camera

Ancient European Music Meets Central Asian Masters

Central Asian Masters Revive Old Ways Of Teaching Traditional Music

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