Pakistan should lift ban on screening of Indian movies: Mann

Patiala, Aug 21 (UNI) The future of Punjabi cinema will be brighter if Pakistan Government lifted the ban on screening of Indian movies, Punjabi singer-actor Harbhajan Mann said here today.

Interacting with mediapersons during the promotion of his fourth Punjabi film ''Miti Wajan Mardi'', Mann said he saw a ''dazzling future for Punjabi cinema as the language is popular in both India and Pakistan. Besides, it is the second largest language spoken after English in UK and many Punjabis have settled in various countries all over the world.'' he added.

While saying profitability was not the only criteria for making Punjabi films, Mann said however, the return at least must meet the cost.

He criticised the Punjabis in Bollywood for not performing their duty towards their mother tongue, despite having a prominent place in the tinsel town.

Mann also criticised the Punjab Government for not extending relaxation of entertainment tax automatically to all Punjabi language films.

''In other states, specially in south, the pictures are much brighter as the state governments have extended full tax relief to the language films'', he said.

Regarding his new film 'Mitti Wajan Mardi', Mann said it will be released on September 14 in 14 countries simultaneously.

An Indian-Australian girl, Japji, who won the Miss World Punjaban title in Australia last year is the heroine of the film starring opposite to Mann. The film is directed by Manmohan Singh.

UNI