Pakistan moots 'early release' for Bollywood

Islamabad, Jan 30 (UNI) Considered the most prominent cultural export of India, Bollywood may soon stage a comeback in neighbouring Pakistan.

The Pakistan government is considering a parliamentary proposal to lift a four-decade-old ban on Indian movies.

A Senate Committee said the ban does not hold good now as most of the movies were available on DVD and through cable television.

Bollywood flicks were officialy banned in Pakistan after the 1965 war.

''This should be done in a manner which may promote healthy competition at home and without harming our religious and cultural norms and values,'' The News quoted committee chairman Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry as saying in a statement.

''The ban has practically become ineffective as these are being viewed uncensored in almost every household on cable TV as well as CDs and DVDs, necessitating a reappraisal to deal with the issue rationally,'' the statement added.

In 2006, President Pervez Musharraf issued a special decree allowing three Indian ventures to be shown in Pakistan, including the movie 'Taj Mahal', which starred Pakistani actor Sonia Jehan.

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