Prabhas Starrer 'Adipurush' May Not Release In Nepal: Here's Why

Kriti Sanon-Prabhas starrer, 'Adipurush', has hit theaters across the world. The movie has created a lot of hype amongst the audience despite being surrounded by controversies.

However, 'Adipurush' got involved in yet another controversy after Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah announced that no Indian film will be showcased within the capital if the movie does not correct the mistake about the birthplace of Goddess Sita.

"Until the line 'Janaki is a daughter of India' contained in the South Indian film 'Adipurush' is removed not just in Nepal but also in India, no Hindi films will be allowed to run in Kathmandu Metropolitan City," Shah wrote on his Facebook wall.

In the 'Adipurush' trailer, Sita is mentioned as the daughter of India. According to the mythology Sita was born in Nepal's Janakpur.

Reportedly, Nepal's Censor Board has passed the film after the controversial dialogue claiming Sita as India's daughter was removed from the film.

The movie 'Adipurush' narrates the epic story of Rama aka Raghav, who embarks on a defining journey from Ayodhya to Lanka, in a bid to rescue his kidnapped wife Sita aka Janaki. He has to defeat the mighty king of Lanka, Ravanasura aka Lankesh with the help of his disciple Hanuma aka Bajrang. The movie is based on the mythological depiction of the same by Valmiki in the Ramayana, a Hindu mythological scripture.

'Adipurush' controversy

When the teaser of 'Adipurush' was released, the appearance of Saif Ali Khan, who plays Lankesh in the film did not go well with netizens. Some even said that he looked more like Taimur AKA Timur, the Mughal invader.

"This movie is an insult to Ramayan Firstly why are Ravan and Hanuman not wearing Mukut? What kind of haircut is Saif given?he's looking like Khilji Ravan was one of d wisest Bramhin can't see his Janva Pls stop hurting our sentiments #DisappointingAdipurish #AadiPurush (sic)," a Twitter user commented.

Mural in new Parliament building

The controversy comes at a time when the mural in the new parliament building has drawn angry responses from opposition parties in Nepal.

Former Prime Ministers of Nepal Baburam Bhattarai and K.P. Sharma Oli have spoken out against the Akhand Bharat mural in the new Parliament building.

Taking to Twitter, Bhattarai wrote, "The controversial mural of 'Akhand Bharat' in the recently inaugurated new Parliament building of India may stoke an unnecessary and harmful diplomatic row in the neighborhood including Nepal. It has the potential of further aggravating the trust deficit already vitiating the bilateral relations between most of the immediate neighbours of India."

"It would be prudent for Indian political leadership to unravel and communicate in time the real intent and ramification of this mural episode," he added. Similarly, Nepal's leader of the main opposition CPN-UML party Oli also aired his disagreement. "That is not fair. If a country like India that sees itself as an ancient and strong country and as a model of democracy puts Nepali territories in its map and hangs the map in Parliament, it cannot be called fair," he was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

The mural in the new Parliament building, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, marks important kingdoms and cities of the past and shows the influence of ancient India in the then Taxila, which is in present-day Pakistan. Likewise, areas of Bangladesh and Nepal have also been placed on the map of Akhand Bharat.