As an Indian, we cannot even imagine not watching Bollywood or Hindi movies even for a year. But citizens of Manipur haven’t watched a Hindi movie in more than 23 years. But finally, the cycle was broken as after a gap of more than 20 years, a Hindi movie was screened in Manipur on the occasion of the country’s 77th Independence Day. This was announced by Hmar Student’s Association on Monday, 14th August that a Hindi movie would be screened at Hmar Student’s Association Campus at Rengkai Town in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.
Hmar Student’s Association, an organization for tribal students in the state, said in its statement that a Hindi movie would be screened publically on Tuesday, 15th August to mark India’s 77th Independence Day. Four Hindi films were screened on Tuesday including Vicky Kaushal’s Uri: The Surgical Strike and Shah Rukh Khan’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Uri: The Surgical Strike, based on the actual surgical strike by Indian Army, was screened in an open-air theatre that was 63 kilometers away from the capital city. The National Anthem of India was played before the screening. A large number of people attended this screening in Rengkai.
The ban on watching movies was issued by some rebel outfits in September 2000. This was, of course, not as per law but the people of Manipur had no choice as they wanted to avoid the unrest caused by such militants and insurgence. But after 23 years, the tribal youth finally showed a symbolic gesture for freedom by screening a movie in the Rengkai district of Manipur.
The state has been affected by militant insurgency for more than two decades and the people have been almost banned to watch any Bollywood or Hindi movies. The last Hindi movie screened in Manipur was Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998.