Mumbai: Though the Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal-starrer Oh My God (OMG ) has been released all over India today, the film is the latest to have been banned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Earlier films that were banned in the UAE were Pankaj Kapur‘s Mausam, Vikram Bhatt‘s Raaz 3 and Sachin Yardi‘s Kya Super Kool Hain Hum. Needless to say that filmmakers are alarmed. It is also said that the Hindi film industry has incurred losses to the tune of a whopping Rs 20 crore in just the past one year, because of UAE‘s actions.
Similarly, the makers of OMG Oh My God were shocked to learn of the ban on Monday.
It all started in July last year when Mausam, a love story between an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot ( Shahid Kapoor) and a Kashmiri woman ( Sonam Kapoor) was replaced at the last minute by a Hollywood film in theatres across UAE.
Next, in August 2012, Kya Super Kool Hain Hum produced by Ekta Kapoor, got the axe in Kuwait and Muscat. This was just after the Bandra Police registered a FIR (First Information Report) against the film for having hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community. Apparently, the film featured a priest in a cassock with cross around his neck and rosary in hand, solemnizing the marriage of two dogs and later sprinkling holy water, which didn‘t go down well with the community.
Earlier this month, Raaz 3 that opened to packed houses in India, was banned in the UAE; the reason being: the sexually explicit content and portrayal of the spiritual world that didn‘t cut ice with the Censors in that country.So much so, that the production hose Vishesh Films ended up losing up to Rs 5 crore in the bargain.
