L'Inde privée de "Millenium" hollywoodien à cause de scènes de nudité
BOMBAY, 30 jan 2012 (AFP) - Le premier "Millenium" hollywoodien à gros budget distribué par Sony Pictures, "Les hommes qui n'aimaient pas les femmes", ne sera pas projeté sur les écrans indiens après une demande du comité de censure visant à flouter des scènes de nu jugées choquantes.
Le film de David Fincher ("The Social Network"), tiré de la trilogie populaire de l'auteur suédois Stieg Larsson, devait sortir en Inde le 10 février, sous le titre original "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", mais des scènes ont heurté le Comité central de validation des films (CBFC).
"Les fesses et les seins nus ne sont pas autorisés en Inde", a tancé un responsable de cet organisme, J.P. Singh, interrogé par l'AFP.
"Nous avons demandé que plusieurs scènes soient floutées", a-t-il ajouté.
Sony Pictures en Inde a indiqué dans un communiqué envoyé lundi à l'AFP qu'il n'apporterait aucune modification au film, qui a rapporté jusqu'à présent 185 millions de dollars dans le monde entier.
"Le comité de censure a jugé le film inadapté pour le public dans sa forme non retouchée", a indiqué le groupe, qui se dit engagé à "maintenir et protéger la vision du metteur en scène" tout en "respectant les directives du comité".
Plus de 1.700 films étrangers sont diffusés chaque année en Inde après avoir subi des tests de validation du puissant organisme de contrôle.
Indian artist assaulted over nude paintings
NEW DELHI, Jan 30, 2012 (AFP) - An Indian artist said on Monday he had been beaten up at his gallery by five men over nude paintings of actresses and models that the attackers claimed were an insult to the country.
Pranava Prakash was assaulted by the gang who burst into the gallery in Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi, where he is exhibiting nudes of top Bollywood star Vidya Balan and other public figures.
"Five guys came in on Sunday and started yelling at me, saying 'Your paintings are against Indian culture, we cannot tolerate them'," he told AFP.
"They slapped me twice, threw me to the floor and then began pulling down the paintings, damaging three of my pictures," he said.
Freedom of expression is a hot topic in India after Muslim activists forced British author Salman Rushdie to cancel an appearance at a literary festival in Jaipur 10 days ago, attracting headlines around the world.
Rushdie, whose 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses" is still banned in India for alleged blasphemy against Islam, said that India's reputation for tolerance and free speech was under threat due to politicians bowing to religious extremists.
"India is an inclusive democracy, I just don't understand how such things can happen," said Prakash, 32, who had not yet reported the attack to police.
"There is a certain section of people who think they alone are the custodians of Indian culture, and anyone who disagrees with them is the enemy."
Also among Prakash's work on display are nude paintings of Pakistani actress Veena Malik and Mumbai-based model Poonam Pandey.
Naxals allowed to marry but prevented from having kids
STAFF WRITER 1/31/2012 2:59:00 PM
Kanker, Jan 31 (PTI) Naxals in Chhattisgarh are allowed to get married but they are forced by their senior leaders to undergo vasectomy surgical procedure to prevent them from having children.
This was revealed by Naxals who surrendered before the police officials here yesterday. Nearly half a dozen hardcore Maoists, including four women, all members of the Bastar Divisional Committee, surrendered at district headquarters.
They were Sunil Kumar Matlam and his wife Jaini alias Jayanti; Ramdas and his wife Panidobir; Susheela; Jaylal and his wife Asmani alias Sanay and Samo Mandvi. They said Naxal leaders, mostly based in Andhra Pradesh, behave rudely with them and punish them for falling in love.
Matlam (31) told PTI that three Naxals surrendered along with their wifes and all three were forced to undergo vasectomy before marriage.
A resident of Fufgaon village in Kanker district, Matlam said he was only 17 when he was picked up by Naxals from his village and forced to join their rank.
He came in contact with Jayanti, a Naxal commander, and later fell in love with her. When they expressed their wish to get married, the leaders accepted their relationship but did not allow them to start their family.
The Naxal leaders told Matlam that he can tie the knot but only if he agreed to undergo the permanent contraception procedure, the Maoist said, adding that he had no other option but to bow to the diktat.
Matlam said he has now given up arms and joined the social mainstream, and wants to lead a normal life.
Ramdas and Jaylal also had the similar tales to share about their personal life in the Naxal movement.
Matlam said if a Naxal refuses to obey the command, he is tortured and forced to undergo vasectomy for which doctors from West Bengal are called in the jungle.
The Maoist leaders feel once the couples have children they may go back to their villages to raise them and this may weaken the Naxal movement, he said.
Matlam's wife Jayanti said women Naxals are often subjected to harassment and abuse by their seniors.
Jayanti said now that they have joined the national mainstream, it was the Government's responsibility to protect their families and provide rehabilitation.
Kanker Superintendent of Police Rahul Bhagat, who played a key role in the surrender, said he had been receiving reports about forced vasectomy on Naxals.
The word Naxal, Naxalite or Naksalvadi is a generic term used to refer to various militant Communist groups operating in different parts of India under different organizational envelopes. In the eastern states of the mainland India (Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa), they are usually known as, or refer to themselves as Maoists while in southern states like Andhra Pradesh they are known under other titles. They have been declared as a terrorist organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of India (1967). The Chinese government has been found to have provided sanctuary to leaders of the movement, and the Pakistani ISI to have provided financial support.
