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Sonam Kapoor 'disappointed' by Neerja's piracy in Pakistan

Sonam Kapoor 'disappointed' by Neerja's piracy in Pakistan

The film, which released in India on February 19, was banned in Pakistan for showing the country in a poor light
02 Mar, 2016

Enterprising movie-watchers will always find ways to watch a film apparently out of their reach, and Sonam Kapoor has just experienced this firsthand.

The Bollywood star conducted a live chat with fans on Bollywood Hungama, where she says she discovered that her latest film Neerja, banned here for portraying Pakistan in a negative light, has "done well in [the country]."

At a press conference the next day, Sonam expressed her disappointment:

“The film has not released officially there, but it is very sad that this has happened. Today I was doing a live chat and there are several of my fans who are from Pakistan… Since my films have done well in Pakistan, they’re all watching pirated copies of the film over there," she said, according to Indian Express.

“It’s a matter of sadness, I am very disappointed,” the actress added.

Neerja is a biopic of the heroic air hostess Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life to save passengers on board the hijacked Pan Am flight 73 in September 1986. The film, which released in India on February 19, was banned in Pakistan for showing the country in a poor light.

Also read: The censor board in India is starting to show maturity, says Shabana Azmi

Sonam, who plays the titular role, put down the ban to Pak-India politics:

“I can’t understand it, but I think this is all politics between both sides. I had said this before, there is no place for politics in art and sports and unfortunately that’s what has happened,” she said.

“It is very sad that it’s not released in Pakistan, because more than 60 years ago, we were the same country. When I was in boarding school, Indians and Pakistanis would always hang out. We look similar, have a similar culture… Except for cricket matches, we were always together. I can’t understand the reason why it’s not released there, it can’t be that complicated,” Sonam added.

Comments

A Ali Mar 02, 2016 01:28pm
Sonam, don get disappointed for such piracy.... plenty of your colleagues are stealing our songs, theme, script since last 50 years or bit more..... plenty of them are still in industry and living proudly. you have shown us the way.
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sujeetz Mar 02, 2016 01:54pm
nothing to say, these days this things is just normal
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M Waheed Mar 02, 2016 01:55pm
You portray a negative image of Pakistan and still expect that it will be allowed to release in Pakistan. Do you really expect that WAR and other Pakistani movies on Kashmeeri movements will be allowed in India? Why make such movies creating negativity and hatred between two countries.
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Kamran kashmiri Mar 02, 2016 02:30pm
Piracy needs to go. Those who spend money on a venture must get dividends. However if you portray a country negatively in a project and want to sell it to its people one would be fool to expect people pay to watch themselves getting insulted. Particularly in the case of India and Pakistan, our eastern neighbors must not always expect us to generate revenue when you refuse to let us get our share of revenue from indo-pak cricket.
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Khurram Mar 02, 2016 02:31pm
Welcome to the real world! Not only Pakistan, piracy is rife in most South Asian and Far Eastern countries. Piracy has affected the movie industry at large. I do not understand why Sonam is disappointed and disheartened that it has happened in Pakistan! In fact this shows that audience are so keen to watch her film even before it is officially released. I tell you these die hard fans, they will go to any length to watch their favorite stars. Girl, look at the bright side of life.
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Salih Mar 02, 2016 02:35pm
I don't why Indian actors start thinking PAKISTAN is their rightful market. They consider PAK Govt and its institutions at their disposal, what the Indian think right will be right in PAKISTAN.
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Ajay Mar 02, 2016 02:39pm
Neerja showed Pakistan in good light. The one who took this decision of banning Neerja - doesn't understand movies and lacks basic heart for banning a beautiful movie like Neerja.
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Abhijeet Mar 02, 2016 02:44pm
I watched it twice in Multiplex. I don't want to give a lecture on piracy, but some movies must be watched in the theater only. Neerja was one such movie. And what is this fuss about showing Pakistan in poor light? Utter nonsense. Neerja Bhanot got Tamgha-e-Insaniyat from Pakistan posthumously . She saved lives of 44 Pakistanis on board. How unfortunate it is that her film gets banned in Pakistan!
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Richa (Houstan) Mar 02, 2016 02:53pm
The real voice on Neerja Bhanot on her last flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umfqvSUInBY It is very much similar to Sonam. What a beautiful movie ans what beautiful songs. No matter how old or big you are, the song where she remembers her mother would make anyone cry: "...Kyon nahi Maa sari duniya teri tarah..." Overall a very inspiring movie. It is beyond my imagination as to why it was banned in Pakistan. Yes one can watch it on PC, but when you watch it in theater, you feel like one of the passengers on board.
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Qamar Valliani Mar 02, 2016 03:01pm
Terms between Pakistan and India will never be normalised wheather it is politics, art, sport or anything else as long as BJP/RSS is in power.
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wellwisher Mar 02, 2016 03:12pm
the film did not portray Pakistan in bad light.
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HBK Mar 02, 2016 03:15pm
Get over it already! And what's this pirated copy taunt? First Saif and now Sonam. Showing Pakistan in bad light ND then assuming everything is alright. Grow up guys!
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anil Mar 02, 2016 03:20pm
Neerja was honored with a bravery award for saving so many lives including those of Pakistani nationals by the Pakistan government. So why ban the film there???
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Malik iqbal sadiq Mar 02, 2016 03:21pm
definitely, it must be released also in Pakistan.She has always expressed her good views about Pakistan.
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Arun-KS Mar 02, 2016 03:34pm
I share your views. Films should be released in Pakistan too, but not for making business, But because everybody should know and get inspiration from the legend like Neerja Bhanot.
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Amin Syed Mar 02, 2016 03:55pm
So! what is the problem? it is the decision of Pakistan Government. State comes first than any individual of another country. Pakistan knows what is right and what is wrong with the film.
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nurul huda Mar 02, 2016 03:56pm
@M Waheed Bhai, i don't think NEERJA showed a negative image of pakistan. You watch the movie then decide your statement that it was right or wrong..
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Gilgit Baltistan Mar 02, 2016 04:03pm
Why don't India make Movie on Samjhota Express , Judicial killing in Asaam , Indian army killing more then 90 thousand Kashmiri People??
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Rashid Sultan Mar 02, 2016 04:12pm
@M Waheed Have you seen the film? As you haven't because it is not released here how can you assume that it shows Pakistan in a negative light. It is not a fiction but about what really happened in 1986 PanAm hijack by Arab terrorists. The hijack happened in Karachi and that is a fact. It is neither negative or positive about Pakistan. The film is about the 22 year old flight purser who sacrificed her life to save others. Nothing to do with Kashmir or any movement and there is no parallel between this biopic (just in case you didn't know - biographical picture) and War, etc
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Rajesh Mar 02, 2016 04:20pm
Neeraj is one film that portrays Pakistan in positive light. Request to Pakistani friends to see the film for themselves and decide
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Ahmed Mar 02, 2016 04:29pm
@M Waheed Neerja showed Pakistan in good light.
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Tihar Mar 02, 2016 04:59pm
With today's technology who needs to buy tickets and spend hours in movie cinema.
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Bollywood punch man London Mar 02, 2016 05:07pm
Except Pakistan all across world this movie is running house full and everyone now knows this fact through this biopic how Neerja braved terrorists who hijacked Pan Am in 1986 in Pakistan...well no one can change this history and the movie has neither shown Pakistan in bad or good light...By banning everyone is forced to assume that Pakistan is shown in poor light...and these are people commenting without watching movie... But I have Pakistani friends outside Pakistan who have watched this very emotiobal movie...Well done director Ram Madhvani and Sonam Kapoor.
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Raja Ragu Raman Mar 02, 2016 05:45pm
No one is worried if you don't watch the movie in the theatre but watching pirated DVD's...
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Sunil Kashmiri Pandit Mar 02, 2016 08:12pm
Piracy is all over internet, its unstoppable.
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rishabh bhatt Mar 02, 2016 08:17pm
I watched the film and there is nothing against pakistan. Infact they showed how an airport officer expressed his intentions to save all the passengers and at the end the commandos arrested the terrorist. So its positive side shown in movie
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Shaolin Mar 02, 2016 08:28pm
I watched the movie & it shows Pakistani as victim and not criminals.
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Zaidi Mar 02, 2016 10:22pm
Why not visit Pakistan to promote the movie. These people want to bank on the country and their citizen without ever thanking them in person.
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Noshin Mar 02, 2016 10:38pm
Pakistan has much else to worry about besides Sonam's Neerja's
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Satyam vada Mar 02, 2016 11:26pm
I watched this movie it feels like a low budget movie from the beginning but because of good and real story despite no great performances ( but for the terrorist who shoots at passengers at the end), it definitely holds one's attention throughout even though I knew the whole story. If it was fiction, I could have felt no compassion for Neerja due to bad performance and would have left with in 15 min into the movie. I couldn't see anything negative about Pakistan, in fact I think they went out of way to make it look good.
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Atif Mar 03, 2016 12:54am
she is such a sweet woman. I dont know why the film was banned.
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Amrita Mar 03, 2016 02:20am
@Qamar Valliani What a funny logic. RSS has never been in power in India. BJP has only been once. This is the 2nd term. In 70 years that have gone by BJP hasn't been in power in less than 10% of the time. How come relations are so bad? According to you relations should have been really friendly and cordial so far, no?
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Cyrus Mar 03, 2016 03:15am
Who cares if she is disappointed?
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indian thinker Mar 03, 2016 04:26am
You are crying about Piracy. Thats nothing compared to what you guys in Bollywood are doing. Look at your back before pointing someone else.
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ShuBratChowdery Mar 03, 2016 08:36am
@M Waheed have u seen the movie....has ur censor board seen the movie...how did u know the movie is anti-pak
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Rational Mar 03, 2016 08:52am
Oho.. That is sad!
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Atul Mar 03, 2016 08:58am
@M Waheed for pakistan movies to be released in India it has to first meet some stander..cinema halls are booked a year advance here in India ..you think pakistan movies have any chance to compete..!
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Vivek Mar 03, 2016 09:03am
Neerja Bhanot is a recipient of Tamgha-e-Insaniyat from Pakistan for showing incredible human kindness. Why would such a movie be banned in Pakistan? By the way what is the meaning of "tamgha"?
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Khurram Mar 03, 2016 09:20am
@Tihar right bro
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Gurjeet Singh Mar 03, 2016 09:35am
@Tihar what technology you are using to watch 3 hour movie in few minutes?
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R.Kannan Mar 03, 2016 01:02pm
It appears Pakistan banned the movie in expectation of Pakistan being shown in a bad light & nobody, who was involved in the decision, bothered to see the movie. It actually portrays Pakistan - its police, commandos & medical staff - in good light.
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Patriotic Mar 03, 2016 01:22pm
In 1986 I was in thirties and I was watching the horrible footage on tv step by step. It happened due to lapses in security arrangement at Karachi airport, also worst come when power went off during failed planned commandos operation start. That blackout prompted the terrorists to shooting indiscrimately on innocents passengers. Unfotunately that negligency in security and unsuccessful operation happened on Pakistan soil, that is dark history no body can change it. At this point I respect Sonam Kapoor and her wish to release her movie in Pakistan. Hope govt. of Pakistan will review its decision on the base of historial facts.
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anonymoose Mar 03, 2016 04:50pm
And we are disappointed in your ability to act
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schal Mar 04, 2016 03:34am
@Amin Syed Without even reviewing the movie or not considering the views of the people ?
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schal Mar 04, 2016 03:37am
@Gilgit Baltistan You have not even read what others who watched the movie are saying in the thread!
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anonymous Mar 04, 2016 09:07pm
@Abhijeet : It has been banned because people have been told that 'Pakistan has been portrayed in bad light', and people tend to believe the messenger rather than checking it out themselves,
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