Indian pix, videos back in Afghanistan
DAILY VARIETY http://www.variety.com
By Bryan Pearson
KABUL (Variety) - Bollywood has returned to Afghanistan (news - web sites) in a blaze of color and sound, much to the relief of Indian filmmakers who lost an important market when the Taliban imposed its strict anti-entertainment regime on the country five years ago.
Just days after the Taliban began fleeing war-ravaged Kabul ahead of the advancing Northern Alliance forces on Nov. 12, trucks filled with TV sets, video machines and the latest videos and DVDs from India began shuttling in from neighboring Pakistan.
``Seventy percent of my stock is from India, the rest from America and Japan,‘’ said Zamin Begana, who owns one of about 15 new video stores that have sprung up in downtown Kabul.
Like those of his neighbors, Begana’s shop is crowded each day with customers jostling to buy their favorite titles, which go for about $2 each.
Bollywood stars such as Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are still the favorites of most Afghans, though the younger set prefers newer titles, Begana said.
Despite the economic hardship brought about by 23 years of war and a devastating drought in Afghanistan, Begana manages to sell 70-80 videos a day, as many DVDs and three or four expensive videocassette players. Other stores report similar business.
And three cinemas have opened in town since the end of what Kabulis refer to as the dark days'' of the Taliban rule. In a noisy hall watching a grainy movie on an ancient screen, Afghans can indulge their passion for Hindi movies for as little as 3,500 afghanis (12 cents). The favorite at the Bakhtar movie house is Mohara,‘’ which draws audiences of 300-400 at each day’s four screenings.
Owner Abdul Rahim, who said he spent the Taliban years baking cookies,'' told Daily Variety that Indian movies are by far the most popular with his audiences. I have shown one American movie – ‘Thunder’ – which was also popular because it is all action.‘’
American movies must be submitted to local censors who, according to Rahim, cut out all nudity and sex. ``Short kissing scenes are allowed, but if there is sucking of lips, it’s gone.‘’
For now, his audiences are all male. Women and girls, who under Taliban rule were kept virtual prisoners at home, ``are not yet brave enough to come to the movies,‘’ he observed.
Even if they were, he wouldn’t allow them in. ``It’s not yet 100% safe. We are waiting for the new government to decide if women and girls can go to the movies, as they did before the Taliban arrived.‘’
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