Indian films, particularly Bollywood films, have a large fan base in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The action political thriller film ‘Article 370’, starring Yami Gautam, has been banned in all Gulf countries. While ‘Article 370’ has been a huge success at the domestic and international box office, earning praise from both audiences and critics, the ban in the Gulf is another setback for the Hindi film industry, as it denies audiences in the region the opportunity to see an Indian cinematic offering that has been widely praised.
Over the years, however, numerous Indian films have been prohibited from being released in the Gulf region. Here are such films and the reasons for their suspension.
Article 370
The film primarily explores universal human experiences within the framework of a complex socio-political landscape. Themes of identity, struggle, and resilience resonate deeply throughout the narrative as it delves into the aspirations and challenges faced by individuals amidst turbulent times, fostering understanding and dialogue in the process.
Fighter
The film Fighter, directed by Siddharth Anand and released on Thursday, has been banned in the Gulf region of the UAE.
Although the cause of the prohibition in the Middle East is unknown, an ANI report claims that the Hrithik Roshan starrer would only be released in the UAE with a PG-15 certificate.
Beast
Vijay played the lead in Nelson Dilipkumar’s 2022 film Beast, which also stars Pooja Hegde. Weeks before its global premiere, the spy action thriller, initially made in Tamil, was prohibited in Gulf countries such as Qatar and Kuwait. The Beast was purportedly banned for depicting Pakistan and terrorism in the film.
Bell Bottom
Rajeev M. Tewari’s 2021 film Bell Bottom, which stars Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, and Vaani Kapoor, is inspired by the hijacking of Indian aircraft by Khalistani terrorists. The makers were accused of falsifying historical facts, which resulted in its suspension in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. Bell Bottom did moderate business at the box office.
The Kashmir Files
The Kashmir Files, a controversial film by filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, was also banned in the Gulf region. Countries such as Kuwait chose not to distribute the film, while the UAE removed its ban a few weeks after its debut. The film, starring Anupam Kher, is based on the flight of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the early 1990s.
Kurup
Srinath Rajendra’s Malayalam film Kurup is a biopic of fugitive Sukumara Kurup’s life. In the 2021 film, Dulquer Salmaan played the title role. Despite its commercial and critical success, the picture was forbidden from being released in Kuwait. The reason for the ban is said to be that it depicted an Indian fugitive seeking sanctuary in a GCC country.
