Anti-Gay Extremists Torch Theater Playing Lesbian Film
365Gay.com,
June 14, 2004
By 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
New Delhi—An angry mob set fire
to a movie theater on Monday where a Bollywood film with a lesbian theme was
showing.
The theater, in the northern town of Varanasi, was
showing the film “Girlfriend” There were no injuries but damage to the
building was extensive.
The militant Hindu group Shiv Sena claimed
responsibility.
The same group attacked theatergoers in Bombay Sunday.
Nearly 100 people threw stones and burned an effigy of
two women. Windows at the theater were smashed and posters destroyed.
The theater continued the movie under heavy police guard
but cancelled future showings.
Gay themes have been slowly working their way into
Bollywood films over the past few years, but each time the movies have been
met with opposition.
“Fire”, a 1998 Hindi-language film that portrayed a
love affair between two women, provoked the wrath of hardline Hindus who
claimed it promoted “the alien practice of lesbianism and hurt Indian
culture.”
The films are still tame by American standards. India has
strict censorship that prevents on-screen nudity and profanity, and sexual
acts by consenting gays are illegal under the country’s criminal code.
Despite the weekend violence, “Girlfriend” director
Karan Razdan said he would not pull the film from distribution.
“I’m just trying to show what’s happening in
society,” Razdan told Indian television Zee News.
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