Shillong, August 15: In a significant move, a Hindi film will be publicly screened in Manipur on Independence Day after more than two decades.
News agency IANS reported that the Hmar Students’ Association (HSA), a tribal student organization, has organized the screening of a Hindi film in Rengkai (Lamka) in Churachandpur on Tuesday evening.
The HSA’s decision to show a Hindi film is a symbolic act of defiance against terror groups and the Manipur state government’s alleged mistreatment of tribals. The organization highlighted the past subjugation of tribals and the rape of Hmar women by rival “terror” groups in 2006 as reasons for their resistance.
The HSA’s statement called for unity in the fight for freedom and justice, emphasizing their determination to oppose anti-national terror groups and boycott the Independence Day boycott announced by these groups.
The HSA also noted that Hindi films have been banned in Manipur for over two decades, and this screening marks a bold step toward reclaiming cultural freedom. The last publicly screened Hindi film in Manipur was “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” in 1998.
While the name of the specific Hindi film to be shown was not disclosed, the HSA’s gesture holds deep significance for the people of Manipur.