05-26-2006, 07:17 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Indian state bans The Da Vinci Code</b>
Agencies
The Guardian, UK
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
At least one part of the globe looks set to escape the spell of The Da Vinci Code after an <b>Indian state announced today it would ban Dan Brown's bestselling book on blasphemy grounds.
Nagaland, a small and predominantly Christian state in India's far north-east, decided to ban the novel because of the "immense publicity" generated by the release of the film version, its education minister, Imkong L Imchen, </b>told Reuters.
In better news for Brown, India's billion-plus population will be able to see the film from Friday, a week later than the rest of the world, after its distributors reached a deal with the country's censors over a statement saying the film is fictional.
According to Vikramjit Roy, a spokesman for Sony Pictures in India, viewers would be assured that the film's plot, involving a Vatican cover up of the supposed fact that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, was not meant as history.
"The characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are fictitious, and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely coincidental and unintentional," reads the statement, to run for 15 seconds at both the start and end of the film.
Although the film, which has been heavily criticised by Roman Catholic groups in India, was passed without cuts, Indian censors ruled last week that only adults could watch it, and that a statement saying it was fiction must be displayed.
The film took more than $230m at box offices around the world during its opening weekend, despite reviews that ranged from the tepid to the downright scathing.
Authorities in Nagaland had urged India's national government to ban the film.
"The book is an affront on the Christian faith. Christians have been severely hurt," Mr Imchen said. <b>"Publishing, selling and reading of the book has been banned from yesterday."</b>
<b>Around 1% of India's population is Christian. </b> <i>{when did 2% become 1% standard reporting line? SAJA courtesy?}</i>
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,...16,00.html
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Agencies
The Guardian, UK
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
At least one part of the globe looks set to escape the spell of The Da Vinci Code after an <b>Indian state announced today it would ban Dan Brown's bestselling book on blasphemy grounds.
Nagaland, a small and predominantly Christian state in India's far north-east, decided to ban the novel because of the "immense publicity" generated by the release of the film version, its education minister, Imkong L Imchen, </b>told Reuters.
In better news for Brown, India's billion-plus population will be able to see the film from Friday, a week later than the rest of the world, after its distributors reached a deal with the country's censors over a statement saying the film is fictional.
According to Vikramjit Roy, a spokesman for Sony Pictures in India, viewers would be assured that the film's plot, involving a Vatican cover up of the supposed fact that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, was not meant as history.
"The characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are fictitious, and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely coincidental and unintentional," reads the statement, to run for 15 seconds at both the start and end of the film.
Although the film, which has been heavily criticised by Roman Catholic groups in India, was passed without cuts, Indian censors ruled last week that only adults could watch it, and that a statement saying it was fiction must be displayed.
The film took more than $230m at box offices around the world during its opening weekend, despite reviews that ranged from the tepid to the downright scathing.
Authorities in Nagaland had urged India's national government to ban the film.
"The book is an affront on the Christian faith. Christians have been severely hurt," Mr Imchen said. <b>"Publishing, selling and reading of the book has been banned from yesterday."</b>
<b>Around 1% of India's population is Christian. </b> <i>{when did 2% become 1% standard reporting line? SAJA courtesy?}</i>
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,...16,00.html
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