Film Facism - India

April 1999
A lesbian love film has sparked months of rioting outside Bombay's cinemas in an escalating battle between liberal, tolerant India and fundamentalism.

By western standards the film 'Fire' is a mild feature. A sort of eastern 'Thelma and Louise' about women's independence with hints of lesbianism. But by increasingly fundamentalist Indian standards, the film is an affront to Hindu values. Angry mobs have smashed-up cinemas and issued death threats to the actors. The violent reaction has shocked the city which took pride in its liberal heritage. "I mean I would never have expected something like this to ever happen in Bombay. Never." At the centre of the opposition is the fiercely conservative Shiv Sena party. It has held power here for 5 years with a combination of anti-Muslim propaganda and brute force. Loyal crusaders like Sadi Churi, have been leading the 'agitations' as she calls them against the film. "It's unnatural things which our religion will never permit... we have to protest against this. It disturbs the social fabric." For Gandhi's grandson, the reaction to 'Fire' heralds a dangerous return to the conservatism of the past. "This is the same kind of propagation of lies and falsehoods that heralds the coming of fascism."

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

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[sekretutka]

They want to live in this Bollywood movie, LaLa Land where woman get married to handsome rich men and being rescued by them from the hands of evil.

Seems like Hindus dont want any glance of reality that "Fire" potrays. Ive seen the movie, those two women turn to Lesbianisn not because they were attracted to their own gender, but because they were lonely and not loved.

The unhappinies of forcibly married women, thats what they dont want to see.

[sahil156in]

i have seen a sculpture in a temple in chennai where a women has sex with a dog,,i mean people thousands of years ago were more advanced than these shit sainiks who call them real saviour of hindus,,bullshit coward and chutia marathi manus,,

[fmgan1]

The anger came from the fact that this movie didn't live up to the lipstick lesbian, sexy underwear, sex toys, big nuts, lesbian stuff all those who were protesting had seen, and knocked-one-out-to, on the Internet, and on DVD's they keep under their beds. They were just disappointed that 'Fire' didn't get them stiff like the ther movies. I can appreciate that. Poor blokes. I like Indian food, too.

[LordHighXcutioner]

@cpmje: Homosexuality exists in nature, including all species of primates. No serious psychiatrist identifies it as a mental illness.

[LordHighXcutioner]

@sekretutka: My ass, they don't. Fuck the West and their ignorance about India!

[SJJGautham08]

Are you kidding me? Since when is Bollywood the "keeper of Hindu culture"? What a joke, journeyman. Also, this reporter pisses me off.

[sekretutka]

@TraptbyBenjamin thats not true. I love Indian food and people, although i feel like they dont give women their deserved freedom.

[TraptbyBenjamin]

@sekretutka

Seems like you do not like Hindus.

[smh211027]

"Fire" is one of my favorite films of all time. We should do so well in the West to create films that speak to love and hope so courageously. Let your haters be your motivators.

[cpmje]

I agree. weakness, turned to self loathing to what else can i do but worship my natural competitor (the same sex) because i've been so humiliated.  homosexuality is a mental disease of humiliation brought on by genetic weakness, abuse or something else unfortunate. Its unfortunate and not to be raised to the level of normalcy.

[cpmje]

ghandi's message of non violence and peace and love was based on a strict moral code. the man chose to be celibate while he was married....thats the way many have lived there....peace and love and debauchery do not go hand in hand. they never will....and when your stoned nothing really matters anyway....how easy to say peace and love when nothing means anything...