| sparsha |
Posted
on 28-Dec-00 09:38 AM
Sounds like Hritik didn't said what he is accused of saying. We should not drag this issue anymore, I think. We have made our point clear. I still can't beleive Police killed five people over it. I have no doubt that the use of force was excessive.
The following news is from CNN.
Indian actor denies anti-Nepal remarks; urges end to riots
Hrithik Roshan denies making negative comments about Nepal
December 27, 2000
Web posted at: 11:50 p.m. HKT (1550 GMT)
KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- Indian movie star Hrithik Roshan denied on Wednesday making derogatory comments about Nepal and its people, and urged an end to violent protests over the alleged statements that left four people dead and dozens injured.
"I in fact hold Nepal and the Nepalese people in very high regard, in very high esteem," the 26-year-old actor said in an interview on CNN. "I am completely distressed to hear about what is happening."
Roshan said it was "a baseless rumor" that he had said in a television interview that he hated Nepal and its people.
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Hrithik Roshan has high praise for Nepal, denying allegations that he made derogatory remarks
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Roshan and Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel called for calm in the Himalayan kingdom, and Roshan said the wanted "to do something for the families of the people who died."
"I will go out of my way to help them financially or any other way," he told Reuters.
The only television station that has aired an extensive interview with Roshan said the actor had made no such statements -- and indeed, the channel that allegedly aired the comments has not been identified.
Roshan, who rocketed to fame last January with the release of his first film, "Say This Is Love," told CNN he was "completely baffled" by the rumor, and speculated that perhaps political interests, jealousy or a criminal underworld could be behind it.
"I am asking the questions -- why is my name here?" he said. "I do not understand."
Tuesday's riots forced the closing of schools and businesses angry Nepalese took to the streets setting fires and vandalizing Indian businesses.
One of the four dead was a 12-year-old girl hit by a stray bullet as she sat in her home reading.
But Roshan's vehement denials did little to quell the anger in Nepal, where movie theaters stopped showing Hindi-language films.
"We can't go against the feelings of the people," said Uddhab Poudel, head of the Nepal Motion Picture Association.
Nepalese Communication Minister Jaya Prakash Gupta said the government had asked movie theaters to stop screening Roshan's films, including his latest, "Mission Kashmir."
Private cable operators also suspended airing Hindi films.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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