Controversial movie: Deshdrohi comes to the UAE

A Hindi movie that has been banned in Mumbai, the home of Bollywood, will be screened in the UAE.

Deshdrohi, releasing here Thursday, has been banned by the government of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, as it deals with the sensitive issue of attacks by locals on migrant workers there.

The controversy surrounding the movie has brought the hitherto unheard of Dubai-based Kamaal Rashid Khan, lead actor, producer and nearly everything else in the movie, into the limelight. It has also got him into trouble with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a regional outfit of firebrand politician Raj Thackeray.

"I have been getting a lot of threatening phone calls lately. But I am not afraid as I sincerely believe in the issues raised in the movie," Khan said at a press conference in Dubai yesterday, where co-star Gracy Singh was also present.

So what prompted him to venture into movies?

"The injustices meted out to North Indians in Maharashtra. I realised I had to do something," he said.

KRK, as he is known among his small legion of fans, has plastered hundreds of Dubai buses with posters of his film. "I have a publicity budget of Rs7 crores (Dh5.13 million)," he said.

The son of a farmer, Khan hails from the northern Indian city of Haridwar. He moved to Dubai 18 years ago and deals in construction and the garment business.

The storyline

Deshdrohi is about the travails of a man who comes to Mumbai in search of a job but is discriminated against because of his North Indian roots. Shot partly in Hatta, UAE, the movie is directed by Jagdish Sharma. Besides Khan, the movie stars Gracy Singh, Hrishita Bhatt, Kim Sharma and Rosa Catalona.