PUSH-ER OFF
BRITISH-ASIAN DIRECTOR DEFIES RELIGIOUS CLERICS
A British-Hindi gangster film that could be banned in India for its ''shocking, drug-fuelled violence'' hits the big screens in the UK next month.
Religious leaders claim Pusher, a gritty remake of the 1996 Danish crime movie of the same name, ''borders on the psychotic''.
They likened it to a more disturbing version of Scottish cult flick Trainspotting, and fear it could leave more sensitive viewers psychologically damaged.
There are now calls for the film, which stars Bollywood beauty Mahima Chaudhry, to be banned from cinemas in the country's capital, Mumbai.
In a statement, Naseer Abdullah, a cleric from Abu Hanifa mosque in Mumbai, said: ''We are unhappy with the content of this movie.
''As such, we believe it borders on the psychotic and contains gratuitous and shocking, drug-fuelled violence.
At least three independent cinemas in the city are believed to have curtailed performances.
But the British Board of Film Classification disagrees. Despite scenes of extreme violence, which include torture and rape, it has allowed the film to be shown - albeit with an 18 certificate.
Pusher will now open in UK cinemas on October 15.
Director and writer Assad Raja yesterday played down the levels of violence in the film.
But he admitted some scenes, including one of a teenage girl lying on a bed after being sexually abused, was ''not your average Bollywood movie'' and could ''distress some people''.
He said: ''Pusher is a gritty movie, that's for sure. It's not your average Bollywood movie, and it's unforgiving in terms of its bloody realism.
''There are some scenes that I had to think long and hard about including.
''But that doesn't give anyone the right to ban it. My film explores themes corruption of society and of the soul.
“As a film maker, you bring to the screen what you know, these people don’t know what they’re talking about. I think it will turn youngsters off crime and drugs and actually help them. We're proud of the film, and look forward to seeing it on the big screen soon.''
The film tells the story of Salim (Raja), a low-level Asian drug dealer who works the streets of London.
One disastrous deal follows another, and Salim quickly finds himself on the wrong side of some of the capital's most dangerous criminals.
It is already being hailed as the film that will change the face of British Asian cinema forever.
Actor-writer-director Assad Raja hit upon the idea of making the film filmed in London and the Midlands - following his own frustrations as an actor in the UK.
He said: "As a British Asian, I found it extremely difficult to get a decent role in British films, TV shows and even on the stage. I kept finding that most roles were extremely stereotyped and limited to such things as 'corner shop keepers' or 'token Asian family' in a predominantly white-dominated soap.
"I wanted to challenge this and very much wanted to make an Indian language Brit-film in this crazy, gritty style. Nothing like this has been done in British, Asian or so-called Bollywood cinema ever before."
Despite a shoestring budget of less than £500,000, Raja secured the talents of actress Mahima Chaudhry, and musicians Panic Cell, Apache Indian, S.Kalibre and Glasgow-based Bhangra group Tigerstyle.
It has already received several glowing reviews, and has achieved an almost cult-like status among British Asian film buffs.
But not everyone agrees. Clerics in India believe Raja has "brought shame" on the Muslim community.
Shammim Baig, also from the Abu Hanifa mosque in Mumbai, said: ''Films like this are destroying the core fabric of Muslim morals. It sleights a community by portraying them as drug dealers, gamblers and people who consort with prostitutes.”
''The content of the film - sex, drugs, gambling and violence - defy Islam teachings, and will harm future generations”.
''The director should feel nothing but shame.''
Pusher hits the big screen in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leicester from October 14.
Go to: http://www.pushermovie.com/
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