The Middle East is a major market for Bollywood films.
Akshay Kumar latest movie ‘Sky Force’ ban in middle eastern countries. “Sky Force,” featuring Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya, is earning applause from both critics and audiences alike, acknowledging an impactful performance from Akshay.
The movie, however, is being tarnished with a world of trouble, as it is barred from certain Middle Eastern territories like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman.
While the reasons for the ban remain unclear, it has been suggested it could relate to the India-Pakistan tensions highlighted in the movie, which previously sparked bans for other films in the region.
According to the source quoted by a Bollywood Hungama report, it’s possible that the presentation of India-Pakistan tensions in the film pushed the ban along: “Films touching on such topics have faced bans in the Middle East before, which could be the probable reason here.”
The source also dismissed the idea that the film outbids jingoistic views, which was the reason the ban came as a surprise. The Middle East is a major market for Bollywood films and given the age-old enmities rife between the two neighbor states, the ban could affect the film’s box office prospects.
This is not the first time a Bollywood movie has faced a ban in the Middle East. CTO, a movie starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, did face the same kind of aftermath last year.
However, “Sky Force” is likely to get a good opening in India, with Akshay Kumar’s fans hoping for a turnaround now after his recent flops. If the film can open well on day one, the weekend will likely be advantageous.
The ban has raised questions about whether it may hinder global box office collections, and we’ll see how the movie performs in the coming days.
