Singapore bans film for offensive remarks against Indians

Singapore has banned a local comedy film just three days before its release over racial references demeaning and offensive to Indians, a media watchdog has said.

Singaporean comedy 'Sex.Violence.FamilyValues' has been pulled from release by the authorities for demeaning and offensive references to the island's ethnic Indian minority. The decision was announced in a statement by the Media Development Authority, which oversees screening of films in Singapore, on Monday.u00a0

A film review panel, including members of the public, found the 46-minute compendium film offensive, 'The Straits Times' reported, citing the Media Development Authority. Of the three short films in 'Sex.Violence.FamilyValues', 'Porn Masala' is the most controversial, revolving around the making of Singapore's first 'arthouse prono'.

The report cited a trailer of 'Porn Masala', in which a local actor of Chinese origin, Adrian Pang, and an Indian actor, Vadi PVSS, were seen trading racial insults.

The other two short films in the compendium are about Cartoons, one in which a kindergarten pupil draws morbid pictures, and 'The Bouncer', a dramedy that "puts an Asian twist on the teen dance movie genre", according to the film's website.

The film was directed Ken Kwek, a local first time director. Singapore government has expressed serious concern about racial issues in recent months, given the multi-ethnicity of the people and the increasing number of foreigners working and settling in the city state.u00a0