Kathmandu, June 19. On Sunday, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced that it had directed the Censor Board to remove the word “Bharatki” (meaning: of India) from the Hindi film-Adipurush prior to obtaining permission for its release in Nepal.

The Ministry clarified its stance through a statement, emphasizing that it had taken serious note of objections raised through various media outlets regarding the usage of the term “Bharatki” in the film Adipurush, where Janaki, a national icon of Nepal, was depicted as the daughter of India.

“While speaking at the Central Film Screening Committee on June 15, the team requested the removal of the dialogue containing the term ‘Bharatki,’ which portrayed Janaki as a daughter of India. Only after addressing this concern, the Censor Board of Nepal granted permission for the public screening of the film,” stated Bishal Sapkota, Assistant Spokesperson of the MoCIT.

According to the Ministry’s statement, the Central Film Screening Committee received the recommendation for screening Adipurush on June 12. Subsequently, the film was authorized to be shown in cinema halls in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Motion Picture (Production, Exhibition, and Distribution) Act of 2026 BS and the related regulations.