KATHMANDU: Around 75 cine artistes launched a protest against the Film Production Direction Standard introduced by the Film Development Board recently.

The Standard, they argued, is against the National Film Policy approved by the government.

The artists submitted a memorandum to Minister for Information and Communications, Minendra Rijal, today saying the Standard issued by the Board was against the Interim Constitution of Nepal and democratic norms and values.

Receiving the memo signed by 75 artistes, Minister Rijal said that said that the Ministry is in favour of resolving problems of the cine sector. He also stressed on the need of establishing a training centre to make the film sector qualitative.

Submitting the memo, film director Anup Subedi, producer anddirector Nischal basnet, director Binod Poudel, actress Richa Sharma, among others, warned of launching stern agitation if the standard is not scrapped within a week.