/> The blanket ban on Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kissan's films in Bihar has been lifted. For the last two months Kissan was being 'punished' by a motion-pictures association in Bihar for supporting Mithun Chakraborty in his fight with a Bihari distributor-producer.

Breathing a sigh of relief after the storm Ravi says, "It was all due to the timely intervention of Shatrubhai, Parkash Jha, Manoj Bajpai and Sanjay Nirupamji. T

hey spoke directly to the higest command in Bihar, the chief minister Mr Nitish Kumar himself. Being reasonable and culturally inclined man the CM immediately took remedial action. And now after a two-month gap I'm back in the theatres of Bihar."

Ravi's first post-ban release in Bihar special. "It's Ekta Kapoorji's first Bhojpuri film. And it's our interpretation of Sholay. I play Gabbar Singh.

It's very challenging to play a role that Bachchan Saab did last year in Ram Gopal Varma's film. I've been flattered by being called the Amitabh Bachchan of Bhojpuri cinema. Now's my chance to prove it."

Ravi doesn't approve of politics infiltrating into cinema. "And I don't mean politicians doing cinema. I mean politics being used to resolve cinema-based issues. But in my crisis in Bihar I realized that when your arm is being unnecessarily twisted you need to take special action. It's like a coup in a country. The army has to be called in."

Ravi is relieved and jubilant the Bihari inbroglio is over. "Thank God it's over. I was abused and banned for supporting Mithun-da. I could've realitated in the same language. But I held my peace. The Bhojpuri industry in Bihar and UP has made me a star. At the same time I've also given Bhojpuri industry a new lease of life. Surely I need to be respected."