Wednesday, December 22 2004 22:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: A second theatre in the central English city of Birmingham today (Dec 22, 2004) abandoned plans to stage Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's controversial play 'Behzti' (dishonour) at the request of the author, who has gone into hiding after receiving death threats.

Neal Foster, actor-manager of the Birmingham Stage Company who had offered to stage the play after the Birmingham Repertory Theatre cancelled it, said that he would not to go ahead with it.

"The plan I came up with was to invite theatres across the country to read the play and discuss it afterwards, to have a debate so there was more understanding about the whole issue. I was proceeding with these plans until last night, when I received a request from the author," he said.

The request was made because of the "increased threats" to her safety, Foster said, adding she told him that she had received several threatening phone calls.

It has been reported that Bhatti is in hiding after receiving death threats because of the play's subject, which Sikhs claim hurt their religious sentiments.