PARAMOUNT PICTURES - KITE RUNNER STARS IN HIDING

KITE RUNNER STARS IN HIDING

Four young stars of upcoming film The Kite Runner have been shipped out of Afghanistan after fears arose concerning their safety.

The four - aged 11 to 14 - and their guardians have been taken to a town in the United Arab Emirates to protect the children from retribution concerning a controversial scene in the movie.

The Paramount Pictures release, an adaptation of Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini's 2003 bestselling novel, features a rape scene involving individuals from rival tribes and has led to fears of ethnic unrest.

In a pivotal scene in the film, Amir, a wealthy member of the Pashtun tribe, (played by 11-year-old Zekeria Ebrahimi) fails to intervene when Hassan, a comparatively poor member of the Hazara tribe (played by 13-year-old Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada), is raped by a Pashtun man.

The casting of unknown Afghan boys in the lead roles has sparked controversy, with Paramount delaying the film's release by six weeks to ensure the youngsters' safety amid security concerns in the region.

Rich Klein, a Middle East expert and representative of a Washington-based consultancy employed by the studio to manage the relocation of the boys, told the Guardian that moving the young Afghans had been the most sensible decision for all concerned.

"We were working with eight people, three different languages, and four time zones. But we have found the right place for the boys where they won't feel any sense of anxiety or dislocation in their lives."

He added that the studio had acknowledged making an error in casting local actors.

"A mistake was made. It was unintentional - the situation was not fully understood in terms of Afghan culture and history and the relationship between the Hazara and Pashtun people."

Hosseini recently applauded the decision to relocate the boys, telling the San Francisco Chronicle: "Afghanistan has become a pretty violent place.

"If the boys and their families think there is a reasonable risk of threat to them, then you have to take all of the steps that you can to make sure they are OK."