Padmavati row: much ado about nothing
Can anyone tell me where we are going? Are we moving forward or moving backward? I am sure sanjay leela bhansali did not commit any crime in Bhopal. but there is an FIR in his name. But when people say that they will kill bhansali, cut the nose of deepika padukone, there is no FIR. When they say, if bhansali does not show the movie to them prior to release, they will destroy his shooting from now onwards, then no crime is committed.
And why should anyone's sentiments be hurt by a movie? If I make a movie about any contemporary topic, it may be corruption, or religious bigotry or superstition or regional disparity or discrimination of outsiders in North eastern states, or how the nagas insult our national flag, then god known whose sentiment I am going to hurt. Is there any movie possible without any topic? There will always be a topic, a story or community in focus, in modern cinema. In 1970s and 80's we had movies without much of any solid story. like one man beats up every villain etc. But admittedly, those were intended to keep people dumb. If you make intelligent movie, then it will touch social issues, political issues, and religious issues. If you make movie on historical topic, historical personalities will be in that movie. To say that someone sentiment is hurt, is height if absurdity. No where in any civilized country a group of people are allowed to form and pressurize film makers in an unconstitutional way.
But that only proves we are not civilized. That's why a lot of people can be mobilized and they can be misled in believing that their culture is being presented in distorted manner. as per our constitution, a film maker has right to make movie of his choice. But some people are not sure about the rights of other people. UP CM Yogi adityanath is one of them. He has accused Bhansali of playing with people's sentiments. Actually, it is he who is fanning up people's sentiments.
In a country, where FIR's are registered against movie makers, as if they were criminals, nobody is free to express anything. Now, when the CM of UP has taken the side of the unruly mob, stating that bhansali as guilty as the mob threatening his life, there is hardly any hope of justice, ever. Whatever the ruling class (or party) decides, will prevail. This all, before anyone seeing the movie. And even if the movie takes liberties, does it mean that rani padmavati is insulted? Did Shyam Benegal commit any crime by making a movie on Subhas Chandra bose? no, he just showed what his research has found out. so, the BJP and as many as 10 of it's leaders
are guilty of trying to suffocate the liberty of freedom of expression. they are trying to go with the unruly mob, just because they deem it fit. I see no reason for the same.
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