After an uncertainty of several days, organisers of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 finally relented and have now written to Sanal Sasidharan, director of S. Durga to submit a censored copy of the film for consideration.
A spokesperson for the filmmaker said here on Saturday that the required documents and film copies would be submitted to the IFFI organisers.
A letter written by Sunil Tandon, director of IFFI, in this regard was uploaded on a social media site by Mr. Sasidharan late on Friday.
As per HC directions
The letter requested the director to submit copies of the film to the festival authorities, as per directions of the Kerala High Court.
“In this connection you are requested to kindly provide the censored version of ‘S... Durga’ in 35mm print/DCP, Blue-ray, along with two DVD copies to IFFI, Goa. Please also submit a copy of the censor certificate,” Mr. Tandon’s letter said.
Kannan Nayar, lead actor of the film told reporters here on Saturday that copies of the film as well as the censor certificate would be submitted to Mr. Tandon’s office.
“We are waiting for the censor certificate to come from Kerala, after which we will submit all the required documents and film copies to the IFFI director,” Mr. Nayar said.
This is one of the two films which were dropped from the screening schedule of IFFI’s Indian Panorama section leading to a big controversy.
On Friday the Kerala High Court, despite a request from the Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting, had also refused to stay its earlier order
The cast of the film, which is present at the festival had accused IFFI organisers of succumbing to political pressure in not responding to the court directive that film be screened at the IFFI.
