Mumbai: Five prominent film industry organisations on Monday protested the treatment meted out to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali by those opposing the release of his movie, Padmavati .
Ashoke Pandit of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) said, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a symbol. Abusing him is like abusing the entire fraternity, so we have called this meeting to condemn such treatment against any creative person.” As a mark of protest and solidarity, all organisations will observe a minute’s silence outside the gates of the Film City in Goregaon on November 16, and will stop work for 15 minutes.
The organisations that protested were IFTDA, Cine And TV Artists Association (CINTAA), Screenwriters Association, Association of Cine and TV Art Directors and Costume Designers, Western India Cinematographers Association and Film Studio Setting and the Allied Mazdoor Union. Together, they represent lakhs of workers and artistes in the film industry.
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Director Sudhir Mishra said the situation was ‘absurd’. “This is an attack on freedom. The history is ours. If anyone disagrees with my interpretation of history, please express your disagreement, but let the film release. This is creating an atmosphere where people will be dissuaded from making films on Indian history.”
Rajput groups across the country are protesting against Padmavati, based on a rumour that the film has a dream sequence involving Rani Padmavati, played by Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji. The director has said the movie has no such scene. Protesters pointed to the censor board clearance for the film. “When a statutory body clears the film, then it is deemed fit to be released,” Mr. Pandit said.
Actor Sushant Singh, representing the CINTAA, said they were fed up and angry with the need to continuously fight for basic requirements. “Our work is about expression. Why should we have to always fight for our freedom to do our job?” The actor questioned the State and Central governments over their silence in the matter, especially since members of their party have been threatening to stop the film.
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Marathi film industry veteran Vikram Gokhale, representing the CINTAA, stressed on the need for liberty in any democracy. “If we don’t have liberty, why should we pursue any kind of art?” he said, calling the current protests against the film a ‘private censorship’. “We expect the government to issue a statement that strict action will be taken against anyone who goes against law,” Mr. Pandit said. The association plans to write to Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, urging them to act on the issue.