Making its intentions very clear on eradicating the drug menace from the State, the Telangana State Anti Narcotics Bureau sent a notice to the film makers of Ganja Shankar asking it to delete scenes that glamourise usage of drugs.
Sandeep Shandilya, Director of Telangana State Anti-Narcotic Bureau (TS ANB) cited the laws and provisions in the law that prohibit the usage of drugs. The notice is apparently sent after the filmmakers released the ‘first high’ of the movie on YouTube for promotion.
Mr. Shandilya drew attention to the title and the content and said, “Watching the trailer it can be concluded that the protagonist is a vagabond who does leafy vegetable business and the pictorials of Ganja plant are shown indicating that the leafy vegetable business done by the protagonist is Ganja.”
The notice further cites various sections of the law that prohibit drugs. It says, “Section 8—prohibition of certain operations. No person should cultivate any coca plant or gather any portion of the coca plant; or cultivate the opium poppy or any cannabis plant or produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse and consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.“
The notice further says, “You are also aware and know that motion picture had become more true life than even the theatre or any other form of artistic representation, it effects particularly on children and immature adolescent will be great. It is universally recognized that motion pictures must be treated differently from other forms of art and expression, because of a motion picture gives an instant appeal to the sight and hearing.”
Mr. Shandilya said in the notice that he expects the filmmakers to refrain from depicting any scenes in Ganja Shankar movie where the consumption, sale, peddling and supply of Narcotic Ganja is glorified and shown as a heroic act. He asks the filmmakers to desist from having such scenes in the movie and to abstain from propagating such acts which have deleterious effects on the young generation.
The filmmakers were also directed that the title of Ganja Shankar should be changed and Ganja must be deleted from the title. “If any such objectionable scenes in connection with Ganja / Narcotics and Psychotropic Substance, legal action will be initiated against you under provisions of NDPS Act 1985.”
The notices were sent to lead actor Sai Dharam Tej, S.Nagavamshi, Producer and Sampath Nandi, Director while copies were marked to the Presidents of the Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC), Telugu Film Directors Association (TFDA) and the Movie Artist Association.
