Sunday Times 2
Censor backs Haasan opus
View(s):Board chief agrees that film ban is ‘cultural terrorism’
By Priyanka Srivastava
Leela Samson, CEO of Central Board of Film Certification, has come out strongly in support of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan who is facing agitation over the allegedly negative portrayal of Muslims in his new film, Vishwaroopam.
Samson agreed with Haasan’s view that the whole issue, which has seen sections of the Muslim community demanding a ban on the film, was nothing short of ‘cultural terrorism’. She also added that the film does not have any content that can hurt religious sentiments of any community.
Leela Samson, CEO of Central Board of Film Certification, has come out strongly in support of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan
“It is clearly cultural terrorism and the demand for a ban shows complete disregard to the certification given by a statutory body called the Censor Board. My team would have taken action if only the film had any objectionable content. A film goes through several levels before getting passed by the Censor Board. Anything against national interest is censored,” Samson told Mail Today.
“Once a film is passed by the censors, it is legally permissible to be shown to the audience and release it in theatres. No social or religious organisation has the authority to impose any kind of ban and stop the film from being watched,” she added.
Kamal moved the Madras High Court to get the ban, imposed by the Tamil Nadu government, lifted. Justice K. Venkataraman, while hearing Haasan’s petition against the Tamil Nadu government order prohibiting release of his film on January 25, instructed that the court take into account the state government’s concerns over law and order, and communal amity.
“One wonders what the big issue is, about the law and order concerns. It is not as if the entire city is burning because of the film. A small group has raised objections, about a particular community shown in a certain manner. The issue can be resolved by discussing and showing them the film. Banning it is not a solution,” said Samson.
She also pointed out that banning a film over such protests “is unconstitutional because it amounts to the curbing of artistic rights”.
“People need to have faith in the decision taken by the Censor Board and they cannot randomly raise objections without actually watching a film,” said Samson, ruing the fact that such protests were alarmingly becoming routine. “These protests have lately become regular affair. A person can have an individual choice when it comes to watching an art form but we cannot prevent people at large from watching a film.
Let everyone decide for themselves. People who want to ban artistic works are not those who appreciate cinema. In most cases, the reason of protest turns out to be politically motivated,” said Samson.
Meanwhile, most among the film community has come up in support of Haasan. Film-maker Reema Kagti was vocal in her support for Kamal’s film. “Culture terrorism is the apt term to be used to define the way random groups demand a ban on a film or a song or any art form. It only shows this is not a free society. The tragedy is that people end up blaming films and film-makers for everything,” Reema said.
“Ours is a hyper-sensitive and intolerant society. We look for a solution in films and yet take out our anger on films. Let people watch the film and decide for themselves if there is anything objectionable,” added Reema. Meanwhile, southern film icon Rajinikanth, considered as Hassan’s arch-rival, has also urged the Muslim community not to disrupt the release of the film and work out a way so that things are settled in the right way. He requested his Muslim fans to avoid a ban against Haasan’s most ambitious and multi-crore project.
HC tells Haasan to find an amicable solution
For Kamal Haasan, the agony gets prolonged by a day with the Madras High Court suggesting that the actor enter into a dialogue with the Jayalalithaa government on lifting the fortnight-long ban imposed on his magnus opus, Vishwaroopam.
Justice K. Venkataraman, who watched the Rs 90 crore tri-lingual on Saturday at a special premiere, was expected to pass orders on Monday.
After crossing several hurdles, the film was slated for release in theatres on January 25. But, the eleventh-hour ban came as a shocker following opposition from the Muslim community that the narrative was anti-Islam.
Taking up the petition challenging the ban, the judge suggested that the iconic actor should try and work out an amicable solution by entering into a dialogue with the government and Muslim community.
The judge suggested that Haasan explore all possibilities to find an amicable solution to the issue with the government and should keep in mind the law and order situation in the country. There should not be any disharmony among the communities and that should be the primary consideration.
Sources close to Haasan, who is in the US to promote his film, maintained that the actor had neither sought an appointment with government officials nor with the opposing Islamic outfits.
While Haasan is facing a crisis, the film fraternity, barring a notable few such as matinee icon Rajinikanth, has maintained a studied silence. While Rajini has advocated a dialogue to resolve the issue, it was award winning director Bharathiraja who was forthright in his condemnation of the ban and the Islamic cacophony. “This is not only against Kamal, but against the creative domain,” he has said.
Reigning Tamil actor Ajith wondered whether the country is a democracy or is slipping into a ‘mobocracy’.
© Daily Mail, London
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