Film on slain Lankan TV journalist banned in India

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to certify ‘Porkalathil Oru Poo,’ a film based on real life story of television journalist, Isaipriya,  on the grounds that the film could strain 'friendly relations with foreign States' the Hindu reported.

 The film director, K. Ganeshan, who is yet to get a formal letter of rejection from the CBFC, protested the decision. “What if Sri Lanka is a friendly State? Are we not allowed to criticise even when its armed forces have committed blatant human rights abuses? Even the Tamil Nadu government has passed a unanimous resolution in the Assembly not to consider Sri Lanka as a friendly nation,” he was quoted as saying.

This narrative around the Sri Lankan civil war has been hotly contested, resulting in a number of films being banned by government and others facing protests from various Tamil groups and parties in the State.

 While the critically acclaimed documentary ‘No Fire Zone’, made by Channel 4, was banned by the Sri Lankan government, Tamil student groups and parties called for a boycott of Santhosh Sivan’s ‘Inam’ and Hindi film, ‘Madras Café, on the pretext that they misrepresented the Sri Lankan conflict and tilted the narrative in favour of the Sri Lankan government.

 Actor S. Ve. Shekar, the Regional Chairman of CBFC, defended the decision saying that the board merely followed the Cinematograph Act.