The movie currently in the eye of the storm, Padmavati, is claimed to have ‘misrepresented’ certain facts in the movie, which has made some people angry. A little too angry, I suppose. According to them, the film shouldn’t be released until certain scenes from the movies are deleted. So many protests are taking place all over the country that I even lost their count. There are some ministers who are continuously requesting the Film Board to make amends in the movie and then release it so that the people’s sentiments are not hurt. On the other hand, there are people who are offering money as a reward to whosoever brings Deepika Padukone’s head back to them. But do you feel it is justified to go to this extent over a movie?
Since we’re all a part of the society, we understand and connect things with each other. We stay in a place where our actions are most likely to affect the other party no matter how hard we try to resist it. There are norms which have to be followed and taken care of. It is in the society that an individual is surrounded and encompassed by culture, as a societal force. Each social situation has its own particular set of expectations about the proper way to behave and each person has a role to play. Therefore, the filmmakers who’ve been bestowed with the job to make movies for people to see should make sure that they do their job right. A biopic requires extensive research on its history. Even a slight distortion of the facts will raise eyebrows.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a celebrated filmmaker. His films are a treat to watch. Be it with the colourful costumes or the grand sets, we’ve enjoyed watching his movies. His movies are his own ideas to an extent that he can direct them and make it available for the public to watch. It’s his own right to make them, provided by the freedom of speech and expression in our Constitution. But with this much power comes responsibilities. Filmmakers shouldn’t abuse this right of theirs. They have lived in this country for some while that they know what goes on here and what does not; what can be tolerated and what cannot be. They should not ignore that.
Now coming back to our present issue some groups are protesting against the film’s release or demanding a complete ban on the film, in spite of the director saying that the film is not misleading in any manner. It is where the politicians, whom the general public so trust and look upon, should step in. They should tell them that it’s an exercise of one’s own right of expression and should be considered as such. Their demands for certain parts to be deleted can be met but banning the entire film should not be considered. They should rather stop the hatred that the other politicians are spreading. It’s high time that these people realise that there are other grave issues which need to be discussed. People in this country are dying, starving or getting misplaced and it’s disheartening to see that it’s a movie which is getting all the attention.
Image courtesy: rediff.com
