Javed Akhtar eminent script writer lyricist opens up on SRK Deepika ‘Besharam Rang’ row
Javed Akhtar eminent script writer lyricist opens up on SRK Deepika ‘Besharam Rang’ row
The “Besharam Rang” song featuring Deepika Padukone in a saffron bikini found itself in the centre of archetypal storm
for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. There were protests in several parts of the country against the controversial song.
Earlier, CBFC.asked Yash Raj Films to make changes to “Besharam Rang” and delete all the mentions of RAW the Indian intelligence agency and Prime Minister’s Office from the movie.
Hailing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as a “department” under the central government”, as per Film Industry Veteran Javed Akhtar, “It is not for me or you to decide whether the song is right or wrong. We have an agency.
“There are people from the government and a cross-section of the society watch the film and decide what will be passed and what will not be passed.
We need to repose trust in the CBFC certification, the cuts that they suggest and what they pass.
The Film Industry Veteran also made it known that while the fringe elements protested against the film, Akhtar disagreed that it was not the fringe but politicians who had expressed their disappointment over the song.
Adding there are no fringe elements, the ministers are talking these things. Forget about the fringe elements.
His comments came a day before the trailer launch of *Pathaan*, a high-octane spy thriller directed by Siddharth Anand scheduled for theatrical release on 25 January.
Featuring leading Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in a saffron bikini, *Besharam Rang* in Pathaan has found itself in the centre of a controversy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. There were protests in several parts of the country against the controversial song.
Posters of the film were vandalised in a mall in Ahmedabad and members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal stated they would not allow the screening of the movie in Gujarat unless their issues over the song were resolved.
Moreover if the politicians feel there should be a separate censor board for each state Madhya Pradesh, they need to watch the film separately.
And if unhappy over the Centre’s film certification, we should not come in between them, it is between them and the Centre.
On the recently constituted *Dharma Censor Board*, the screenwriter said every *dharma* (religion) should have its own censor board.
“There is one censor board in MP, then this is there and one censor board of the centre is also there. What is the problem? We have four-five important *dharmas* and they should have their censors. Maybe then moulvis (under Islam) will start watching films. Do it, do it!” he concluded.
Akhtar was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of “Jadunama”, a coffee table book that draws its title from his nickname (Jadu).
A compilation of extracts from Akhtar*s public speeches, interviews and quotes, “Jadunama” was unveiled by his close friend and veteran poet-lyricist Gulzar. Akhtar*s family members, including actor-wife Shabana Azmi, actor-filmmaker-son Farhan Akhtar, director-daughter Zoya Akhtar, actor Tabu, filmmaker Farah Khan, actor Nandita Das, directors Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowarikar, and actors Deepti Naval, Divya Dutta, Urmila Matondkar, Saiyami Kher, and Satish Kaushik attended the event.
News Input K.V.Raman
