Filmmaker Hansal Mehta fumes to Omar Abdullah’s objection to shoot “Maharani” at Jammu and Kashmir assembly
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta fumes to Omar Abdullah’s objection to shoot “Maharani” at Jammu and Kashmir assembly
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta in defence, comes down heavily on those who were called out by former Jammu and Kashmir minister Omar Abdullah for using the state assembly as a set for the show, “Maharani”
Omar Abdullah had termed it as a “shame” and accused the government for reducing “the symbol of democracy” to a set.
He also expressed outrage on a scene which showed an actor playing a chief minister in the show.
The filmmaker went on to add that Jammu and Kashmir does not have an elected government after Article 370 was repealed in 2019 and the state was made into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Coming to Maharani 2, actress Huma Qureshi reigns supreme in a show that is a lesson in how political thrillers should be made
Sharing pictures of Maharani shoot, Omar taking to his X account wrote that the true face of ‘the mother of democracy’, once elected representatives of the people from all parties, religions, backgrounds & parts of J&K legislated on matters of great importance now actors & extras use it as a set for TV dramas.
He added that It’s a disgrace that the BJP driven government in J&K has reduced the symbol of democracy, where they once sat & governed, to this sorry state of affairs.
They even have a fake CM coming out of an office he was privileged to occupy for 6 years. An absolute shame he further quoted.
Hansal Mehta in his response to Omar’s tweet, wrote, that Why is it a shame? How is filming of a drama demeaning democracy or the ‘mother of democracy’? Every body on a film set including actors, background actors (called ‘extras’ by you) are all citizens of this country and have every right to work with dignity and deserve respect and understanding- at least from somebody as educated as yourself.”
He further added, that in countries around the world, we are given use of public places, government buildings, council halls and the like for shooting.
It is because of this unwelcoming attitude that India is considered an unfriendly shooting location and we often prefer shooting abroad. He has great respect for Omar, but, this feels very disrespectful, regressive and myopic.
Maharani features Huma Qureshi as Rani Bharti, wife of Bihar’s chief minister Bheema. Her character was inspired by Rabri Devi. The show also featuring Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Kani Kusruti, Anuja Sathe and Inaamulhaq, was shot in Legislative Assembly Jammu complex as well as the Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science College, Jammu.
News Edit K.V.Raman
