Sense and sentiment

It’s a tricky balance to add a comic angle to something religious without hurting sentiments. And often, the attempt lands one in trouble. The upcoming film Behen Hogi Teri is now facing legal trouble over Rajkummar Rao’s Shiva avatar in the poster.

The romantic comedy, starring Rajkummar Rao and Shruti Haasan, has reportedly landed in legal trouble and the social media has been abuzz with the news that director Ajay Pannalal and producer Tony D’Souza have been arrested on grounds of hurting sentiments of certain religious groups. The movie’s poster shows Rao sitting on a motorcycle dressed as Lord Shiva. In the past, cases had been filed against films like PK and OMG — Oh My God, for hurting religious sentiments by showing deities in “bad light”. Filmmakers express their frustration and say their creative freedom is being strangled using religion as an excuse.

Cases were filed against films like PK for hurting religious sentiments earlier.

National Award-winning director Nila Madhab Panda says how he interprets his God is his business as long as he is not insulting the deity. “I would like to see my God sitting on a bike, on an aircraft or in a temple and I don’t think anyone should interfere with how I see my God as long as I am not insulting him. I don’t understand how these things are a matter of significance, but no one raises their voice when women are shown as objects, especially in a nation where gender equality is such a burning issue,” he says.

As a filmmaker who has now been forced to think twice before using any religious symbol in his films, he wishes to send out a message. He says, “There’s freedom of expression in this country and it has a  sweet taste. Let’s not make it bitter.”

Anarkali of Aarah director Avinash Das is angry with the turn of events, and says, “Today people who can threaten creative freedom have become really powerful. While the government and judiciary should not give much importance to such people, unfortunately such people are getting respect. Religion for an artiste is a canvas where he wants to paint his interpretations. Why are you forcing your imagery on him?” He adds, “Many films are harmed because of such groups. Mohalla Assi never got released because people created a hungama after seeing just the trailer. In Mumbai, filmmakers are imaging the nation, religion and other things in a certain way and you see someone sitting in a small village in Madhya Pradesh filing a case against the film. Should I make films or go for hearings?”

Asked if he now thinks twice about using any religious symbol, he says, “If as a filmmaker I get too conscious, I will not be able to create something. Then I will not be creating content, I will just be managing it.”