Editor,
I am disturbed to see the pathetic plight of one of the finest actors from South India. It’s a pity that the actor-director, Kamal Haasan was constrained to say, “If there is no secular state in India, I would go overseas, I think Tamil Nadu wants me out. M.F. Husain had to do it and now Haasan will have to do it. It’s fine. What would change is my passport. I would still be an Indian.”
His film cleared by the CBFC was to be screened. The constitutionally appointed body looked into all the issues involving sentiments – be it religious, political, regional, cultural or even national. The question of objecting to its screening in the theatres did not, therefore, arise. Alas, it was banned! Reportedly, Kamal Haasan put in his whole life’s earning to make his latest film ‘Vishwaroopam’ which the public was anxiously waiting to see on mega screens. Since about 100 crores were spent in making the film, he was not prepared to hand over the copyrights to any T.V. channel, not even to the Video companies because he would then not be able to recover his investment cost. A certain T.V. channel wanted the copyright of ‘Vishwaroopam’ which Kamal Haasan did not give. Haasan used his constitutionally granted right to decide what best he could do with his product.
A stay in the telecast of the film in Tamil Nadu was lifted in the Madras High Court but, dramatically the same night of lifting the ban, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Elipe Dharma Rao stayed the operation of the single judge decision and that made Kamal Haasan explode the way he did, like going into exile to a place where his secular credentials can be protected. In the state of Kerala, there is no ban on screening the film. Many political, social and intellectual personalities have watched the film in Thiruvananthapuram and coming out of the theatre, they reacted that there is nothing as such in the film that would hurt the sentiments of any community, religion or others. It is a wonderful movie of much creativity and cinematography which cinema goes should watch. That was perhaps the reason the CBFC cleared it.
Then what is the problem in Tamil Nadu? Who are those so-called Muslim groups who objected to it? Why did the Tamil Nadu government support that minority group when none of the major Muslim groups or organizations in India or elsewhere came out with any such sentimental issues so far? Haasan is prepared to edit certain parts to please his cinema goers but those holding power in Tamil Nadu were not prepared to listen to him.
When we, as the people of India, are trying to remove all the barriers that prevent the maintenance of the socio-politico-cultural-regional imbalances from our midst, the violent acts over the ban on screening the highly respected actor-director, Kamal Haasan’s film ‘Vishwaroopam’ is the height of encroaching on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression of individuals. All those troublemakers who are behind this mischief must be stopped in the larger interests of the country.
Yours etc.,
Omar Luther King
Delhi – 34
Arbitrary fine!
Editor,
On January 31 morning at around 10 am, I unknowingly parked my vehicle alongside rhe Laitumkhrah Presbyterian Church opposite Super Care Hospital since there was no ‘NO PARKING SIGN’ there. I unnecessary landed into trouble and had to pay a heavy fine of Rs 500 at the Laitumkhrah Police Station. I don’t want others to fall into a similar trap and become the next victims. Also what about Sundays? Do the traffic police allow church goers to park on this site? And if so what are the relaxed timings?
Yours etc.,
Grazizly K.
