Bollywood filmmakers condemn 'Bin Roye' ban in Maharashtra

Mahira Khans introduction to the Maharashtra audience has to wait a little longer The Pakistani actress who has been paired opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees was all set to clash with Salman Khan at the boxoffice tomorrow but her film Bin Roye will not be screened here For the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS has threatened to vandalise theatres if the distributor screens the movie in the state The political outfit objected to the proposed release stating that Pakistan has been sponsoring terror attacks on the country especially in Mumbai and committing ceasefire violations as well Moreover Pakistan does not allow Indian artistes to work in Pakistan MNS leader Amay Khopkar reportedly mentioned in his letter to the distributorMahira Khan stars in Bin Roye which will not hit the big screen here following threats from the MNSThese threats have not gone down well with the local film fraternity which feels that the ban is unacceptable besides being unfair on the audience Onir says It is unfair that a film approved by the film certification board in India is banned by a political party There should be a mandate from the Supreme Court stating that the state should provide security and ensure the release of films The idea of allowing Pakistani films to release here is to build bridges and not create walls between two countries constantlyRahul Dholakia who is directing Mahira in her Bollywood debut film Raees shares similar sentiments on the ban It is ridiculous for political parties to prevent the release They should be focussing on more important issues like farmer suicides in the state The idea of being a political party does not mean that you should break bridges it means you should build bridges create an environment of freedom and not act as a bully or extortionist The state government should take them to task and ensure police protection around theatres so that the film can releaseIn October last year ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Jammu and Kashmir border found a resonance in Bollywood with the Bharatiya Janata Party threatening to block the release of Kill Dil which starred Pakistani actor Ali Zafar alongside Govinda Ranveer Singh and Parineeti ChopraShashanka Ghosh who worked with Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan last year for Khoobsurat says I dont think it banning a movie is fair unless the film is politically or religiously jingoistic I have no clue how to deal with this issue apart from the usual lobbyingOther filmmakers like Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan finds the decision of banning a creative art in any form intimidating I firmly believe that when an autonomous body is already in place and set by the government to make such decisions of releasing a film any political interference overlapping its decision and prudence is completely intolerable Had Bin Roye been allowed to release in Maharashtra it would have only strengthened IndoPak relations he saysChauhan adds that after a longstanding ban on Indian films Pakistan has allowed the release of Bollywood films there since 2008 with suggested cuts and consequently films made here have lured people across the border and helped our film industry add to its business He goes on to say After years of bitterness a sense of liberalism can be felt in both nations in connection of the exchange of cinema If we hinder such efforts we must be prepared for ban on ourcinema too in Pakistan I am sure that our people too would love to watch their films just like they enjoy our cinema The political parties might not understand the feeling a filmmaker goes through with such bans On one hand we talk about banning their films here and on the other hand we openly watch their soaps on Indian television What is it if not just sheer hypocrisyOffering a suggestion to radical political parties the filmmaker asserts that they ought to look at films as a medium of exchange of views talent technology ideas and even emotions Only if we could be a little openminded or rather open hearted and not take such baseless stepshellip It is sad and disheartening And as a cinema lover and filmmaker I see my basic rights under jeopardy with such decisions laments ChauhanThey bore the brunt toogtgt Chennai Express 2013MNS threatened to disrupt the release of this Shah Rukh Khanstarrer when the makers demanded prime time slot in single screen theatres across stateDeepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan in Chennai ExpressThe slot was apparently allotted to Marathi films The party members felt the film would eat into the business of the regional industry as Marathi film Duniyadari was running successfully in theatres A compromise was reached after director Rohit Shetty met MNS chief Raj Thackeraygtgt Ready 2011The South Indian Film Artiste Association blocked the release all films featuring Asin including Ready after she shot in Sri LankaSalman Khan and Asin in ReadyThe association was against the idea of Indian actors going to Lanka as they felt that Tamilians were mistreated in the island country Earlier Salman Khans films were also blocked for a brief period when he visited Sri Lanka for an awards ceremonygtgt My Name is Khan 2010Shiv Sena workers had threatened to disrupt the shows of this film after the star expressed frustration over not a single Pakistani player being bought at the auction for IPL 3Kajol in My Name Is KhanHowever the distributor went ahead with the release amidst securitygtgt Raavan 2010The film which starred Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan released in Hindi and Tamil simultaneously It met with fierce opposition in Sri Lanka as the lead pair as well as Amitabh Bachchan had earlier boycotted an awards function in that country The protestors reportedly torched theatres to mark their protestgtgt Fanaa 2006The Aamir KhanKajol starrer was banned in Gujarat since the actor was opposing the construction of Narmada Dam in the state thenAamir Khan in FanaaApparently the Bhartiya Janta Party had been upset over Aamirs alleged remarks against the then chief minister Narendra Modi over the 2002 Godhra riots