I&B curtain falls on Nude, S Durga

Freedom of expression has found itself at a problematic juncture in India, as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has dropped two films passed by the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) jury. The movies were to be screened as part of the film festival in Goa later this month.

Outraged, the jury chief Sujoy Ghosh handed in his resignation in protest of the move.

“I’ve resigned from the chairmanship of the IFFI after this (the unceremonious abrupt exclusion of the two films, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s S Durga and Ravi Jadhav’s Nude),” said Sujoy, adding, “They are both very accomplished films. Nude is such a poignant and heartbreaking film. I wept when I saw it.”

Nude is a film on models, who pose in the buff for sculptors and artists. Ravi finds himself absolutely baffled at the turn of events, especially since no one had even informed him about the fact that his film is being dropped. “It was a story that needed to be told, since no one asks these models about what their lives are like. It’s ironic, really, that an industry that has information in its very name should fail to inform everyone involved before taking such a decision. Forget me, they did not even inform the jury about the fact that they had dropped the film! My film is slotted at international festivals like Berlin and Cannes, but it’s always a dream to have one’s own country view it and the ultimate goal remains a National Award. So, it’s because of that that this move really stings,” says the disappointed filmmaker.

S Durga poster

Sanal’s film, formerly called Sexy Durga, had run into some trouble even before MAMI film festival. However, it had screened at the festival with a changed name. Now to face this issue at the 11th hour is outrageous, and a shot at artistic freedom, feels the director. “It is not just a matter of my film, it is a matter of this nation being a democracy, where artistic freedom should be allowed. When something of this sort happens, there is only one thing to do, and that is to come together as a fraternity and protest. I have lodged a complaint with the Kerala high court in order to make my stand,” he states, decisively.

Advocate Manu Sebastian, who is representing Sanal in this case, says that it their petition has already been heard by the court. “My client has moved a writ petition against the I&B ministry, challenging its right to drop the film after it was passed by the jury. The court has already taken the case into consideration, since it is an urgent matter. They have asked the I&B ministry to send an explanation for its move and on the basis of this, it will take a decision on Thursday, November 16,” explains the lawyer.

It is not just Sujoy who has resigned in protest of this rash move by the I&B ministry. “Sumitra Bhave’s film Kaasav, which won the Golden Lotus, was supposed to be screened at IFFI. However, she has also retracted her film as a sign of protest. It is heartening to find this support from others in the industry. I will keep trying my luck with other film festivals. The jury at IFFI was so qualified that I was sure that this would be the perfect platform to launch the film. But there’s always another festival and I will not give up,” sighs Ravi.

Director Shyam Benegal, who earlier filed a petition to the I&B ministry to curb the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) power to make cuts to films, says that a move like this is simply wrong. “An international film festival has nothing to do with Indian politics. It is a celebration of the art of cinema and as such there should be absolute freedom. Some of the  greatest films of the entire world comes to the festival and it is unfortunate that the I&B ministry has the power to veto films here. Though they are legally able to do so , since the IFFI jury comes under their purview, it does not make the move right,” he asserts.

With IFFI set to open on November 20, such sudden changes to the schedule are bound to make waves, especially since Sujoy had recommended Nude as the opening film. One can now only wait and watch how the fallout will affect the festival.

(With inputs from Subhash K. Jha)