'S Durga' could create law and order situation: Hindu outfits urge IFFI against screening film

Panaji: Days after the Kerala High Court ordered that Malayalam film 'S Durga' be screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, half a dozen Hindu organisations on Saturday submitted a petition to the organisers requesting them not to show the film.

The petition, handed over to IFFI Director Sunit Tandon on Saturday afternoon, said the screening of the controversial movie should be stalled to maintain law and order.

The IFFI 2017, which kicked off on November 20, will conclude on November 28.

"It is clear that the film has targeted the Hindu Goddess Durga and denigrated her and in the process hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. The film is also likely to create law and order situation," the petition signed by various organisations, including members of Sanatan Sanstha and Gomantak Mandir Mahasangh, reads.

The Kerala High Court recently gave a go-ahead for the screening of the film during the ongoing IFFI, while the festival organisers have asked the filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan to submit the censored version of the film.

"The court may have given the direction to show this film. We respect the court but you can't ignore the sentiments of crores of Hindus who worship Goddess Durga," the petition reads.

Referring to the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming film 'Padmavati', the petition said, "Currently issues are going on regarding 'Padmavati' film. So showing this film at IFFI will add to the controversies. Though there is freedom of art, it can't be at the cost of hurting of feelings of the majority community."

'S Durga', which was earlier titled 'Sexy Durga', narrates the horrifying experience of a hitchhiking couple. The film, a road movie that follows the horrifying experience of two hitchhikers, a man and a woman, at the hands of two men in the dead of the night, won the Hivos Tiger Award in the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2017.