In order to maintain law and order in the state, the Punjab government today banned Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit ‘s comeback movie Aaja Nachle , a day after it was pulled off from theatres in Uttar Pradesh.
The decision to ban the film has been taken in the wake of reports that a section of a society was feeling outraged over certain lines in a song in the film, Media Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Bains said in Chandigarh.
“The direction comes into force with immediate effect and is taken after consideration of safety of life and property of the people of the state,” he added.
The movie has been released at various places in the state, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar and Bathinda, as part of the countrywide release starring Madhuri, who is making a comeback after five years.
Official sources said that district authorities have been directed to ensure that no show of the movie is screened at any theatre or multiplex in the state.
The Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh had yesterday banned the movie in the state and also written to the prime minister demanding a complete ban on the film throughout the country alleging its title song has “humiliated” Dalits.
The Mayawati government also asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to impose a countrywide clamp-down on the movie alleging its title song was “humiliated” Dalits.
Concerned by the action, director of the film Anil Mehta announced the “objectionable” line from the song would be deleted forthwith.
Mayawati’s Principal Secretary Shailesh Krishna said the film was banned because there was an “objectionable” reference to a caste in its title song.
“The reference to the caste is not only objectionable and humiliating but also unconstitutional and therefore the screening of the film has been banned in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Krishna said Mayawati has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding the film be banned all over the country.
The screening of ‘Aaja Nachle’ was stopped in UP immediately after the ban went into force.
UP Principal Secretary (Home) J N Chamber said the state government banned the movie because it did not want to risk law and order problem over the issue.
Activists of Indian Justice Party, a Dalit outfit, demonstrated in front of a cinema hall in Delhi’s Connaught Place where the movie was being screened.
The party’s President Udit Raj threatened to move the court against the screening of the movie.
The film brings 42-year-old Madhuri back on the big screen after a hiatus of five years during which she was in the United States following her marriage to US-based doctor Sriram Nene.
Mehta, said it has been decided to delete a particular line from the number to which objections had been raised.
“We didn’t set out to make a film which would offend any sensibility. It’s not out intention to hurt any section of the society. We made the film in good spirit and faith. And if for some reason it offended the sensibilities of some people, then the decision we have taken is we’ll delete the line straightway”, Mehta said.
“We didn’t set out to make a film which would offend any sensibility. It’s not out intention to hurt any section of the society. We made the film in good spirit and faith. And if for some reason it offended the sensibilities of some people, then the decision we have taken is we’ll delete the line straightway”, Mehta said.
Mehta said they have already issued instruction to the film’s distributors and directives would be issued to each theatre hall showing the movie to delete the “objectionable” line from the song.
‘Aaja Nachle’ is the first feature film directed by Mehta.