The Punjab government has reportedly banned the screening of Bollywood film The Legend of Michael Mishra for the objectionable portrayal of mythological sage Valmiki. The film has been banned the next two months and was even refused a certificate. The comedy film stars Arshad Warsi, Aditi Rao Hydari and Boman Irani in the lead, and is said to be about a Patna-based kidnapper and his world of ‘crime’.
According to Chandigarh Tribune India, the decision for suspending the film’s screening for two months in the state was taken “keeping in view the prevailing strong resentment among the Valmiki community about some objectionable references to Maharishi Valmiki”. Several Valmiki organisations protested against the references, in Jalandhar on Wednesday, triggering a bandh the next day.
This is not the first time a film is being banned in Punjab for hurting sentiments. In June this year, prior to Udta Punjab‘s release, the Punjab government led by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party, had raised objections over the film. When the trailer was released, SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha remarked, “this film is an outcome of a trend to defame Punjab and its youth”. But the party refrained from further comments when the censor board made a list of concerns about the film. The film was later released with only one cut and an ‘A’ certificate.
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Another incident in 2013, spoke of a similar ban when Canadian Punjabi film Sadda Haq was banned for allegedly glorifying terrorists and potraying a polarised view of police atrocities. The film, however, went on to be the highest grossing Punjabi film in Canada. In 2015, self-proclaimed godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s Messenger of God was banned briefly after several Sikh groups protested against the film.
Meanwhile, The Legend of Michael Mishra, released on 5 August, is directed by Manish Jha who is known for his critically acclaimed film Matrubhoomi – A Nation Without Women that won several accolades for depicting a dystopic tale on the impact of female foeticide and infanticide in an Indian village.
Feature Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times