Censor Board denies nod for Malayalam movie on JNU agitation
Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam film 'Varthamanam', set in the backdrop of students protest held in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi early this year, has been denied permission for screening by the Censor Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) regional office here.
Directed by noted filmmaker Sidhartha Siva with award- winning actress Parvathy Thiruvoth in the lead role, the movie revolves around the journey of a Keralite woman who goes to the JNU campus from the home state for her research studies.
Aryadan Shoukath, the film's producer-script-writer, said the CBFC officials here did not point out any reason for denying the certification.
He also said the movie would be submitted to the revising committee of the Censor Board in Mumbai for certification this week itself.
"The CBFC officials here just informed us that the film has to be submitted to the revising committee. We still do not know why the movie is denied the certification," Shoukath, also a Congress leader, told PTI.
The award-winning script writer said he had carried out several months of research and studies before penning the script and spent several days in Delhi to get first-hand experience of the culture and lifestyle in JNU campus.
"We cannot send the movie for any award this time if we do not get the Censor Board clearance before December 31," he said.
Shoukath suspected that the nod for screening was denied on political grounds citing a recent tweet of a censor board member, who is also the state vice president ofSC Morcha of the BJP.
"Adv V Sandeep Kumar, a censor board member, recently tweeted that the permission was denied as Aryadan Shoukath was its script writer and producer.
Now a days Censor Board has several political appointees who have no basic knowledge of cinema," he said.
Shoukath, the other day, also uploaded on his Facebook page the screenshot of the controversial tweet of the regional censor Board member.
In his tweet, which was found removed later, Sandeep Kumar had said that he, as a member of the Board, was opposed to giving nod for the movie.
"As a member of the Censor Board, I saw the movie Varthamanam. The theme was the persecution of Muslims and Dalits in the JNU agitation. I opposed it.
Because Arydan Shoukath was its script writer and producer. Of course, the theme of the film was anti-national," the tweet said.
Violence broke out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus early in January this year as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers protesting the fee hike and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police which conducted a flag march.
Coming down heavily on him, Shoukath, in his FB post, sought to know how a movie would become anti-national if it speaks about the students' agitation in Delhi campus or the democratic movements in the country.
"We are still living in India which is a democratic, secular and socialist country.
Is it based on the clan and race of the script-writer that a film is given a nod for screening? The undeclared emergency situation in the cultural sector cannot be accepted," the script-writer's FB post said.
Film sources here told PTI that when two censor board members, who are from the film industry, strongly supported the movie and wanted to give it a nod for screening, two others, who are political nominees, objected to it.
When contacted, the censor board officials here were unavailable for a comment.
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Arunachal: Rijiju, Khandu cast votes in native villages
Itanagar (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju cast their votes on Friday at their native villages as the polling for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies is underway, officials said.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also exercised his franchise in his village in the Chowkham assembly segment.
Rijiju cast his vote in his village Nafra in the newly created Bichom district, while Khandu exercised his franchise in the Mukto constituency in Tawang district, the officials said.
Khandu and Mein are among the ten BJP candidates who have been elected unopposed to the 60-member assembly.
“Arunachal Pradesh votes today to elect representatives for the eighth State Legislative Assembly and 18th Lok Sabha. I appeal to all eligible voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers.
"Let us overwhelmingly participate in this vibrant festival to enrich democracy. I also call upon the youth and first-time voters to take part in the elections, the chief minister posted on X.
Mein posted his photo on the social media platform after casting his vote and appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise.
“Cast my vote this morning at my home constituency, Chowkham. I appeal to each and every eligible voter to come forward and exercise your adult franchise and participate in the vibrant democratic process to elect your representatives for the 8th State Legislative Assembly and 18th Lok Sabha. I also request all the new voters to take part in the elections,” the deputy chief minister said on the microblogging site.
Incessant rain since morning could not dampen the spirit of the electorates in the northeastern state as queues were seen outside polling stations.
Elections are being held for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies in the state.
An estimated 8,92,694 voters, including 4,54,256 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the electoral fate of 133 candidates in the assembly polls and 14 Lok Sabha poll contestants.
In the Arunachal West parliamentary seat, eight candidates, including Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju and state Congress president Nabam Tuki, are in the fray.
Sitting BJP MP Tapir Gao and state Congress vice president Bosiram Siram are among the six candidates who are contesting from the Arunachal East.
The state election authorities have made elaborate security arrangements to conduct peaceful polling.
Seventy companies of central armed police forces (CAPF), including India Reserve Battalion and state police personnel, have been deployed, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pawan Kumar Sain said.
Counting of votes for assembly elections will be held on June 2, while that of Lok Sabha polls is scheduled on June 4.
VIDEO | Union minister Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) casts his vote in his native village Nafra in #ArunachalPradesh. #LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 19, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/hBXxEwQPbS
