“Not at all interested in watching it” state BJP Chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar distances himself from ‘
Thiruvanthapuram: Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday, February 23, said he does not intend to watch the upcoming controversial Hindi film ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond.’
He was addressing media persons after inaugurating the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) zonal office at Thrikkakara in Kochi.
According to a report by The Hindu, Chandrasekhar’s remarks come amid the films trailer attracting sharp criticism from several sections of the state. Many have also alleged that the movie showcases Kerala in a negative manner.
Speaking to presspersons he clearly stated, “I am not at all interested in watching it.” He added that those who wish to see the film may do so, and those who are not interested need not watch it.
Referring to freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution, the BJP leader said that it is for the courts to decide whether there is anything unlawful in a film.
“Everyone has the right to make a film. If there is anything illegal in it, the court of law will strike it down,” he was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
Responding to media when asked about if the state BJP chief had any objection to the content shown in the trailer of The Kerala Story 2, Chandrasekhar did not directly comment on the film’s content.
However he repeated that he was not going to watch it.
Meanwhile, Chandrashekar stated that he liked watching Dhurandhar and had watched it twice.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller had also sparked debate over claims that it supported the BJP’s political narrative.
Chandrashekar also pointed out that he had taken a similar stand during the row over Mohanlal starrer Empuraan.
Empuraan had faced criticism from right-wing supporters over its alleged depiction of the Godhra riots and later underwent re-censoring.
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Union government assumes full control over TV ratings, TRAI role curtailed: Report
New Delhi: The Union government has assumed full control over television audience measurement, removing the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from oversight of the ratings system that underpins the country’s ₹36,000 crore television advertising market, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The report in Mint said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) now has exclusive authority over the framework governing how television ratings are measured and regulated. TRAI had been entrusted with oversight of TV ratings in 2012 during the UPA government’s tenure. TRAI is no longer mentioned in the relevant policy document, effectively vesting sole authority in the MIB.
The report said TRAI will continue to regulate other aspects of broadcasting, including channel pricing, advertising caps, interconnection and distribution norms, service quality and compliance standards. Its role in determining how ratings agencies track viewing behaviour has been withdrawn.
Television Rating Points (TRPs), which reflect viewership patterns, guide advertisers in deciding where to allocate spending across channels and time slots.
A government source quoted in the report said the ministry could modify TRAI’s decisions even when the regulator oversaw broadcasting.
A former CEO of Prasar Bharati told the newspaper that the MIB has historically regulated rating agencies through licensing and guidelines, and by holding them accountable under existing norms.
During its tenure overseeing ratings, TRAI had taken decisions affecting the broadcast sector, which included capping advertising time at 12 minutes per hour following complaints about excessive commercial breaks and it now remains unclear how these matters will be addressed under the revised arrangement.
Satya N. Gupta, former principal advisor at TRAI, was quoted as saying that merging regulatory functions with policy oversight and removing an independent regulator from the process was a retrograde step.
TRAI’s involvement in broadcasting had earlier attracted criticism as well. In 2012, its consultation paper on quantitative limits on television advertising was viewed by some as overlapping with the Advertising Standards Council of India’s code. Subsequent recommendations covering television audience measurement, ownership of news channels and issues such as paid news had also raised concerns among sections of the industry.
Television ratings have faced scrutiny in recent years, including during the controversy involving the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), where officials of the ratings body were prosecuted over allegations of manipulation of viewership data.
