Haryana, Punjab ban Madhuri film, Uttar Pradesh revokes it(Second Lead) : India Entertainment
New Delhi, Dec 1 - The Haryana and Punjab governments Saturday banned actress Madhuri Dixit's comeback film 'Aaja Nachle' for alleged derogatory references to Dalits in a song even as Uttar Pradesh revoked its ban after an apology by producer Yash Chopra.The Punjab government banned the screening of the film, which was released countrywide Friday, citing maintenance of law and order as a reason. Later, a Haryana government spokesperson said the film had been banned in the state until further orders.The central government ruled out a nationwide ban after the producers agreed to withdraw the objectionable parts of the title song's lyrics.Minor protests were reported by Dalit activists in Bathinda town in south-west Punjab over the film. The activists went to the Pukhraj cinema hall there and tore posters of the film.The owner of the cinema hall got the film's screening stopped following the protest.In Ludhiana, cinema halls showing the film on their own deleted the objectionable portions of the film but continued its screening.Punjab has 29 percent Dalits in the state's population of nearly 25 million.Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government that had Friday banned the film in the state, withdrew it following Chopra's apology and assurance that he would delete the objectionable portions from the film.Chopra, chairman of Yash Raj Films, said: 'It was not our intention to hurt the feelings of any individual or community of our great nation. If we have inadvertently hurt the sentiments of anybody I apologise for the same and have taken immediate remedial action by deleting the line from the prints of 'Aaja Nachle' from all over the country. This line has been deleted in all the theatres today.'Director Anil Mehta too apologised as did Sharmila Tagore, chairperson of the Censor Board of Film Certification.Sharmila said: 'The remark in the song is more profession based than caste based and was not intentional at all. Even if one person has been hurt, we apologise. And request them that instead of increasing the problem they must talk to the producers and director of the film and settle the matter.'The objectionable portion of the title song went: 'Bazar mein machi hai maramar; bole mochi bhi khud ko sunhar' (There is so much chaos in the market that even a cobbler is calling himself a jeweller).
New Delhi, Dec 1 - The Haryana and Punjab governments Saturday banned actress Madhuri Dixit's comeback film 'Aaja Nachle' for alleged derogatory references to Dalits in a song even as Uttar Pradesh revoked its ban after an apology by producer Yash Chopra.The Punjab government banned the screening of the film, which was released countrywide Friday, citing maintenance of law and order as a reason. Later, a Haryana government spokesperson said the film had been banned in the state until further orders.The central government ruled out a nationwide ban after the producers agreed to withdraw the objectionable parts of the title song's lyrics.Minor protests were reported by Dalit activists in Bathinda town in south-west Punjab over the film. The activists went to the Pukhraj cinema hall there and tore posters of the film.The owner of the cinema hall got the film's screening stopped following the protest.In Ludhiana, cinema halls showing the film on their own deleted the objectionable portions of the film but continued its screening.Punjab has 29 percent Dalits in the state's population of nearly 25 million.Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government that had Friday banned the film in the state, withdrew it following Chopra's apology and assurance that he would delete the objectionable portions from the film.Chopra, chairman of Yash Raj Films, said: 'It was not our intention to hurt the feelings of any individual or community of our great nation. If we have inadvertently hurt the sentiments of anybody I apologise for the same and have taken immediate remedial action by deleting the line from the prints of 'Aaja Nachle' from all over the country. This line has been deleted in all the theatres today.'Director Anil Mehta too apologised as did Sharmila Tagore, chairperson of the Censor Board of Film Certification.Sharmila said: 'The remark in the song is more profession based than caste based and was not intentional at all. Even if one person has been hurt, we apologise. And request them that instead of increasing the problem they must talk to the producers and director of the film and settle the matter.'The objectionable portion of the title song went: 'Bazar mein machi hai maramar; bole mochi bhi khud ko sunhar' (There is so much chaos in the market that even a cobbler is calling himself a jeweller).