Shah is known for making the iconic movie “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron”.
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Most prominent among them are Kundan Shah, who directed Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro in 1983, Saeed Mirza, who has won National Awards for his films Mohan Joshi Hazar Ho (1984) and Naseem (1996) and Virendra Saini, cinematographer of 1990 film Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro.
Arundhati Roy who recieved a national award in 1989 also gave up the award saying, “If we do not have the right to speak freely, we will turn into a society that suffers from intellectual malnutrition, a nation of fools”, she said in an article. What seems to have stoked the tolerance debate further and fanned this fresh wave of outburst has been a series of recent incidents when the screening of a student film on caste politics was stopped because of the mention of beef and certain leaders of the ruling party belittling Shah Rukh Khan, among others.
They, however, underlined their solidarity with the protesting students of FTII Pune and the 12 award-winning feature and documentary filmmakers, including Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan, who had returned their awards on October 28.
Reacting to the developments, director R Balki said, “It’s a protest from the industry, saying that we don’t believe in getting an award from a government or a country that thinks in a particular way”.
Mr. Mirza, chairperson of the FTII governing council from 2013-2014 and director of films like Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai and the TV show Nukkad, said the protest by FTII students had become a bigger movement against intolerance, divisiveness and the interference of the government in culture and education. She added that the entire appointment process should be transparent.
“I want to make it clear that I am not returning this award because I am “shocked” by what is being called the “growing intolerance” being fostered by the present government”.
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“We are not against the BJP, we have protested against the Congress too”, said Mr Shah. It’s no longer about intolerance, it’s torture and threatens everyone’s freedom… “Arundhati Roy supports terrorists like Yasin Malik, Geelani and then returns her award for intolerance”. “All I know is I have to raise my voice against this state of affairs”, said Mirza.
