“We are returning the awards…it’s an award by the Constitution that I believe in”, said Patwardhan, a veteran documentary filmmaker. Balan said so at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai while reacting to the news of filmmakers returning their National Awards in protest against the growing intolerance. The artistes cited “threat to diversity and freedom of expression” as the reason for them giving up their awards.
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The film-makers came out in full support of the students of FTII, who have been protesting against the appointment of TV actor Gajendra Chauhan as its chairman, alleging that he is an RSS supporter.
Darai, who has bagged three national awards, said, “Receiving three national awards in the early stage of my filmmaking career was a big boost for me. It’s time we treat the various episodes of violence and protests throughout the country not as isolated events but as various manifestation of a fascist state in the making”, alluding to the recent incidents like the murder of scholar M M Kalburgi and the Dadri lynching.
Urs declared though the students have chose to call off the strike, there will not be any “proactive engagement” with the I&B Ministry. Lucky Oye! Both the movies have won National Awards.
The film is scheduled for release in January next year.
Patwardhan has made films like “Bombay: Our City (Hamara Shahar) (1985)”, “In Memory of Friends”, “In the Name of God (Ram ke Nam)”, “Father, Son, and Holy War”, “A Narmada Diary”, “War and Peace” and “Jai Bhim Comrade”.
At least 35 writers have given up their awards since the brutal killing of Mohammad Ikhlaq in Uttar Pradesh over beef consumption rumours. Filmmakers and writers are of an opinion that it is risky to speak our minds openly now in a democratic country like India.
However, Vidya said that by returning her award she certainly doesn’t want to join the politics, which she already knows that the ongoing political wave of returning back the nation award is certainly going to fail miserably.
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Anand Patwardhan, who led this movement in film fraternity, is a known Modi baiter and hater.
