National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said that those who are backing Sanjay Leela Bhansali over his controversy-marred film 'Padmavati' did not support him when his 'Indu Sarkar' came under fire. “I said very often that when it came to my film, the selective outrage attitude of people over films is wrong. There should not be things like this. I was disillusioned because I did not get any support from anyone, nor from any intellectual."
“I thought those people who also speak of freedom of expression will come and support. There was no support from that side,” Madhur said. The filmmaker also stated that making a film on history or politics was a big problem and the best way to deal with it would be to title it as fiction. “Whatever the administration, these things happen. The Censor (board) said you call the movie fiction, so I added a big disclaimer. Then no one has a problem. But if you are saying it is real and the story is about history and politics, then it is a big problem. You cannot make it. Somebody will come and make a petition to want to stop the film,” he said.
“When you are making a film, there is always a fear that political parties might do something. Such things have happened. We named the film 'Indu Sarkar' and said it was set in the times of Emergency. Then I felt that people were uncomfortable. There were controversies and it was said that the film is sponsored and it should be banned, show it to us. The same thing which is happening to Bhansali,” the filmmaker said. He also said he had to change and tweak a lot of things in 'Indu Sarkar'. “I was alone in fighting the battle with my team from the High Court to Supreme Court to the censor board to the states, everywhere. There was a lot of difficulties and this has been happening for some time now,” he said.
“It is not a new thing. We have seen over many years that problems crop up. We are a diverse country,” the filmmaker continued. “For once, after the censor board passes the film, then no one should have an objection and the movie should be released, whether it is any film, whether 'Padmavati' or anything else,” he said.
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