Aarakshan a no show as audiences give it a miss

August 12, 2011 10:11:24 PM

Amitabh Shukla | Chandigarh

It began as a bang but ended in a whimper. Prakash Jha’s controversial film Aarakshan, which has been banned in Punjab, failed to find enough audience on the opening day in Chandigarh on Friday.

Despite the controversy surrounding the movie and the ban extended by Punjab and earlier Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, the enthusiasm amongst the cine-goers was missing.

It was expected to set the cash registers ringing in the movie theatres and multiplexes in the city due to the controversy. The Multiplexes in Chandigarh were in fact expecting a huge rush from people in Punjab. They had to remain disappointed as only 50-60 percent of the theatres were full for the film.

“The show of the movie before noon was very disappointing. The theatre was only 40 per cent full. The controversy has not helped it a bit. You could say the theatres were only half full,” a staff member of DT Cinema here said.

Ironically, there was no demand for banning the Amitabh Bachchan, Sai Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone starred film in Punjab and the state government banned it on its own volition. A senior official said that the government was perhaps “inspired” by UP, the BSP ruled state, which was the first to extend a ban on the film.

In fact, an organisation called “Chamar Maha Sabha” which glorifies the dalit community and feels proud to associate with the word Chamar, which is not used commonly and is considered demeaning by many, wanted the early release of the film as it portrayed a true picture of the country and highlighted the backwardness of the dalits and OBCs.

A specially constituted committee of the Punjab government may have watched the film and recommended the continuation of the ban till certain scenes and dialogues are removed by the director. But, prima facie, nothing seems to be objectionable nor has the movie got anything which violates the dignity of any section of the society. Doing a balancing act, dialogues – both pro and anti reservation - are there in the movie. While Saif Ali Khan is vocal on the need of reservation, Prateik Babbar is shown against reservations. They both fell out initially but later join hands for the cause of education.

Moreover, the movie has been made in the backdrop of the implementation of the recommendations of the Mandal Commission and subsequently the Supreme Court orders on the issue. People have obviously moved ahead now so much so that a major section of dalits in Punjab are proud of the word “Chamar”. Even popular music and literature glorifies the word in no uncertain terms. T-shirts proclaiming that “I am a Chamar” are worn by the youths here, signifying the new empowerment.

A senior official said that more than what the film contains, the Assembly elections in the state forced the state government to ban the film and try to appease the huge segment of the dalits in the state.

“Even though no demand was made for a ban and no dalit would feel offended by the movie, the Akali Dal thought that if they can get even a section of these votes in the forthcoming SGPC and then the Assembly elections, it would do no harm to its prospects”, a senior official said, on condition of anonymity.

The report of the screening committee gave an inkling of the thinking of the government to some extent.

“This (movie Arakshan) may prove to be a disturbing factor in the society especially in Punjab where more than 31 per cent of the 2.77 Crore population of Punjab belong to the weaker sections including the Scheduled Caste,” the Committee said is its report to the government, recommending continuation of the ban till the “objectionable” scenes and dialogues are removed. http://dailypioneer.com/360416/Aarakshan-a-no-show-as-audiences-give-it-a-miss.html