6 movies that created maximum controversy

Films have always been a part of our life, sometimes the territory we don't want to step in. Sometimes it is a mirror that shows the blunt truth which is hard to accept, particularly when it is on the big screen we all love. Sometimes the subject of the matter creates uncomfortability, sometimes it can also pierce our sensitivity. But whatever the root cause, movies in Bollywood have often found themselves lurking on the wrong side of the establishment.  But it is also a fact that sometimes the controversy has managed to give the extra push to the movie's cause. And here is the list of 6 movies that really didn't go down well with either the censor board or the common people (I don't know what common people is, but it is a substance that always floats on the surface, whenever the winds blow)

6) Sins (2005)
Directed by one of the forgotten figures in Bollywood, Mr. Vinod Pande (remember him? no? Think Red Swastik, another controversial venture starring Sherlyn Chopra. Still didnt figure out? OK, remember Star, starring Kumar Gaurav. OK, leave it), the movie features romantic involvement of a priest with a young girl. The movie was supposed to be Mr.Pandey's take on 'men of God'. Catholics strongly protested against the film saying it was a negative portrayal of their religion. The film was banned because of the negative portrayal of Catholicism and sexually explicit scenes. According to Pandey, he was not intending to target anyone in particular rather he was touching the streams of human conscience and forbidden love. Mr.Pandey was also summoned to Mumbai High court and had to explain his stand before the movie was released with an A certificate in some regions of India. According to him, the movie was based on a news story he read in 1988 about a Kerala priest sentenced to death on sexual harassment and murder charges


5) Fire (1996)
Homosexuality has always been a curse in Indian landscape so how were the so called religious and political group going to tolerate it on 16 mm large screen. The movie is loosely based on Ismat Chugtai's 1941 story Lihaf (The Quilt) and was one of the first mainstream  films in India to explicitly show homosexual relations. The story centered around the homosexual relationship between two sisters-in-law and was deemed too bold and explosive for its time. Amazingly the censor board decided to release the movie 'uncut' with an A certificate with just one modification - changing the name of the central character from Sita to Nita (using Sita was going to create more fire because of its image in Indian mythology and religion). This didnt go down well with several religious groups such as Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal who carried fierce protests all over the country and burned posters. Some political group even labeled lesbian relationships as 'a sort of a social AIDS'. The movie was an average success on box office but gained good response from critics. But no matter what followed next, it didnt stop the bold and alternative cinema connoisseur Deepa Mehta to step into another sensitive topic - condition of widows - with her next flick 'Water'

4)Insaaf ka tarazu (1980)
It is a remake of 1976 Hollywood film Lipstick. Made by B.R.Chopra, it was way ahead of what people had seen in terms of violence and rape for the 1980 generation. The film created a huge shout all over the country because of portrayal of double rape scenes, one of which was of a minor, 13 years old Padmini Kolhapure. Some critics emphasized the fact that the movie eroticized rape for the male gaze. They also blamed the rape scenes to be incredibly gruesome while also tampering with morality of males and child molesters. The movie gained immensely from the controversy that surrounded it and was a commercial success. But to add to the air around, the movie made it big in the filmfare awards too grabbing as many as 3 awards and 9 nominations in all.

3) Bandit Queen (1994)
The film was based on the book  'Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi' by Mala Sen, it remains one of the most talked about non-mainstream movie in India. The movie gained immense amount of reputation, some good, mostly bad for its portrayal of nudity, sex and violence. The film was directed by then Legendary Shekhar Kapur and  narrated the story of the infamous Indian dacoit turned politician Phoolan Devi. The film attracted a lot of unwanted criticism because the brutal rape scenes didn't go down with audience. The film was immediately censored and banned in some areas. After its release there was a furore and most interestingly the most vocal of all the critics was Phoolan Devi herself. She accused the film to contain inaccuracies and blamed it to be inconsistent. 
The movie was not shown to Phoolan Devi for a long time and was later re released with certain cuts. The movie was a success and received a lot of critical acclaim at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival

2) Aandhi (1975)
Directed by none other than the man himself - Guljaar - it was one of the first films to get involved into political turmoil and controversies. The movie was banned by Indira Gandhi during the emergency. It was widely rumored that the movie's lead character, played by Suchitra Sen (After  Vyjayanthimala refused to be part of the film as she was afraid to enact the lead role which resembles to Indira Gandhi), was loosely based on the life of then prime minister Indira Gandhi. Frustrated by the ban, the film makers added a scene where the lead character states that her idol is Indira Gandhi. It was then that the government released the ban on the movie and it was relaunched in theaters. The movie got both commercial as well as critical acclaim and became one of the largest hits of that year. After Congress lost in the 1977 elections, the ruling Janata party cleared it and 'Aandhi' premiered on national television
This was the poster that ignited the controversy

As a matter of fact, the movie was not based upon Indira Gandhi but another politician, Tarkeshwari Sinha, who was an Indian politician and Indian independence movement activist from Bihar

1) Black Friday (2004)
Anuragh Kashyap has a penchant for stirring emotions, both good and bad, in people and Black Friday was one of his many creations that come in that elite category. Arguably one of the most controversial films ever made, it is based upon the book by the same name by  journalist Hussain Zaidi. The movie tries to ponder into the various events preceding and succeeding the terrible bomb blasts in Bombay in 1993. The movie was stuck in court for 2 years before it was released. And then just before its release, another petition was filed to stop the release stating that it could have negative impact on people regarding court's verdict on the bomb blast as the decision was still pending. After a long hustle the film was finally released and gained acclaim all across the world.
According to one of the most renowned critics Rajiv Masand - The actual blast scenes are shot in such a languid style, exactly the way a bystander would have experienced it.Believe me, no film yet has brought me so close to giving it a five out of five rating, but because it's just a little short of true greatness, I'm going to go with four of five for Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday.This is the kind of film to send to the Oscars.

Anuragh Kashyap had already tasted the pain of unreleased movies, when his 2003 movie Paanch never made to the theaters and is still viewed only on youtube and other streaming media




5 comments:

{ adarsh khare } at: June 11, 2012 at 12:34 PM said...

achha article hai nani

{ Ravenholm } at: June 11, 2012 at 1:23 PM said...

kutte Adi, hum likhe hain.

{ B. Kamna Will } at: June 12, 2012 at 10:53 AM said...

We are surrounded with hypocrites; they seem to have no problem in creating a controversy but when its their turn to watch the same on the silver screen , it infuriates them .. No wonder with the release of these a turbulence was experienced all around ..
"Sometimes the subject of the matter creates uncomfortability, sometimes it can also pierce our sensitivity." .. sad but true :(

{ Ashutosh Rai } at: July 14, 2012 at 4:21 AM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
{ Ashutosh Rai } at: July 14, 2012 at 4:21 AM said...

Kissa Kursi Ka deserves a mention!

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