Yash Raj Film's latest period drama Gunday has joined the list of some big-banner Bollywood films that have landed into controversy for misrepresentation of historical facts or for hurting the sentiments of a particular community.
Ali Abbas Zafar's Gunday is based on the friendhsip of two boys Bikram and Bala who become refugees during the Bangladesh War of Liberation. However, the film has shown the birth of Bangladesh as a result of Indo-Pak war, which is not the case.
According to Wikipedia.org, the war broke out in 1971, when the Pakistani Army launched a military operation called Operation Searchlight against Bengali civilians, students, intelligentsia and armed personnel, who were demanding that the Pakistani military junta accept the results of the 1970 first democratic elections of Pakistan, which were won by an eastern party, or to allow separation between East and West Pakistan. The war was joined by India later.
The director of controversial film Children Of War, which was based on the Bangladesh war, Mrityunjay Devrat, has also lashed out at the makers for wrong depiction of such an important historical event.
Media reports quoted Devrat as saying, "If I am allowed to be honest, then I'd have to say that the makers of Gunday have been factually incorrect. I think it is hugely irresponsible and derogatory to use a sensitive subject such as the Bangladesh war for purely commercial purposes."
Outraged by the gross negligence, people slammed the film and its makers on Internet Movie Database (IMDb), an online portal that hosts information about films and TV shows.
One of the user reviews, titled 'Manipulating Bangladesh's Liberation War History' asks, "Is it a movie or R A P I N G Bangladesh's history of victory? huh?".
The message board of the website is flooded with comments seeking a formal apology from Yash Raj Films for tweaking history and providing misleading information about Bangladesh.
Here is what some of the comments said:
The statements that were given in different scenes about Bangladesh are absolutely false. Yashraj Films Authority should immediately apologize for giving out such insulting statements to Bangladeshi citizens.
—mozahid_power
This is very much disrespectful for bangladeshi peoples specially the freedom fighters or martyrs who died in the liberation war 1971. As a bangladesi i want this film to be banned and to take special stand against the director, producer and other involved to this nasty step. how dare them to do this to our biggest glory which is recognized by the whole world?
—kshaheed45
This movie is giving false information among audiences. The statements that were given in different scenes about Bangladesh are absolutely false. Yashraj Films Authority should immediately apologize for giving out such insulting statements to Bangladeshi citizens.
—ananta-ulab
I also protest as a Bangladeshi. Yash Raj flims must apologize for their misleading information about Bangladesh.
—battub
YRF going crazy. Apologies shouldn't be enough. Bd govt. Should place a formal sue against asap.
—barik-bz
Very disrespectful to Bangladesh, probably intention wasn't bad but they should ask for forgiveness...
—arefinzz
This movie is just an insult to our freedom fighters and liberation war.. if they don't know the history it's ok but they should not change the history.. After hearing about it i decided not to download this horrible movie and watch it..i also gave this movie a rating 1 out of 10... and the director should apologize to us as soon as possible...
—fairy_princess009
Exactly ... I also protest ... If the same case happened to India, would they consider this & leave it ???? No , its making any kind of sense by taking the full credit about the war in 1971 Between Bangladesh & Pakistan .. Looks like the producer & director Knows nothing about the history ... which is
- India was one of the 1st country that agreed about the freedom of Bangladesh(Just agreed not any kinda help)
- The freedom fight stayed from 26th March'71 to 16th Dec'71 . & India start helping by their force on 4th Dec. So. what about the 3 Million Martyrs who gave their lives about our country then ??? Just cant tolerate it ...
—mehedi_zaman_himel
Go Home Mr. Writer and Director.. You drunk
phantombd151
This is not the first time that Bollywood has drawn flak for getting their facts wrong.
Films like Jodha Akbar, Lagaan, Ramleela, Gadar among several others have been in the eye of the storm for taking liberty with sensitive issues or history.
However, each time the furore died down after a few days without any major consequences. It remains to be seen, if the makers issue an apology and resolve the matter or whether it will snowballs into something bigger.
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