'Aarakshan' furore: Prakash Jha's Mumbai office, home attacked

Filmmaker Prakash Jha on Saturday said his house and office in Mumbai were attacked by political activists who wished to obstruct the release of his film Aarakshan, based on caste-based reservations in the Indian education system.

"Just heard that my office and home have been attacked by political activists who are against the release of Aarakshan," Jha posted on his Twitter page Saturday evening.

The film is set to hit screens on August 12.

Jha is currently in the capital, along with megastar Amitabh Bachchan and other cast members, to promote the movie.

Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athavale had earlier said that his party will not let theatres in Maharashtra screen the movie if it does not change its "anti-Dalit" stance. Prior to that, the National Commission of Scheduled Castes (NCSC) also termed the film "anti-Dalit".

The NCSC had even asked Jha to screen the film for a panel before its release on August 12. But Jha is unfazed.

At a press conference here Friday, Jha said he is a “responsible” filmmaker, and would not sensationalise a sensitive subject for entertainment.

The filmmaker, known for his projects on socio-political issues and their effects on the society, was recently denied permission to stage a grand show in Lucknow to promote Aarakshan by the state administration on grounds of "apprehension of breach of peace".

The film also features Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpai and Prateik Babbar.