Prakash Jha to delete objectionable scenes from 'Aarakshan'

Finally succumbing to what he had earlier termed as ‘politically motivated demands’, filmmaker Prakash Jha has agreed to tone down his forthcoming film Aarakshan which has courted controversy ever since its promos went on air.

At a joint press conference with Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale on Thursday, Jha said the scenes and dialogues found objectionable by political and minority groups will be deleted from the movie. “I am happy that you have taken a positive stance and withdrawn opposition to the film,” Jha told Athawale.

Aarakshan, which touches upon caste-based reservations in government institutions and jobs, will be released across Maharashtra on August 12. The film has been banned in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab amidst concerns that it may fuel hatred for Dalits who are already grappling against social prejudice.

“When you make an issue-based film, everyone has a point of view. Unfortunately, Aarakshan is being judged even before it was viewed by anyone in Uttar Pradesh or Punjab,” said the filmmaker.

The movie was screened recently in Mumbai for politicians, including Chhagan Bhujbal who is said to have suggested the cuts.

Jha maintained that the film is neither anti- nor pro-reservation. “I’ve just used the issue as a backdrop for the journey of the protagonist (played by Amitabh Bachchan) who is a college principal. The film highlights the commercialisation of the education system,” he said.

In fact, Jha feels that the caste-based quota system in educational institutions and government jobs is a hard-hitting reality. “There are several who have benefited from this policy and others who have missed opportunities because of it.”

Those who have seen the film claim that there are certain derogatory references to minorities, including one scene where two affluent businessmen say that they don’t want their children to study along with Dalits since they ‘stink’ and ‘have no manners’. In another scene, a character mocks the concept of reservation and compares it to giving alms, adding that Dalit children should be shining shoes rather than pursuing education and jobs.

However, Censor Board chairperson Leela Samson feels that the film was not anti-Dalit. “When you show a certain situation, you must show reality as it is. These so-called objectionable dialogues in Aarakshan are nothing new when you consider the abuses hurled in every day language in this country,” she added.