FIR against Anupam Kher, others over 'Accidental Prime Minister'

A local Muzaffarpur court on Tuesday ordered an FIR against actors Anupam Kher and Akshaye Khanna and others, in connection with a petition filed against the movie "The Accidental Prime Minister" for portraying public figures in "bad light".

The complaint was filed by advocate Sudhir Ojha, under IPC Sections 295, 153, 153A, 293, 504 and 120B, stating that he felt hurt upon watching the promos of the biopic "that was projecting a poor image of the country."

These sections relate to promoting enmity between different groups, sale of obscene objects, insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal conspiracy.

The movie, which is based on the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, is slated to release on January 11 and has been in the eye of the storm after the release of its teasers in December.

After hearing Ojha's plea, Sub Divisional Judge (East) Gaurav Kamal directed the Kanti police station in the district to lodge an FIR based on the complaint.

Ojha, who had moved court on January 2, has named in his complaint Kher, who plays Manmohan Singh, Khanna, who plays Singh's media advisor Sanjaya Baru, on whose book the movie is said to be based upon, actors portraying UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief (and the then national general secretary) Rahul Gandhi, late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his deputy Lal Krishna Advani and RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav apart from the movie's producer, director and other key persons associated with the project.