Akshat Verma reacts to right-wing outfits’ call for ban on satire based on the Mahabharata
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; September 12, 2016)

Akshat Verma’s Mama’s Boys, a 16-minute satirical take on Draupadi’s swayamvar, has drawn the ire of right-wing organisations, but the director cannot grasp what’s so wrong about experimenting with humour. “Alternate point of view almost doesn’t exist. Books and films are banned; I don’t know if it’s right for young and progressive India to be afraid of ideas. This is not healthy for us as a nation. It is really unfortunate,” sighs Verma.

Soon after the short film was unveiled online, organisations like Hindu Mahasabha and Hindu Sena sought ban on Mama’s Boys, saying that it showed characters in Mahabharata in poor light. The film is replete with cuss words, sexual innuendos, and also suggests Nakul and Sahadev are gay. Following threats, the makers decided to restrict viewing of the short film on YouTube.

Given the subject, wasn’t the Delhi Belly director prepared for negative reactions? “Actually, I wasn’t expecting it. I looked at it as an epic which has incredible storytelling in the whole of literature. This (Draupadi’s swayamvar) was just a small incident and as a writer, it was fascinating for me to see what we can do with it. I didn’t write it with the intention to offend anyone,” he adds.

Verma is currently working with Saif Ali Khan for a black comedy, Kala Kaanti. He plans to release the film in the first half of 2017.