Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 15, 2016)

Anna Hazare’s disillusionment with his one-time protégé, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, continues. The makers of the social activist’s biopic allege that when they approached Kejriwal for a preview and a tax-free status, the Delhi CM gave them the royal snub.

In 2011, Kejriwal was part of Team Anna anchoring a series of nationwide agitation against corruption. When Anna went on an indefinite fast for the passing of the Jan Lokpal bill, it was on Kejriwal’s insistence that he had called it off.

The film’s producer Maninder Jain says, “We approached Kejriwal to see the film. We also requested him to make it tax-free. But there was no response from him.”

He adds, “We later sent an e-mail to him and he replied, saying he has forwarded the request to Manish Sisodia, one of his minsters.”

When Anna was informed about it, he apparently said that he did not expect anything from his former blue-eyed boy.

The makers say Anna does not want to say anything on the matter and unnecessarily get involved in a controversy. “The state government is considering making it tax-free, but Kejriwal has no time for us.”

Written and directed by Shashank Udapurkar, who essays the role of Anna, the film’s cast includes Tanishaa Mukerji, Govind Namdeo and Sharat Saxena.