'There are several scenes in Modi Biopic depicting a major opposition party as corrupt'
Election Commission gives final verdict on Vivek Oberoi starrer, calls film ‘hagiography’ that could favour Bharatiya Janata Party during polls
MID-DAY (April 25, 2019)

The biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a “hagiography”, which treats the subject with undue reverence, and its public screening during poll campaign will “tilt the electoral balance”, the Election Commission (EC) has told the Supreme Court, while opposing the release of the movie starring Vivek Oberoi, before the polls end on May 19.

In its 20-page report submitted to the apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the poll panel said that the biopic “produces a political environment where an individual acquired cult status” and its public screening during the period when model code of conduct is in operation, would favour a particular political party.

The EC said, “There are several scenes depicting a major opposition party as corrupt and showing them in poor light. Their leaders have been depicted in such a manner that their identification is clear and obvious to the viewers.”

It said that the biopic was more than a biography, and was a “hagiography” (which treats the subject as saints and gives undue reverence), and the construct of the movie was “unabashedly uni-dimensional”, which puts an individual on a higher pedestal through use of specific symbols, slogans and scenes.

The report was submitted after the apex court had on April 15 directed the EC to re-examine its earlier order and take an informed decision on banning the pan-India release of the biopic after watching the full movie. The court had asked the poll panel to provide its report to the producer of the movie.

“The committee is of the considered view that the public screening of the movie PM Narendra Modi during the period of model code of conduct will tilt the electoral balance of the particular political party, therefore, the public screening of the movie PM Narendra Modi should not be allowed till last date of poll on May 19 in the ongoing elections (sic),” it was said.