Abhimanyu Mathur (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2019)

It has only been days since Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Article 15 released and the film is already facing resistance and backlash from certain communities across India. On Saturday, the civic administration of Roorkee in Uttarakhand banned the film’s screening, citing law and order issues.

The film, which is loosely based on a real incident of gang rape and murder in west Uttar Pradesh, raises the issue of caste-based discrimination in India. The portrayal of a certain community as the perpetrators of this discrimination in the film has reportedly irked several organisations, who claim that it maligns their image.

An order from the office of Roorkee’s Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) prohibited the screening of the film in the city. SDM Ravindra Singh Negi said, “Representatives of Hindu Sena met me on Friday and expressed their concerns that the film, Article 15, portrays a particular community in a poor light. They demanded a ban on the screening. My view was that if the film is screened in the city, it could lead to law and order issues.”

The local police confirmed that the film’s screening has been stopped after the order was issued. Amarjeet Singh, Station House Officer, Roorkee, said, “We received the orders and ensured that they were enforced. As of now, the film isn’t being screened in the city.”

Article 15, directed by Anubhav Sinha, also faced opposition in Kanpur and Madhya Pradesh.

This isn’t the first time that a film has faced ban at the hands of local administration in Uttarakhand. Last year, Kedarnath drew the ire of several right-wing groups and was banned across the state’s seven districts. In neighbouring UP, too, films such as Muzaffarnagar: The Burning Love and Shorgul have been banned at places after instructions from district authorities.

SCREENING RESUMES IN KANPUR ON SUNDAY
The screening of Article 15, which was stopped by fringe groups on Friday, has resumed in Kanpur, the police said on Sunday. Exhibitors had suspended the screening of the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer after various fringe organisations protested outside theatres, raised slogans against the actors and the producer, and tore off film posters, the police had said.