Showing posts with label Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Show all posts
Behen Hogi Teri producer Tony DSouza detained for poster featuring Rajkummar Rao dressed as Lord Shiva
8:17 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 26, 2017)
In April, Amul Mohan, a co-producer on the Rajkummar Rao and Shruti
Haasan-starrer Behen Hogi Teri, tweeted a teaser poster of the film
which had Rao as a dejected Lord Shiva sitting atop a motorcycle. While
it was hailed as “oddly cool” by some, others wondered if it would
unwittingly invite outrage from devotees of the Hindu deity.Over a month later, Mirror has learnt that Jalandhar resident Ishan Sharma, taking offence at the poster, has filed a private criminal complaint against the makers of the romcom at Jalandhar Magistrate Court. Following this a warrant was issued against the makers and co-producer Tony D'Souza, who appeared at Versova police station on Thursday.
“Since a warrant was issued, Tony had been called to the police station. We have moved the Andheri Magistrate Court and have applied for bail. During festivals many artists dress up as gods, but that doesn’t mean they are demeaning them in any way. Even Akshay Kumar had played Lord Krishna in OMG: Oh My God! and was seen riding a bike, no one had raised an objection then. Why now?” argues the film’s lawyer Bhushan Mahadik, who is currently in London, adding that the complainant is trying to get publicity out of the episode. “There is a Censor Board that advises cuts if necessary. We will examine the complaint in detail and will take strict action against the complainant if he's in fact trying to get publicity”.
Kiran Kale, in-charge of the Versova police station where D’Souza had appeared, says, “The primary complaint was moved by a section of Vishwa Hindu Parishad functionaries (based out of Jalandhar) who objected to Lord Shiva being mounted atop a motorcycle as the film posters evinced. We have, however, come across nothing irregular in the matter and offered and facilitated whatever assistance they needed.”
At the time of going to press, despite their best efforts, D’Souza and Co. had failed to post bail, while Amul Mohan, who has since deleted the ill-fated post from his Twitter account, remained unavailable for comment.
VHP slaps legal notice on Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana; T P Aggarwal refuse to bow down
2:39 PM
Despite legal notice, producer adamant that he won’t edit out scene of pregnant woman doing the saat pheras
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 6, 2017)
Makers of Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana didn’t see it coming. Earlier this week, a right wing outfit had staged protests outside producer T P Aggarwal’s office over a scene that shows a pregnant Akshara Haasan taking ‘saat pheras’, but he refused to succumb to ‘pressure tactics’, as reported by mid-day. Now, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has sent a legal notice to the production house, accusing them of attempting to maliciously outrage Hindu sentiments.
The film, starring Akshara, Vivaan Shah and Gurmeet Choudhary, is scheduled to hit theatres tomorrow. The matter will come up for hearing in court today. Reacting to the controversy, director Manish Harishankar tells mid-day, "There is no question of deleting the scene. It's a film about culture and traditions in changing times. The scene is integral to the story. I have asked our producers to hold a meeting with the VHP activists and reason this out. I don't want the matter to reach the court."
While an out of court settlement is a possibility, Aggarwal had been confident all along that nothing would stop the film's scheduled release. "I don't see why they are waking up just two days before the movie hits screens. Our promos have been on air for the past month," he argues. What is his plan of action, especially on such short notice?
"They have asked us arrange a screening for them. We aren't even considering the worst-case scenario — about Laali Ki Shaadi... being stalled. I have immense faith in the judiciary. What works in our favour is that it has already been cleared by the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification). Pahlaj Nihalani (CBFC boss) follows the rulebook to the T. If there indeed was something immoral or objectionable about our film, the Board wouldn't have passed it without suggesting cuts," adds Aggarwal.
VHP protests over pregnant bride taking saat pheras in Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana
7:51 AM
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; April 4, 2017)
Members of a right-wing group have raised objection to a ‘saat phera’ scene in upcoming film Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana and held protests outside the makers’ office yesterday. The said scene involves lead actress Akshara Haasan’s character, a pregnant girl, observing the ritual of seven rounds around the fire. Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad argue that as per Hindu customs, if a pregnant woman participates in saat pheras, the child that she carries in her womb also gets married to the man.
Laali Ki Shaadi… producer TP Aggarwal says an activist had sent him a text message about cutting out that portion from the film after the promos went on air, but he didn’t pay heed to it. Yesterday, he was shocked to find a group of activists demonstrating outside his office in Andheri.
Says Aggarwal, “They raised slogans demanding that the scene be removed, but I told them the Censor Board has cleared the film and I won’t bow to pressure tactics. After protesting for a while, they dispersed. I categorically told them that the scene will not be deleted." Incidentally, in the long-running telly soap Balika Vadhu, a heavily pregnant Sugna (Vibha Anand) was shown getting married to Shyam (Vikrant Massey).
Meanwhile, Akshara continues to remain missing from the film’s promotions, as reported in hitlist on March 28.
Protestors show no love for Shah Rukh Khan on Valentine's Day
8:04 AM
Shah Rukh Khan's car pelted with stones and effigies burnt on Sunday as he and co-star Mahira Khan filmed at Sarkhej Roza in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD MIRROR (February 15, 2016)
It has become a film marred by controversies and protests. After attracting trouble in Bhuj a few days ago, the Ahmedabad leg of Shah Rukh Khan's Raees shoot has also been in the news for all the wrong
reasons.In Kutch, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal's workers protested against SRK his statements on intolerance in November being the major issue. The crew ensured the shoot wasn't disrupted. Then, around 4 am on Sunday, 15-16 bikers pelted stones on the actor's Mercedes car parked at Hyatt Regency on Ahmedabad's Ashram Road, where the actor is staying. When the hotel security tried to stop them, the troublemakers fled. After the incident, security for SRK and the crew has been beefed up until the Ahmedabad schedule wraps up. A police complaint was lodged against unknown people.
V G Rathod, Police Inspector at Vadaj police station, told Mirror, “We have completed the initial investigation and are trying to track down the guys responsible. We have recovered the CCTV footage, but the miscreants covered their faces.“
Inspector Rathod stated that the hooligans were stationed outside the hotel since Saturday night and damaged the rear windshield of the Mercedes.
Later in the day, police identified one of the accused. Nilesh Arya, a young and active member of the VHP, was present along with 15-16 others. He was arrested under IPC 143, 147, 336 and 188 sections. Around 2.30 pm on Sunday, 17 members of the BJP Yuva Morcha, led by Kunjal Shah, burned Shah Rukh Khan's effigy and shouted protests outside the hotel. They were arrested at around 5.30 pm under section 188.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan who makes her big Bollywood debut with Raees shot at the beautiful monument of Sarkhej Roza. SRK was dressed in a pristine white Pathani suit and Mahira looked lovely in a red Patiala suit. They filmed a nikaah scene at the heritage site. Fans who had gathered in and around Roza expected SRK to come out to offer namaaz but were disappointed. All the doors to the Roza were closed and devotees were stuck, waiting to get inside for prayers. One of them climbed up the gate and argued with the security, saying, “Namaaz and not Shah Rukh Khan is important for us.“
VHP demands that shooting of Shah Rukh Khan's Raees be stopped in Bhuj
8:03 AM
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 4, 2016)
When Shah Rukh Khan landed in Bhuj on February 1 with son AbRam, he was
mobbed by fans, waiting to catch a glimpse of the superstar. But not everyone seems to be happy to have him and his Raees co-star, Mahira Khan, in the city. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) are demanding that the shooting of his new film in Bhuj be stopped. "Around 30 VHP activists handed over a memorandum to district officers, asking for a withdrawal of the permission given for the shooting. They also protested outside the District Collector's office on Wednesday, shouting slogans against the actor and burning his film posters," a source informed Mirror.
In a statement released to the media, Police Sub Inspector, MB Parmar, said, "They wanted to go to the sets but we stopped and dispersed them." Gujarat VHP General Secretary, Ranchod Bharwad, who is leading the protest, claimed that SRK needed to be grateful to the country he is living in. "India gave Shah Rukh name, fame and riches. If he goes on speaking about non-existent intolerance, the VHP will never forgive him. A Hindu temple was vandalised in Pakistan, why aren't there any statements on intolerance there?" he ranted.
Last December, there were protests in Gujarat and Rajasthan, calling for a boycott of SRK's Dilwale, on the same pretext. Joining the ongoing debate on intolerance on November 2, SRK had contextually said, "there was extreme intolerance" in the country.
People say Kareena Kapoor has converted. No, she hasn’t-Saif Ali Khan
8:07 AM
Saif Ali Khan slams VHP’s controversial love-jihad campaign featuring Kareena Kapoor
Namrata Thakker (DNA; January 31, 2015)
Not too long ago, Kareena Kapoor Khan’s picture was morphed and used on the cover of VHP’s magazine Himalaya Dhwani post which the B-town beauty stayed in the news for a long time. This was done to issue a warning against ‘love-jihad’ – a term given by religious outfits to a Muslim man marrying a Hindu woman. In fact, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actress ended up hiring two bodyguards as a precautionary measure because of the controversial love-jihad campaig
While Bebo hasn’t reacted to this whole episode, her hubby dearest Saif Ali Khan has finally spoken on the issue. While talking to a leading daily, the Go Goa Gone actor said, “People say she has converted. No, she hasn’t.”
The actor-producer feels Kareena is being targeted for no reason. Rather than associating Bebo with love-jihad campaign, Khan feels people should talk about her professional achievements. The Happy Ending hero further told the daily, “The country should be proud of Kareena’s contribution to cinema and society. She has worked for women’s rights and better health. She should be celebrated as a symbol of a strong, modern individual.”
Love Jihad row: Kareena Kapoor beefs up personal security?
7:53 AM
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; January 22, 2015)
Almost two weeks after a morphed picture of Kareena Kapoor was splashed on a religious group’s magazine cover as a warning against ‘love jihad’, the actress is said to have beefed up her personal security.
Sources suggest that she has hired two bodyguards besides tightening the security at her Bandra residence. Bebo and her actor-husband Saif Ali Khan had received death threats prior to their wedding in October, 2012. Earlier this month, she was again targeted by the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) young women’s wing Durga Vahini in their magazine to support a campaign to “reconvert” Hindu women who married Muslim men. Its cover, which went viral online, shows Kareena’s face half covered with a niqab.
Says a source, “With the ongoing love jihad debate, Kareena is concerned about her safety. Unlike a few other stars, she never felt the need to be escorted or chaperoned, until now.”
Another source close to the actress clarifies that the bodyguards have been hired as a precautionary measure but there were no such serious threat to her life.
Kareena remained unavailable for comment.
Deepak Cinema in Mumbai takes PK off screen after VHP threat
10:37 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 29, 2014)
The Matterden cinema hall in Lower Parel (earlier known as Deepak Talkies) cancelled the screening of the Aamir Khanstarrer PK after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) wrote to the theatre owners threatening to damage property if the film continues to be screened.
Matterden director Pranav Ashar told Mirror that the staff expressed anxiety over possible violence by VHP activists, which led the management to cancel two shows on Sunday. He said, "We had to alert the cops and now the security around the theatre has been increased. We don't want our patrons to be inconvenienced, and hence took the decision to cancel the shows."
Ashar said they are yet to take a call on further screenings of the film. "We will evaluate the situation on Monday and take a decision. We are also looking at similar disruptions in other places."
He was referring an incident in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh on Sunday where a crowd of around 500 Bajrang Dal activists stormed a single-screen theatre, destroyed property and assaulted the manager.
"They have a very specific demand -- they want the scene showing Aamir's character chasing an actor playing Shiva into the toilet to be deleted. They also want the part cut out in which Aamir says people don't pee when they see a god photo on a wall, so they won't slap him if he pastes it on his face. We cancelled all shows for Sunday," a member of the Bhilai theatre management told Mirror.
The Bhilai theatre's owners have now written to PK director Rajkumar Hirani and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra for support, and have also sought help from Chhattisgrah Chief Minister Raman Singh. Anand Rathi, who runs the Bhilai theatre, added, "We're figuring a way out. It has been a very scary situation but we are determined to run the film."
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