17 July,2017 06:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was on provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director is facing for his next film 'Indu Sarkar'
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was on provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director is facing for his next film 'Indu Sarkar'.
The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of 'Indu Sarkar' in Pune and Nagpur fearing wrath of Congressmen who had gathered to protest the film's release without a green signal from senior party leaders.
According to sources close to the director, Bhandarkar has been given a security cover, with two personnel by his side till the film is released.
A senior police official confirmed the news and said Mumbai police have provided "adequate security" to Bhandarkar. Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it may have portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.
Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.
A press conference for the promotion of 'Indu Sarkar' had to be cancelled in Nagpur yesterday after the Congress workers protested against the film.
A day earlier, event of the film at Pune too was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the movie.
Bhandarkar had earlier tweeted saying that team was stranded "like hostages in the hotel room" in Pune when the press conference was opposed in that city.
Yesterday, the director took to Twitter and wrote to Rahul Gandhi, "Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression?"
'Indu Sarkar' is scheduled to release on July 28.
"Indu Sarkar", set against the backdrop of the 1975-77 Emergency, has characters inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her late son Sanjay Gandhi.
"I am fighting all the fronts right now and it's a bit scary also -- Congress is protesting, somebody is sending me legal notice, Jagdish Tytler wants a clear image in the movie and then censor board. I just hope that I go through all these obstacles smoothly and release the film on July 28," Bhandarkar said.
Earlier, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had penned a letter to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored.
The CBFC later suggested 12 cuts and two disclaimers in the film. Bhandarkar had been asked to remove words like RSS and Akali from "Indu Sarkar".
The film features Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Anupam Kher and Tota Roy Chaudhary.
