GIRISH
KARNAD FOR 'RAM LEELA' CHEATING 'IDIOTS'
India is home of a tribe of intellectuals who
claim to be 'secular', liberal and fighters for protection of human rights.
They are the people responsible for many a strife and unnecessary troubles in
the country. To an extent, they are divisive in nature because on account of
their stand many a times certain castes, groups and community get bold to
entertain fissiparous tendencies. They fish in troubled waters and with their
'intellectually liberal and secular' sermons stoke fires of passions with their
opinions. They shield themselves behind the freedom of opinion and expression
guaranteed in the Constitution of India.
They are always on the side of the wrong –
those who take the law into their hands, act against the interests of the
nation (like terrorists and Naxalites) or injure the feelings of the majority
community. They beat their chests for the freedom of opinion and expression of
the likes of late M. F. Husain and others who paint Hindu deities in the nude,
describe Lord Rama and Sita as brother and sister, etc. But instantly turn
deaf, dumb and blind when it comes to the people like Salman Rushdie, Taslima
Nasreen, writer of Da Vinci Code and others. They seemed to be on a holiday in
some remotest corner of the world when terrorists struck at a massive rally
addressed by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narinder Modi at Patna killing
about 8 people and injuring more than 80 people. They give us the impression as
if Mr. Modi had no right to his opinion and freedom of expression and the
innocent people who fell victim to terror had no right to their life. Further,
the people had no right to hear any person they like in the kind of democracy
we have in India.
When Bharat Ratna melody queen Lata
Mangeshkar exercised her constitutional right to her opinion and express it by
praising Mr. Narendra Modi, it was the Congress leaders who demanded that the
award should be withdrawn from her. But these very illustrious tribe of 'intellectuals
boasting of being secular and liberal' lost their tongue to criticize those
leaders who wanted Ms Mangeshkar be denied her constitutional right.
It is in this series of hypocritical words
and action that the renowned writer-director-actor Girish Karnad on November 15
described as "nonsensical" the controversy and protests surrounding
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Ram-Leela'
"That is really most upsetting", he pontificated. "It is
impossible to be creative if some idiot gets up and says 'I am sad'. Judiciary
should also have some sense. The decision is nonsensical," he added. (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/controversy-over--ramleela--most-upsetting-girish-karnad/1195661/) Bhansali's film is facing the ire of several
groups for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Mr. Karnad relives the saying that those who
agree with me are wise and others are fools. That is why he calls those,
including courts, who don't agree with him as "nonsensical" and
advises judiciary to also "have some sense".
Everybody knows, even non-Hindus know (but
perhaps Karnard doesn't) what the word "Ram Leela" stands for. Some
of the film producers wish to trade in the sentiments of the people to fill
their coffers. They earn dividends by deliberately raising controversies. It is
just like serving wine in a bottle with the label "tomato ketchup".
Will the liberals, like Karnad, support such a venture? Will our law permit it?
The producer is guilty of cheating the viewers by naming his film "Ram
Leela" which it is not.
This also raises the question. Instead of
naming his film "Ram Leela", why did he not christen it as
"Sanjay Bhansali Leela"? It is
said that the producer once claimed that Leela his mother's name. In that case,
below the words "Ram Leela" the producer should have added the words
that it is the "Leela of his mother" candidly. Would Karnad have no
objection had he titled the film as "Girish Karnad Leela"?
Instead of taking his license with the
religious sentiments of the majority community, would Mr. Karnad used the same
words had Bhansali or, for that matter,
any other producer labeled his "Leela" adding the name of some
non-Hindu religious deities?
Some years ago, late M. F. Husain had painted
some Hindi deities in the nude. The likes of Ms Arundhati Roy and her tribe –
perhaps Karnad included – had stood solidly behind him for exercising his right
to freedom of expression. I wrote in some newspapers and even sent a letter
sent at her residence and posted my opinion on her Guest Book, challenging Ms
Roy and others to publicly declare whether they would respect the same right of
any other artists who painted their mother, sister or any other family member
in the nude with the same gusto with which they support Husain? Unfortunately,
none had been kind enough to say so publicly.
I would welcome Karnad to respond to my
opinion!
