The Jio MAMI (Mumbai Academy Of Movie Image) 2016 may face a few hurdles in its organisation as a Mumbai-based NGO has decided to protest against the screening of a Pakistani film in the festival. The popular film festival is going to be organised from 20 October to 27 October in Mumbai. This year, as part of their restored classics section, a Pakistani film — Jaago Hua Savera is set to be screened and that’s what concerns the said NGO. The 1958 film is directed by Aajeay Kardar.
In a letter written to the Senior Police Inspector of Amboli Police Station, Andheri, Mumbai, the members of the NGO have asked for a due permission to stage protest against the screening of the film on 20 October. In the letter, they have mentioned that the screening of the film is most likely to add up to the existing hatred against Pakistan among people in the state. “The organisers of this event are more likely to flare the outrage more among the people by telecasting this Pakistani film in their film festival. This will just not be acceptable as it will give rise to more civil tension and outrage among the people,” says the letter.
The decision on the acceptance of the permission is yet to be taken.
Earlier, film critic and the member of MAMI, Anupama Chopra had confirmed that a Pakistani film will be screened at the film festival. Even Kiran Rao, Chairperson, Jio MAMI, in an interaction with the media, mentioned about the Pakistani film and how any kind of protest against the film is the least of their concern.
The news of the protest seems to be adding to the entire anti-Pakistan movements being shaped up in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. In a decision taken recently, the Indian Motion Picture Producer’s Association (IMPPA) had put an indefinite ban on Pakistani actors/ actresses from working in India till the relations between India and Pakistan gets normalised again. In fact, problems for filmmaker Karan Johar’s upcoming film — Ae Dil Hai Mushkil are also getting bigger. The Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) has put a ban on the film in four states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and some parts of Karnataka. This means that no single screen theatre in the mentioned state will screen the film which features actor Fawad Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma in pivotal roles.
