“Hindi film industry is spineless” – Sheetal Talwar

By Subhash K. Jha -

January 28, 2013 - 10:25 AM IST

Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroop, beleaguered by protests from film exhibitors and religious fundamentalists, has found an unlikely supporter in Bollywood. Producer Sheetal Talwar has not only come forward to defend Kamal Haasan against religious fundamentalism but also offered to release the film in Mumbai and North India if required.

Lashing out at the rest of the film fraternity for what he considers to be their silent complicity with unreasonable elements Talwar says, "Why are filmmakers in Mumbai not speaking up for Kamal Haasan? Just because he is from the South? This industry is spineless. Don't they realize, this can happen to any of us? The way Kamal's 180-crore rupee film is being tossed around by prejudiced self-serving myopic elements is deplorable. I condemn the attack on a film that I am sure redefines popular entertainment, as Kamal's films always do."

Talwar is dying to see Vishwaroop. "I am willing to fly down to Hyderabad to see it. But what guarantee is there that by the time I get there it won't be yanked out of the theatres by the vandals and self-appointed moralists? And what guarantee is there that this won't happen to some filmmaker in Mumbai?"

With a shudder Talwar recalls his own brush with bigotry six years ago. "My wife Bhavna Talwar's film Dharm was put through a similar ordeal when in fact Dharm was about communal amity. I am sure Kamal Haasan's film doesn't derogate any community. He is too responsible an artiste to fool around with any community's sentiments."

While applauding Rajinikanth for seeing thorough the harassment ruse being meted out to Kamal Haasan and coming forward to support his colleague, Talwar wants to see more filmmakers and actors come forward in support of Vishwaroop.

Says the agitated producer, "Kamal Haasan is right. This is cultural terrorism. And the fact that the Tamil Nadu government is endorsing it by banning the film, makes it even worse. I am with Kamal Haasan all the way. If he needs me, I'm willing to release the film in Mumbai and other centers. All he has to do is ask."

In a related development filmmaker and Bollywood spokesperson Ashoke Pandit condemned the "carpet banning" of Vishwaroop describing the ban as a violation of the freedom of expression and the freedom to employment.

Says Pandit, "World over films with controversial subject matters are being made...If the protesting groups find the film objectionable we as a film industry also find this kind of a carpet banning objectionable."