Licence to Ban

Aradhika  Sharma

“The Supreme Court has ruled against the ban on ‘Nanak Shah Fakir, but the Punjab Government is still insisting on banning its release” said my mother this morning. She and I customarily have our tea- and- newspaper-reading sessions after we are done with our respective walks. At this time (depending on mother’s wish and mood) there could be conversation- or not. Today, the lady had deemed it fit to toss me a remark!

“Why don’t these people realize that you can watch anything on the internet these days so what’s the point?”

“So says the Queen of online content!” I looked up from my newspaper.

“Yes! Talking of which ‘Padmavat’ is officially available online now for the whole world to watch, isn’t it-even though after its release many theatres and two states in India refused to screen it? Anyway, the idea of banning movies in just one or two states is particularly silly- people can just cross the border to watch the film. I mean how far is Haryana from Punjab?”

I grunted in agreement but mother wasn’t done with the dialogue:

“These fringe groups and protesters and bus burnersjust end up making nuisances ofthemselves! And it’s a pity that states support them, especially when the Supreme Court has categorically said the freedom of expression of an artiste cannot be curtailed by a group of private people.”

I put the paper down. This, obviously,was destined to be a morning of conversation. “That’s true! Oopar se the Supreme Court is compelled to step into every issue involving films. The judges sure seem to be watching a lot of movies these days!”

“Hmm…vaise, I saw a promo of ‘Nude’ yesterday- where’s the obscenity bhai? It just showed a few garib peopledesperately trying to earn some money. Mother commented.

“Well, the movie is about women who work as nude models in Art Colleges. Basically, they just have to pose while the students practice painting the human form.I thought it was a fab promo!”

“So what’s allthe fuss about? What they should be objecting to are those cheap item numbers performed by groups of writhing girls doing P.T in shorts and bras!”

“That’s not P.T mom! Those are choreographed numbers and those garments are called bustiers, not bras!”

“Humph!”

“Incidentally, I readrecently that Aamir Khan ishaving second thoughts aboutmakinghis magnum opus- the five-part version of the Mahabharata.”I informed.

“I don’t blame him!” retorted Aamir’s die-hard fan. “He’ll probably make an excellent picture and then these people will start burning the sets,threatening Cineplex owners and putting prices on the heads of the stars and scaring the audiences half to death.”

“Hmm… it was to have cost 1000 crores- would have meant a lot of work for a lot of people. Plus, I was kind of looking forward to it!”

“Yes, so was I!”

Mother went back to the newspaper. Conversation was closed. I turned tomy favourite column- the daily horoscope. It was at least as authentic as some of the information we get on Whatsapp.