Shabana Azmi wants the entire film industry to boycott IFFI in favour of Padmavati
GURGAON, INDIA - DECEMBER 5: Bollywood actress of film, television and theatre Shabana Azmi on the second day of the Gurgaon International Film and Literature Festival on December 5, 2015 in Gurgaon, India. (Photo by Abhinav Saha/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
BY : News Gateway / Shabana Azmi / New Delhi /
Shabana Azmi questioned the CBFC for returning Padmavati. She also appealed to the entire film fraternity to boycott IFFI and stand in unity for Bhansali’s film.
Shabana Azmi tweeted about the ongoing controversy regarding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati and she put forth the point that the entire film industry should boycott the International Film Festival of India that is to be held in Goa in a few days. In her tweets, Shabana says, “Smriti Irani is preparing IFFI dats possible only bcoz the Indian Film Industry brings such acclaim to it but keeps quiet about Padmavati!”
IFFI has already been in controversy for dropping the screenings of Marathi film Nude and Malayalam film S Durga without consulting the jury. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry, headed by Smriti Irani, has been held responsible for interfering with the jury selection of these two films. International Film Festival of India is scheduled to start on November 20.
Shabana Azmi also questioned the CBFC for returning Padmavati because of incomplete formalities. She questioned if this was being done for electoral gains.
Shabana Azmi tweeted, “This is exactly like HKL Bhagat and Congress celebrating IFFI in Delhi after the murder of Safdar Hashmi in 1989.Cultural Annihilation”. Azmi further said that the entire film industry should boycott the film festival against the threats that Bhansali and Deepika Padukone are being subjected to. Her tweet said, “The entire film industry should boycott IFFI in protest against the threats to @deepikapadukone SLB and #Padmavati.”