Ram Gopal Varma is upset. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), as was expected, has denied the filmmaker permission to air his song Jana Gana Mana Rann Hai in his forthcoming film Rann that is reportedly based on the national anthem.Vijaya Chawak, secretary to CBFC chairperson Vinayak Azad, told media persons that the song violates guidelines 219 of Section 5B2 of the Cinematography Act and the lines Jana Gana Mana are a violation of the National Honour Act of 1971.
Azad, however, is travelling; and Rann co-producer Sheetal Talwar (with Madhu Mantena), who claims to be unaware of the CBFC order, is waiting for Azad’s return on Wednesday when they will get the official word on the fate of the song. But RGV has drained the bitter cup already. The controversial director is feeling persecuted. “The Rann song is not the national anthem. It’s just inspired by what the national anthem stands for,” he said in a chat with BT. “The national anthem has a completely different meaning. But, yes, the Rann song stands exactly for what the national anthem does today... and in consideration of what we are going through.”
He is furious that people are saying he knew the song would meet this consequence, and that he did all this for publicity. “Of course, I have done it for publicity,” RGV snapped. “Any material that goes out of a filmmaker’s office by way of interviews, audio-visuals, music pieces or anything else is to garner publicity for his film. I have made a film and I want as many people out there as possible to know that it will soon come to their theatres. I also want them to know what the film is going to be all about. I ask you, if I had known that this was going to happen, would I deliberately turn people off my film?”
According to the beleaguered director, with Rann he wants to bring people’s attention to the battle they are fighting with the powers-that-be of our so-called civilised society. “There has been no attempt to ridicule or demean or show the national anthem in a bad or comic light. It only seeks to draw attention of all concerned to the problems that the country has... like terrorism, poverty, riots, debt-ridden farmer suicides, rapes, murders, famine and flood, they have become mere symbols that are highlighted as conscious awakeners for vote banks,” said RGV.
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