Shabana Azmi reminds 'Twitteratis' about the call to ban 'Laal Singh Chaddha' after Kangana Ranaut's remark

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi recently took to Twitter to remind people that there was a plea seeking a ban on Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha. Responding to those who claimed that there was only boycotting of the film, Azmi wrote, "So twiterratis who are saying there was only boycotting of LSC and no call for ban kindly refresh your memory. 

There was a PIL asking for ban." This all started when Azmi tweeted about the controversial film, The Kerala Story and questioned those who were demanding a ban on it. She compared it to Laal Singh Chaddha which had performed poorly at the domestic box office. Kangana Ranaut also supported Azmi's tweet but added that no one had asked for a ban on Laal Singh Chaddha, and people just did not want to see it for various reasons, including it being a remake of an old Hollywood classic.

The Kerala Story has been in controversy even before its release. The movie is based on a dangerous conspiracy that has been hatched against India, and it claims that several young girls from Kerala were made to join the terror outfit ISIS. The film was released on Friday, but it has been banned in West Bengal by CM Mamata Banerjee to avoid "violence and hatred" in the state. 

However, the Kerala High Court has noted that the producers have published a disclaimer stating that the film is fictionalised and that it is a dramatised version of events. The disclaimer also mentions that the film does not claim the accuracy or factuality of historic events.

Shabana Azmi's tweet is significant as it highlights the debate around artistic freedom and censorship. Films often attract controversy for their subject matter, and there are often calls for them to be banned. However, as Azmi points out, once a film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification, nobody has the right to become an extra-constitutional authority.