Akshat Verma Finds Nothing Offensive abt Mama's Boys

Akshat Verma reacts to right-wing outfits' call for ban on his 16-minute satirical take on Draupadi's swayamvar 'Mama's Boys'

Aditi Rao Hydari in Mama's Boys; (below) Akshat Verma
Aditi Rao Hydari in 'Mama's Boys'; (below) Akshat Verma

Akshat Verma's 'Mama's Boys', a 16-minute satirical take on Draupadi's swayamvar, has drawn the ire of right-wing organisations, but the director cannot grasp what's so wrong about experimenting with humour.

Akshat Verma

"Alternate point of view almost doesn't exist. Books and films are banned; I don't know if it's right for young and progressive India to be afraid of ideas. This is not healthy for us as a nation. It is really unfortunate," sighs Verma.


Soon after the short film was unveiled online, organisations like Hindu Mahasabha and Hindu Sena sought ban on Mama's Boys, saying that it showed characters in Mahabharata in poor light. The film is replete with cuss words, sexual innuendos, and also suggests Nakul and Sahadev are gay. Following threats, the makers decided to restrict viewing of the short film on YouTube.

Given the subject, wasn't the Delhi Belly director prepared for negative reactions? "Actually, I wasn't expecting it. I looked at it as an epic which has incredible story-telling in the whole of literature. This (Draupadi's swayamvar) was just a small incident and as a writer, it was fascinating for me to see what we can do with it. I didn't write it with the intention to offend anyone," he adds.

Verma is currently working with Saif Ali Khan for a black comedy, Kala Kaanti. He plans to release the film in the first half of 2017.



'Delhi Belly' director Akshat Verma, who has recently released his short film 'Mama's Boys' online has given a spin to the epic, Mahabharata. The film that stars actors like Neena Gupta, Aditi Rao Hydari, Arunoday Singh and the late Razak Khan among others has been in the news for its 'offensive content'. In an interview to a daily, the director said that he doesn't count it as an adult film and that it is just his interpretation to what must have gone on in the minds of all the characters. He further added that it has other motivations and politics that might have been possible.