India's first Oscars' entry should be The Accidental Prime Minister

Page

JackSparrowcraz

@JackSparrowcraz

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 7 years ago

says Anupam Kher

Published: Jan 7,2019

Controversy-marred The Accidental Prime Minister' should be India's first official entry to Oscars next year, veteran actor Anupam Kher believes.

Kher, who will be seen essaying the role of former Indian PM Manmohan Singh in the film, said that it will bring a welcome change from films which portray poverty and the backwardness of the country at the fore.

"For how long can we keep selling the poverty of India, the backwardness of India, the backward class of India, the class distinction in India, the elephants in India, the monkeys in India? This is a movie which talks about modern Indian politics, made with amazing amount of brilliance by the directors and the producers and the cast is phenomenal. We should send this kind of movie for Oscars," Kher said.

The Accidental Prime Minister is adaptation of the book penned by Manmohan Singh's media advisor Sanjaya Baru.

It has received flak from detractors who have accused the film of projecting Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi in a bad light calling for a ban. It was also alleged of intending to sway voters ahead of the 2019 general elections.

"A filmmaker or an artiste really cannot figure out why people are voting for a political party. Some voters are loyalists; some are making a list of good and bad to choose a party and the government. How much can a film contribute to that?" Kher asked.

He added, "I personally believe that when people go to vote for choosing a government, they do not decide anything based on the impact of a film. It would be silly to say that this film will change the result of the election this year."

'The Accidental Prime Minister' is scheduled to hit cinemas on January 11.

Quote

Frequent Posters

anjs

@anjs

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 7 years ago

The trailer is really pinning Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in a bad light... I wonder if its okay to openly do so, even if its done by BJP

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

Ahmed

@Too_Much

Rocker

+ 5

Posted: 7 years ago

Bohat dooor ki sonch raho ho chacha..

Quote

441597

Suspended

Posted: 7 years ago

Originally posted by: anjs
The trailer is really pinning Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in a bad light... I wonder if its okay to openly do so, even if its done by BJP

In the USA, they make open hitjobs on sitting presidents. During Bush Jr's tenure, a mockumentary was made on his assassination.

Now, imagine that in India. 😳 Imagine someone showing Modi getting shot. Woh chhoro, imagine someone showing Modi's role in 2002 riots.

Quote

anjs

@anjs

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 7 years ago

Originally posted by: krystal_watz

In the USA, they make open hitjobs on sitting presidents. During Bush Jr's tenure, a mockumentary was made on his assassination.

Now, imagine that in India. 😳 Imagine someone showing Modi getting shot. Woh chhoro, imagine someone showing Modi's role in 2002 riots.

I dont know about law and legality in US, but I guess in India one can file a defamation case against the person who tries maligning the name...its not like these people have the proof and gonna share it...

Quote

nisha

@ns01

Explorer

Posted: 7 years ago

I hope Uri is very good and oscar entry

Quote

return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 7 years ago

It is completely kosher to make a movie/documentary criticizing politicians. It is also completely fine to make fun of them.

Michael Moore made Fahrenheit 9/11 during the Bush Presidency. Dinesh D'Souza made his Obama documentary. The movie W. was made about George W. Bush and Game Change was made about McCain campaign. SNL has made fun of a slew of presidents and politicians.

All these portray politicians in a not so positive light. As long as any claimed "facts" are proven and "opinions" clarified from the facts.

Primary Colors the book and movie are about Bill Clinton's campaign trail. BUT because many of the allegations about sexual harassment were never proven in the court of law it is presented as fiction. Everyone knows who it's about. But you cannot claim slander/defamation against fictitious characters. It can be easily defended as a theatrical embellishment.

Technically the law is similar in India. You can sue for slander/libel if someone spreads lies and misinformation damaging to your character. If the person shares facts damaging to your character - you can sue but your case won't hold water. But the problem is that people in India are oversensitive and think anything that is damaging to a person's character shouldn't be done. All sides of the spectrum are guilty of going over the top over it. You cannot even safely make fun of politicians. You cannot even constructively criticize them without people seeing read.

The timing of this movie before elections is questionable. But the call for ban doesn't hold water. Its purely sentiment and emotions. Since the book was not successfully challenged and banned, you cannot make an exception for the movie - especially if the facts are the same. I'm no BJP fan. I am far too left wing for that. But Congress supporters are being whining wieners. Have a problem with what is shown? Then its time to clean house than cry foul.

Tbh, if the movie defamed Dr. Manmohan Singh I'd be upset. But I don't give two hoots about Sonia and Rahul. Dr. Singh is a very intelligent man and the architect of India's economic revival. It is a great tragedy that his legacy was tarnished by rot within the Congress machinations. Irrespective of your political leanings - he deserves to be respected and recognized for his achievements. And I think the movie is an attempt to clear his name.