Targetting of artistes: Govt or people to blame?

Several films are banned and protests taken out against actors, filmmakers, other creative professionals on pretext of their "comments" or works hurting sentiments of some religion, state or community.

Do any of these films, paintings or books actually hurt sentiments of people? Or is it just politicians looking to get easy mileage, play vote bank politics by taking easy means of targetting some movie/song/book/painting?

Has anyone ever heard of actual public feeling offended by something?

Is it just politicians (and sometimes religious heads) who make hue and cry over something? And some gullible people (or perhaps these leaders' own men) get provoked by their allegations and take to streets to express protest?

Can a book or painting or film hurt someone sooo much that he feels religion/community/language insulted? Or do we actually get hurt and politicians knowingly exploit our sensitivity/gullibility as public?

Supreme Court was concerned that some parts of Aarakshan could disturb law and order situation. Was their concern valid? Are we people in India so sensitive that we can take to violence due to a scene or dialogue in a film?

Government was apparently scared of films like Amu, Parzania and Hawayein (based on 1984 Sikh riots, 2002 Gujarat riots) provoking people, so they put a stop on release of such films. In case of Amu and Hawayein, even their DVDs are not available in market. Why is government so scared? They're scared for themselves - that they will be exposed? Can a film really provoke people enough to threaten law and order? Why even DVDs of some films have been banned?

What does it say for freedom of expression in India and maturity of Indian people?

Lack of proper goverence and policing. What else could explain the ban on a movie like Viswaroopam when no one has even seen it? The lack of governance lets goons of politicians take over and ordinary people are left with no choice apart from their freedom of speech curbed in the name of security.

Creativeness should be kept with limitations. I am always happy that certain scenes or dialogues in movies get altered/banned from the Censor Board. Some ill minded people think that Por& is also way of expressing creativeness , however should it be shown on National Tv? No

I myself feel kind of confused over such issues. Often there've been dialogues or scenes which seemed offensive but only for the time being, when I was watching the specific film. I've come across people randomly discussing what they felt was hurtful but never seen anyone react violently or a whole mob suddenly getting enraged.

I think politicians and religious leaders incite illiterate and gullible individuals to take to streets to protest against something.

Do the politicians use below the belt tactics to keep their vote bank happy-YES! In a country like ours where there is no political party based on a strong economic ideology(with the exception of CPI), the only way to create a lasting impression on the minds of the citizens is to align to a particular caste or religion!! To keep them happy, politicization of trifle issues is a natural outcome to keep the janta convinced about the parties' dedication to the cause!!

Both people and politicians are to be blamed. We the people of India are used to throwing hissy fits like a spoiled five year old. We kick and scream and whine and cry at every itty bitty little thing that doesn't appeal to our hypersensitive tastes. In turn the politicians fuel and encourage these ridiculous demands in order to garner sympathy, attention and votes. Just petty vile vote bank politics. We also lack the disciplined law and order to take charge of situations and prevent outrages.

The DaVinci Code ran into more issues in India than it did with the Vatican itself. In the United States we have movies like W. or Obama 2016 about sitting presidents, that too in negative light. You couldn't do that in India without rioting. You have movies like Stop Loss and Rendition which portray the government and the military in a critical and negative light. You couldn't do that in India without rioting.

I wouldn't say United States or other nations are devoid of vote bank politics or hyper sensitive people. We have our share of issues and concerns. We have our share of protesting people and schmoozing politicians. The only difference I'd say is a sense of civilization and decorum that often appears lacking in India.