I saw this news on 10th April morning that this great film Phule, which was meant to be released on 11 April (today), has been stopped by the CBFC. The news item reads:
The release of the Hindi film Phule,” about the lives of social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, has been delayed due to concerns raised by the Brahmin community about its portrayal. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has asked for edits and removal of caste-related references after objections from Brahmin groups.
How can the CBFC ask for a postponement of such a film on a great social reformer based on the Brahmin community’s opposition? How and why does it want to remove caste-related references from the film? Phules’ struggle was against caste and Brahmin communities’ inhuman practices of his times. It is for the same Phules’ that the Maharashtra state assembly recommended for Bharat Ratna on 24 March unanimously. Phule couples’ fight against Brahmin casteism is a well-documented history. The TRAILER of the film reflected absolutely truthful incidents. A Brahmin biographer of Mahatma Phule, Dhanajay Keer himself, recorded these facts.
All the reform-loving masses of India- particularly the Shudra/OBCs, Dalits/Adivasis of India, and also intellectuals must fight against this anti-reform step of the CBFC and demand that the film must be released without cuts from its earlier approved version. India must rise against this kind of casteism.
Jai Phules
Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd
Hyderabad
