Cannes Festival set to remove Khalid Ka Shivaji from its listings due to questionable material, as confirmed by Ashish Shelar
In a surprising turn of events, the Marathi film Khalid Ka Shivaji has been removed from the Cannes Film Festival listings due to allegations of falsehoods and objectionable content, particularly concerning the portrayal of the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a revered Maratha king.
The film, which follows a young Muslim boy named Khalid who finds inspiration in Shivaji, has sparked controversy due to its secular portrayal of the king, which some groups argue wrongly frames him in a light that conflicts with the traditional Hindu-Maratha identity attributed to the king.
The controversy has led to protests from right-wing groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, who claim the film distorts Shivaji’s historical image and legacy. As a result, the Maharashtra government requested the central government to revoke the film’s censor certificate and halt its screenings.
Following the objections, central agencies issued notices to the film’s producers and director, while the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initiated a review. On August 6, Maharashtra culture secretary Kiran Kulkarni sent a letter to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary, asking for direction to the CBFC to re-examine the clearance certificate issued to the film and halt its release.
Despite initial praise from Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, who lauded the film’s Cannes selection as a milestone for Marathi cinema, he later condemned the film amid the backlash, stating the government will not tolerate tampering with history.
The director, Raj Pritam More, expressed disappointment over the government's disowning of the film, stating it was submitted to Cannes with positive expert committee feedback and denied any distortion of Shivaji’s image.
The release of Khalid Ka Shivaji has been halted pending a decision on the request to re-examine its censor certification. The Maharashtra government is seeking a re-examination of the censor certification for the film, with the minister stating that the action is in alignment with Shiv devotees and society.
Meanwhile, the CBFC action is based on complaints alleging that the film misrepresents history. Shivendra Bhosale, the Maharashtra Public Works Department Minister, warned that anything objectionable against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or other icons of Maharashtra will not be tolerated.
In a separate development, Anurag Kashyap's new movie, Nishaanchi, has been unveiled, although no information about a connection between Nishaanchi and Khalid Ka Shivaji was provided. A premiere of Eva Victor's critically-acclaimed movie Sorry, Baby was held in Delhi.
This ongoing saga serves as a reminder of the sensitive nature of historical portrayals and the potential for controversy they can stir. As the situation unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the filmmakers respond and whether the film will ultimately be released.
- The controversy surrounding the Marathi film Khalid Ka Shivaji has brought to light the sensitive nature of historical portrayals, especially in society, where alterations can spark disagreements and political debates.
- The Maharashtra government's request for a re-examination of Khalid Ka Shivaji's censor certification aligns with the concerns of Shiv devotees and the general public, indicating the importance of cultural sensitivity in cinema and policy-and-legislation.
- As the ongoing dispute over Khalid Ka Shivaji continues, it leaves open questions about the boundaries of creative expression, the role of politics in policy-and-legislation related to cinema, and the future of secular narratives in the Indian film industry.
