Popular Movies From Recent Years That Were Protested Against For Discrimination Onscreen

Protests against controversial subjects are not an unheard occurrence in India. From seeking bans to demanding removal of scenes and dialogues, protests against movies consisting of discriminatory references, sometimes allegedly, or contain discriminatory portrayals, have the ability to drive the masses into protests. CineMuck brings to you the list of movies that were protested against for alleged discriminatory references or representation.

Aaja Nachle(2007)

The Madhuri Dixit starrer was intended to be the comeback vehicle for the star after a five year hiatus. With dance forming an integral part of the movie, it had peppy foot tapping numbers such as the famous Aaja Nachle with the captivating vocals of Sunidhi Chauhan. It also gave us the romance anthem, O Re Piya, in the divine voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The movie also had plays set within it that were true to its dance musical theme. Notwithstanding its creative gravitas, it sailed into murky waters when it attracted protests from Dalit groups for the lyrics of the title track. The line, “Bazaar Mein Machi Hai Mara Maar, Bole Mochi Bhi Khud Ko Sunar” not only invited the ire of various Dalit outfits, but also the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, who banned the movie in the state. She even wrote to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh seeking a ban on the movie across. Though the ban was revoked after the elimination of the ‘offensive’ line, the detritus of the controversy remained attached to the movie and failed at the box office. Far from a perfect (re)launch.

Billu (2009)

A remake of the Malayalam movie Katha Parayumpol(2007), the movie explores the friendship between a barber in a small village and his childhood friend who becomes a successful actor. Sadly, Billu could no recreate the success of the original. Despite receiving positive critical reviews, Billu failed at the box office. However, its troubles were no confined just to poor box office receipts. It began with its very title. Originally titled, Billu Barber, Sharukh Khan who also served as the producer of the project, was forced to omit the word barber due to objections raised against it. The Mumbai-based, Salon and Beauty Parlours’ Association, and other similar associations objected to the use of the word barber in the title as they found it hurtful to the sentiments of the people engaging in the profession.  The movie was renamed and released only to court more trouble when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) protested against the movie and demanded the removal of an ‘objectionable’ song from it. Talk about double trouble!

Aarakshan (2011)

Prakash Jha is known for movies that explore socio-political issues in the country. From bonded labour in Damul(1985) to naxalism in Chakravyuh(2012), his moves have dealt with a diverse range of concerns that affect the Indian society. Nevertheless, his tryst with the subject of reservation in India through Aarakshan courted controversies at various levels. Even the stellar cast consisting of Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Manoj Bajpayee could not redirect attention towards the movie itself. First, the casting of Saif Ali Khan as a Dalit character was not admissible to some Dalit oufits. The film was banned in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as a ‘precautionary’ measure to avoid repercussions in the event of the movie containing inflammatory dialogues that were anti-reservation and anti-Dalit in nature. The Supreme Court of India provided did however provide relief to Jha by lifting the bans and facilitating its release. An example of reservations about reservation.

Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)

This magnum opus by  SS Rajamouli was a juggernaut that smashed various box office records at the time of its release. It turned Prabahas, who played the titular character, and Rana Dagubbati, who played the villainous Ballaladeva, into a household name across the country. Also, the famous ‘why did Kattappa kill Baahubali’ cliffhanger ending left audiences waiting for the sequel with bated breaths. However, the Tamil version of the movie received attention for all the wrong reasons. While the movie openly depicted caste system within the kingdom of Maaahishmati, one line in particular drew the ire of Dalit groups in Tamil Nadu. “Pagadaikku Pirandhavan” alluded to the slur used by upper caste Hindu’s to refer to members of the Dalit sub-caste of Arunthathiyar. Petrol bombs were thrown at a cinema hall in Madurai to protest against the line, which in turn forced the Madras High Court to direct the filmmakers to omit the line from the movie.

Padmavaat (2017)

Before accusing me of exploiting the  ‘controversial value’ of the movie to make it feature on the list, lets briefly analyse the concurrent layers of the controversy to understand why it should feature on the list. The protests were surrounding the involvement of a Hindu queen of a king belonging to an upper caste Hindu warrior clan in a rumoured imagined romantic encounter on screen with an invading bisexual Muslim conqueror. The basis of this controversy is essentially the intertwining of religion, caste and sexuality. All of which, are taboo subjects within the Indian context and serve as the basis for discrimination within our society. The rumoured travesty of Sanjay Leela Bhansali saw violent reactions from various religious-political outfits such as the Karni Sena . Padmavaat was accused of misrepresenting a woman of revered historical value and her modesty attacked.  If that wasn’t enough, it was also accused of promoting patriarchal constructs of Indian women.  However, the Supreme Court upheld the filmmaker’s right to exercise Freedom of Speech and Expression when it dismissed a petition to stop the movie’s release.