Recent controversies plague Gujarati films

They say a controversy or two can dramatically alter the fate of a predictable film, up its curiosity value, transforming it from the mundane to sensational. In a year when the local film industry has a slew of releases hitting screens, the last thing filmmakers needed was to have their films in the eye of the storm, which in turn put speed breakers in their easy ride to the BO/theatres, albeit temporarily. While it’s too early to comment on whether the films have actually benefited from the controversies, here’re films that became the talking point in recent times.Romeo & RadhikaControversy: Petition filed by members of the Sikh community for portrayal of a Sikh character The recently released Romeo & Radhika came under the scanner, when members of a Sikh community filed a petition in court against the trivial portrayal of a Sikh character in the film. While the court dismissed the petition, sources close to the filmmaker said that the cast and crew were prepared to release an apology if the issue had escalated, as they didn’t want to hurt religious sentiments. Much to the relief of the filmmakers, the issue ended in the court. Thai Jashe! Controversy: Censor board copy leaking onlineThe critically acclaimed Thai Jashe! was on a BO high minting millions. And then censor board copies of the film appeared online, hitting the BO business of the film in a big way. Malhar Thakkar who played the lead in film was quite vocal about the issue, saying, “Gujarati films compete against big ticket Hindi and English films, and our film’s copy leaking online is disastrous. This should be stopped at any cost.” Salagto Sawal Anamat Controversy tales - Censor Board suggests more than 100 cutsJust when Udta Punjab was embroiled in a slugfest with the Censor Board, Salagto Sawal Anamat found itself in a similar situation, when the Board asked for 100 cuts in the film. Citing the sensitivity of the subject (and its resemblance with the Patidar Anamat Andolan), the Board refused to let the film pass without the suggested cuts. Current status: The film’s not released in theatres yet.Daav Thai Gayo YaarControversy: Brush with the Censor Board and delay in release dateDaav Thai Gayo Yaar opened in theatres amid much fanfare, but the release date had to be pushed back by a week because the Censor Board was too busy with Udta Punjab controversy to pass the film. Mitra Gadhvi said, “If there is a separate body for regional films, it will help our films get quick clearance, as any delay in the release date makes a big impact.”Bey Yaar and Gujjubhai the GreatControversy: Censor Board copy leaked onlineThe success of these two films is considered to be the catalyst in bringing about the phenomenal transformation that Gujarati films are going through. Both the films faced the same fate, as the censor copy of the films were leaked online, questioning the functions of the board. The Gujarati film industry is now trying to take steps to curb the online piracy menace and have come together to bring about functional changes to stop it. Ishaan Randheria, director of Gujjubhai the Great said, “We will not provide CDs for censor clearance. We will try to be present at the screening to ensure there are no such leaks.”