Panaji: While
Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that national anthem be played at all theatres before screening of films, the same has been in practice in Goa for around a decade.
Pravin
Zantye
, managing partner at
Hera Film Exhibitor
, has welcomed the Supreme Court order directing movie halls and theatres to play the national anthem before the start of a play, movie or any other programme and said the practice is already being followed at 13 screens in the state. “We’re proud to play our country’s national anthem and it’s a matter of great honour for us,” he says, adding that content providers must provide the national anthem in digital format as part of the package to theatres.
The court has also ordered that those present in auditoriums must pay respect to the national anthem according to Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The audience is already accustomed to standing up for the national anthem before film screenings at Inox theatres.
Even in rural Goa, theatres like Cine World, Marcel, have been playing the national anthem before the screening of every film.
“Today, it’s great to see even foreigners standing up for our national anthem,” Marathi filmmaker
Sainath Parab says, adding that “it’s also a good feeling when everyone in the auditorium sings together”.
“Patriotism is a feeling of responsibility and humanity towards other human beings within a single nation. It’s nice when the national anthem is played, but it should not be a symbol judging patriotism,” he says.
Writer
Salil Chaturvedi
was physically assaulted by a cinemagoer at Inox, Panaji, in July because he didn’t stand up for the national anthem. Looking forward to watching Rajinikanth for the first time on the big screen in the movie ‘Kabali’, Chaturvedi, who uses a wheelchair because of his spinal injury, was left red-faced.
His story went international and following the incident, he wrote to the management asked it to flash a message before the national anthem reminding people that there may be persons with disabilities and senior citizens in the audience, who may not be able to stand up and that viewers should refrain from forcing others to do so.
Reacting to the Supreme Court order, Chaturvedi says he’d like to know whether the population of persons with disabilities is being taken into account.
“I haven’t seen the order. Is there any part in it that safeguards people like me? Does it instruct people not to assault those who cannot stand up? I haven’t gone to a theatre since July. It’s too dangerous and a very stressful experience for me,” he told TOI.