Filmmakers participating in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here have condemned the omission of renowned painter M F Hussain’s documentary from the screening schedule following an objection by Hindu right wing organisations. The 40-year old documentary, ‘Through the Eyes of a Painter’, about Hussain’s experience in Rajasthan, was part of Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s Films Division’s ‘Framing Time section’, scheduled to be screened today.
Hindu organisations ‘Sanatan Sanstha’ and ‘Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’ (HJS) had objected to the screening of the documentary, by the 1915 born painter, stating that there were several cases pending against him in India. “This is ridiculous.
Just because some people have problems with a filmmaker, it (the documentary) cannot be treated like this,” veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua said. Alleging that the move to omit the documentary was against the freedom of expression, Barua said he had seen the film six times and had found nothing objectionable in it.
“An artist should not suffer because of politics,” Dadasaheb Phalke award winning filmmaker, Adoor Gopalkrishnan said adding that the film should be shown by all means. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had decided to defer the screening of the documentary last night.
“The screening of the documentary has been deferred. It may be shown some other time,” Director of film festival, S M Khan said today.
HJS functionaries had written to Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat and the DFF, on the first day of the festival, to withdraw the documentary. The members had also met Kamat with a memorandum