Furore around Nandan release of Aar Ekti Premer Golpo

Aar Ekti Premer Golpo is about Abhirup,played by Rituparno Ghosh,who is a filmmaker making a documentary on Chapal Bhaduri,a famous theatre actor who played female roles. He is a homosexual. Pushing seventy,Chapalda appears as himself in the film. Indraneil Sengupta,a cinematographer,though married,falls in love with Abhirup. The film opens when the relationship is six years old. How they explore their relationship while making the documentary is a very important angle. Raima Sen plays Indraneil’s wife. “I have tracked the emotional journey of two characters who are homosexuals in my film. I have jelled the religious and social consequences too. When the New Yorkers saw that even religion supports the third gender,they were moved,” says director Kaushik Ganguly. “The film offers an Indian perspective on alternative sexuality that is not sensational,vulgar or based on preconceived notions about homosexuals and homosexuality in any way. We felt we had to be socially-responsible towards the subject and the audience. Therefore,we decided to treat the subject and the characters involved with respect and faith,” he summed up.

Tapan Biswas,producer of Aar Ekti Premer Golpo says that he had sent a letter addressed to Nilanjan Chatterjee,director,Nandan,informing him about the scheduled release of Aar Ekti Premer Golpo on December 24 and requesting him for screening space at Nandan before leaving for the Goa IFFI. “After we came back,we were informed by the director that he wished to have a screener before releasing the film. A ‘screener’ means a preview of the film before releasing it. This was preposterous because our film already has been granted an ‘A’ Certificate by the Censor Board. Once this certificate is granted,every exhibitor is bound to release every film without asking for a ‘screener.’ Why this discrimination in case of my film? I felt insulted and refused to allow a screener as it was discriminatory and prejudiced against my film,” said an angry Biswas at a press conference in the city two days prior to the release.

Ganguly says,“When we asked him to clarify why he wanted a ‘screener’ he said that he wanted to see whether the subject was dealt with aesthetically or not. He had apparently seen a pre-release discussion about the film on a private television channel and he had heard some of the panelists that included Rituparno Ghosh mention the world ‘homosexual’ thrice. He seems to have issue with the use of this word and this probably triggered the screener decision. Can he,or anyone else for that matter,really decide what is aesthetic and what is not? Isn’t such evaluation a completely subjective thing? I am not aware about whether the CM knows about this screener business. If he knows and is silent about it,then,well,I have nothing to say.”

Filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh,who is also production designer and creative director,said,“Unless a theatre is curating films for a festival or for some other reason,no theatre can place such a condition for a screener for any film that has been granted a certificate by the CBFC. Our film has already been screened at the Goa IFFI which is a government-organised festival. Therefore,the director of Nandan has no legal right or administrative eligibility to place any pre-screening conditions for the release of any film ever. Besides,how can a single individual decide on behalf of an entire viewing audience whether they should or will see a given film or not?” he asked.

“I have produced 28 films till date and I am very proud of my latest film Aar Ekti Premer Golpo. So,I do not think I should bother about whether Nandan releases the film or not. Nandan has its large audience of loyal film lovers,true,who will not be able to watch my film. But if they are eager enough,they can easily watch it at any of the other theatres wherever the film is going to release,” summed up Biswas.