Lok Sabha polls 2019: Mamata Banerjee dismisses links with reported biopic "Baghini"
Highlights
- Mamata Banerjee denies links to a Bengali film based on her life
- Threatened lawsuits against people and organizations for spreading lies
- "I am not Narendra Modi", she said in reference to PM's biopic
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today denied any links with "Baghini", a Bengali film reportedly based on the Trinamool Congress chief's life. In a sharply worded tweet, Ms Banerjee also threatened lawsuits against individuals and/or organizations for "spreading lies".
Her tweet read, "What is all this nonsense being spread! I have nothing at all to do with any biopic. If some young people have collected stories and expressed themselves, that's up to them. Not related to us."
She also wrote, "I am not Narendra Modi. Please do not compel me to file for defamation by spreading lies".
The Election Commission today ordered the removal of the film's trailer from at least three websites.
The poll body was acting on complaints made by the BJP. The ruling party was motivated by controversy over a similar issue surrounding "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on the prime minister's life that was scheduled to be released on April 12, a day after voting for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections started.
"Baghini" and "PM Narendra Modi" fell afoul of election laws but they aren't the only biopics based on prominent politicians to have released this year. In January, a movie based on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, called "The Accidental Prime Minister", was released.
The film caused controversy for allegedly showing Dr Singh and other public figures in a poor light. Police were instructed to file a case against the actors and 12 others under Indian Penal Code sections relating to promoting enmity and insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal conspiracy etc.
Earlier the poll body also ordered the taking down of a web series - "Modi - Journey of a Common Man" - based on the prime minister.
"Baghini" was scheduled to release on May 3, three days before the fifth phase of the general election and the day West Bengal heads to the polls.