'Emergency' Paused, 'IC814' Makers Get Summons: Creative Freedom Under Attack?
Two fresh developments today show how testing times for creative freedom are not over. In the midst of a massive row surrounding Netflix web series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', sources in the government have told NDTV that it is taking the matter very seriously and added that "nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of people of this country." In fact, Netflix India's content chief Monika Shergill has also been summoned by the Centre. Hundreds of social media users have accused creators of the web series of deliberately changing names of the hijackers to "Bhola" and "Shankar" and also of being sympathetic to terrorists. Meanwhile, actor and MP Kangana Ranaut faced a major setback after her much talked about film Emergency was postponed after not being able to secure a clearance from the Censor Board Of Film Certification (CBFC). The film was supposed to release on September 6. Many Sikh groups have raised questions about the content of the movie. So, Is politics driving creativity in the country? Will such moves lead to self censorship among movie makers who might want to stay away from making films on stories that are important to be told? Can cinema have the right to offend, should there be checks, and why?
