Jha clears air on 'Aarakshan', says its not anti-quota

Mumbai/New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) With his forthcoming film
'Aarakshan' kicking up a controversy, Indian Director Prakash
Jha Tuesday told the Bombay High Court its theme was neither
pro nor anti-reservation and that it deals with
commercialisation of education.
Jha also declined to hold special screenings for
politicians before the Amitabh Bachchan and Saif Ali Khan
starrer hits the screens as planned on August 12.
The High Court said it will give a ruling Wednesday on
whether it would watch the movie and if the petitioners who
have raised questions on the film would also be permitted to
attend the screening.
Jha's submissions to the court came even as an OBC MPs
Forum asked him to organise a preview for its members to avoid
any problems after its release.
Convener of the Forum V Hanumantha Rao said he has
written to Indian Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika
Soni in this regard.
"There is huge speculation amongst the OBC community
that the film will hurt their sentiments. The OBC students
might take it seriously and there may be some problems in the
screening of the film. Hence this request," he said in Delhi.
"Aarakshan", a socio-political drama deals with the
sensitive caste-based reservations in government jobs and
educational institutions.
Yn an affidavit filed in High Court, Jha said the film
is not anti-reservation or anti-Dalit.
"The film just uses the issue of (caste-based)
reservation as a landscape or backdrop on which the story and
journey of the protagonist, who is the Principal of an
institution, is based. It highlights the commercialisation of
education system in the present society," he added.

The affidavit by Jha was submitted in response to a
petition filed by two advocates, who have claimed the movie
has an anti-reservation theme and was likely to create social
disharmony.
During the hearing, a Division Bench of Justices D D
Sinha and A R Joshi expressed a wish to watch the movie to
decide on the issues raised in the petition.
Counsels for Jha - Venkatesh Dhond and Ameet Naik -
argued that the Censor Board, not wanting to take any chances,
had got the movie reviewed by people who were sensitive to the
cause of the backward classes.
Central Board of Film Certification advocate Rajeev
Chavan told the the court that a nine-member committee was
formed to review the film. The panel included four members of
SC/ST communities, a Dalit activist and a retired HC Judge.
"The committee said no provisions of Scheduled Caste/
Scheduled Tribe Act were violated in the movie," he said.