Jodhaa Akbar Banned

The demonstrations against the film Jodhaa Akbar were held by Rajputs, a Hindu group allegedly descended from royal warrior dynasties, angry at what they claim is the film’s historical inaccuracy.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of central Madhya Pradesh state commented, ‘The screening of this film could disrupt peace… the screening of the film has been suspended and not banned.’

The demonstrations followed protests and arson attacks on cinemas in Gujurat and an unsuccessful legal attempt to have the film banned in the Punjab region.

The film was written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker who claimed that the story, in which a Rajput princess (Aishwarya Rai) who falls for a Muslim prince (Hrithik Roshan) was 30% fact and 70% fiction.

UTV, the film’s producer and distributor, said it would challenge the suspension in court if necessary.   ‘The censor board has passed ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ without any cuts, and the onus is now on the respective authorities to ensure the film is screened across the country without disruption,’ the company said.

The film enjoyed an opening weekend of some $6.4 million.

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2008

India 2008