'Jo Bole So Nihaal' producer, a worried man

Mumbai, May 23 (IANS): N.R. Pachisia is a perturbed man. The producer of controversial film "Jo Bole So Nihaal" can't understand what the fuss is all about.

"Sure there were two blasts on Sunday night in two theatres in Delhi screening my film. But one of the multiplexes where the second explosion took place Sunday evening was also screening 'Nazar' and 'Naina'.

"Also, there was an explosion this morning on a railway track in Delhi. Was 'Jo Bole So Nihaal' responsible for that as well?" Pachisia ends sarcastically.

"My film was cleared by the censor board twice. Forget the censors, 'Jo Bole..' was also cleared by the Akal Takht, which is for the Sikhs what the Vatican is for the Roman Catholics.

"Now who gives these religious factions and so-called custodians of the Sikh religion the right to stop my film? A lady representing a Sikh organization has objections to my hero Sunny Deol drinking and having sex. According to her, Sikhs don't do such things.

"Some Sikhs have also said that only a Sikh or a Hindu actor can play a Sikh. That means Shah Rukh and Salman cannot be cast as a Sikh. Can you imagine anyone holding such juvenile views in this day and age? What are we filmmakers going to make? If every film of ours needs clearance from the custodians of one section or community we'll end up making nothing soon."

Pachisia declares: "They say the hero's name should be changed, and that certain sequences should be removed or re-shot.

"Why should I, when the courts have said no one has any authority to prevent the film from being screened? My film has lost so much money already I can't afford to invest in changes.

"My hero's name in Nihaal. The chant 'Jo Bole So Nihaal', which seem to have raised hackles, is a war cry for the Sikhs and not part of the holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth, as is being claimed.

"How do I explain these things to my distributors who are twisting my arm under the pretence of a panic? Let's face it - my film is a loser.

"Let it be now. Let's move on and think of bigger issues instead of holding a flop film responsible for national calamities."

Pachisia pauses for breath. "You know normally controversies add to ticket sales. In my case they're only hampering what's in any case a lost cause."

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Jo Bole So Nihaal