Censors stall film 'Kanti' on inter-state dispute

Bangalore, June 27 (IANS): The much-awaited film "Kanti" starring Murali of "Chandra Chakori" fame and glamorous Ramya, the heroine of "Abhi", is facing censor problems as it is based on a border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Its release, originally slated for June 18, has been indefinitely postponed because the exhibition committee of the Bangalore Censor Board has refused to certify the film.

The Rs.20 million film, directed by Bharat and produced by top producer Kanakapura Srinivas, had raised expectations.

The censor board is now to be shown a revised version of the film, without the portions to which it had objected.

"Kanti" was shot extensively in Belgaum city and nearby towns, which have suffered the fallout of the Karnataka-Maharashtran border and linguistic

dispute for many years.

Bharat said "Kanti" is a film with a message.

"I was willing to discuss anything with censor board officials and convince them. In fact, the film has a refreshing message to different sections of the people not only in Belgaum but in other parts of the country," he told IANS.

"I have just taken the border dispute as a source of different perceptions among two sections of the people."

The film is about two lovers, belonging to different sections, "showing courage and overcoming bottlenecks to come together," said Bharat.

Srinivas, who has made many big-budget films, says he is surprised by the censor board's decision.

"I can quote a number of instances where many non-Kannada films, which were provocative, were passed by the censors without any cuts," he said.

Many theatres in Karnataka, which had planned to screen the "Kanti", had to obtain other films for the week in a hurry.