Amidst blazing controversy, makers turn Bhumi-Rajkummar's 'Bheed' trailer private
What's the story
The blazing controversy regarding Anubhav Sinha's upcoming directorial Bheed has refused to die down. Since the day it was announced through an introductory teaser, it has irked a section of people who aren't pleased with the director comparing the COVID-19 migrants' woes with the 1947 Indo-Pak Partition. With only a week left before its release, now, the trailer has been made private on YouTube.
Context
Why does this story matter?
When the movie's teaser was released earlier this month, it divided several cinephiles and journalists, who believed that the film wishes to "push its own agenda" and is "milking a nationwide tragedy for money." Since the makers have directly drawn parallels with the laborers' migration to the horrendous Partition, several opined that "it's an exaggeration" and "no tragedy can come close to the partition."
Private video
The recent development was brought to light on Twitter
The trailer was released on March 10 and the drama will arrive theatrically next Friday. The recent development was noticed by Twitter user @Advaidism. He tweeted, "The official trailer of the movie Bheed is now private on YouTube after backlash. The movie is about the COVID lockdown mismanagement and the plight of the poor migrant laborers, who were forced to walk back home."
Twitter Post
Read the tweet here
The official trailer of the movie 'Bheed' is now private on Youtube after backlash. The movie is about the Covid lockdown mismanagement and the plight of the poor migrant labourers, who were forced to walk back home.
— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) March 16, 2023
Mother of democracy, ladies and gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/NeylMRDtQG
Video
Small clips from the trailer are still available online
While the video is gone from the official page, it is seemingly still up on a few unofficial YouTube/Twitter accounts. Short clips—but not the entire trailer—are also available on the Instagram accounts of Bheed's actors Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar and its co-producer Reliance Entertainment. There were reports of producer T-Series opting out of the project after the backlash, but those are merely rumors.
Other side
There is a section that is in support of 'Bheed'
While one faction believes that the movie will paint India and its ruling government in a negative light, there is another section that has lauded Sinha for speaking truth to power and not hesitating to make a film on a rather controversial subject. Some people were of the opinion that the Indian bureaucracy approached the migrants with "apathy" and the reality must be portrayed.