Rajkumar Santoshi gets death threats ahead of 'Gandhi Godse' release
What's the story
Ahead of the theatrical release of Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh, director and filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi on Monday, filed a police complaint after receiving death threats for his upcoming film. He wrote to the Special Commissioner of Police Deven Bharati, requesting for additional security following the threats. The director known for making hard-hitting drama movies requested the police to take the necessary steps immediately.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Voicing unfiltered opinions through movies is still a persisting challenge for Indian filmmakers. Sometimes, making a film on a sensitive issue can land them into controversies, often leading to receiving death threats, or sometimes being pressured to stop the release in theaters altogether. In recent times, movies like The Kashmir Files by Vivek Agnihotri stirred up controversies because of their sensitive topics.
Press conference interrupted
A group of people interrupted Santoshi's press conference
The letter by Santoshi formally informed about an incident that happened during the press conference of his upcoming movie, where some people, having a vested interest, interrupted the event. Later, he received several death threats. The letter read, "I feel unsafe and I submit that grave damage and injury could be caused to me and my family members if such persons are set free."
Incident
What exactly happened at the promotional event?
The incident happened on Friday during the promotional event of Shantoshi's movie Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh. Reportedly, a few protesters sat among the media personnel, waved black flags, and shouted slogans like "Mahatma Gandhi zindabaad." The protesters claimed that the film undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, and apparently, glorifies his assassin. Following this incident, police were called to avoid any unfortunate situation.
About the movie
Know more about the movie
Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh, as the name suggests, is a story revolving around a fictional world, where Mahatma Gandhi has survived the attack by his assassin Nathuram Godse. What follows afterward is a meeting in the prison of the two, where a conversation leads to a fiery debate between them. Filmmaker Santoshi has previously directed films like Damini and Pukar.