Filmmaker Prakash Jha was roughed up, his face smeared with ink on Sunday when a group of Bajrang Dal members went on a rampage on his set.
These days, there’s a lot of conversation around the ‘fringe’ becoming ‘mainstream’. As a civil society, there are certain limits upto which people could register their angst or protest against something or someone they find offensive. This is a mainstream discourse. However, this mainstream discourse appears to be deflecting towards more extreme form of protests as people engage in violence.
Prakash Jha roughed up, set vandalised
Filmmaker Prakash Jha was roughed up, his face smeared with ink on Sunday when a group of Bajrang Dal members went on a rampage on the set of his web series being shot in Bhopal, the police said.
Videos shot by witnesses on cellphones showed Bajrang Dal members chasing down crew, managing to catch at least one of them and beating him mercilessly with a metal light stand.
Members of the right-wing group said Prakash Jha’s web series ‘Ashram‘ starring Bobby Deol was an assault on Hinduism and they will not allow its filming till the title was changed.
A Bajrang Dal leader, according to NDTV, said Mr Jha, who has not filed a complaint in the matter yet, has assured that he will change the name of the series
“They made Ashram 1, Ashram 2 and were shooting Ashram 3 here. Prakash Jha showed in Ashram that the guru was abusing women. Does he have the guts to make such a film on a church or madrasa? Who does he think he is?” Bajrang Dal leader Sushil Surhele said.
“Bajrang Dal challenges him, we won’t let him make this film. So far we have just blackened Prakash Jha’s face. We are looking for Bobby Deol. He should learn something from his brother (Sunny Deol). He made such patriotic movies,” he added.
Bajrang Dal in the past
The Bajrang Dal is a Hindu nationalist militant organisation that forms the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). It is a member of the right-wing Sangh Parivar.
In 2020, members of right wing Hindu groups – Antharashtra Hindu Parishad (AHP) and Antharashtra Bajrang Dal – demolished a church set erected in Kerala for the film Minnal Murali, directed by Basil Joseph with Tovino Thomas in the lead.
A district level leader of the Antharashtra Bajrang Dal was arrested in connection with the incident, police said.
One of the Bajrang Dal office bearers said they demolished the church set because it was front of Lord Mahadeva on Kalady Manappuram (sandbank).
The Bajrang Dal activists have often indulged in violence, invading gift shops and restaurants and threatening couples on Valentines Day. However, demolishing and vandalising film sets is the new area of interest they have developed recently.
Films remain soft targets
We have seen in the past how a mere movie on mythological or historical figures has landed up its stars, directors and producers in trouble. Movies and web series have had to face the brunt of such vigilantism.
The Karni Sena, which came to limelight during its protest against the movie Padmavat, had earlier vandalised movie theatres and studios in protest against references in films and broadcast series.
The Padmavat controversy, however, helped Karni Sena reach millions of drawing rooms through its antics. The Karni Sena started protesting against the film claiming that the film is distorting Rajput history and hurting community sentiments.
The vandals broke the mirrors that were installed in the Chittor Fort around 50 years ago, claiming that they misrepresent the story of Padmavati, whose face, according to PAD, was shown to Alauddin Khalji using a mirror.
In January 2017, a film set was vandalized. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was assaulted by the Karni Sena on a film set. Vile threats were made against Bhansali and actors in the film- Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.
Among other acts of violence, the Karni Sena has been accused of stoning a school bus with children in it. The fringe outfit, however, denies the allegations and maintains that all its protests are non-violent.
BJP’s backing
The BJP leaders had earlier supported Karni Sena during its agitation against Padmavat.
After the recent attack on Prakash Jha’s set in Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra just stopped short of defending the violence by Bajrang Dal men on sets of the web series.
In a tweet, he said such television content is an “attempt to deliberately target Hinduism”.
“I also support this. Why is the web series named Ashram? They will understand (the consequences) if they name it (web series or stories) after others” (religion)? We consider the ransacking as wrong. Four persons were arrested and further legal steps will be taken. But, Jha saheb (Prakash Jha), think about your mistakes too,” Mr Mishra said, referring to the web series.
To underscore his point, he later tweeted, “In the name of the web series, an attempt is being made to deliberately target Hinduism for a long time. Considering the spirit of the majority society, Prakash Jha should consider changing the name of his web series Ashram.”
#WebSeries के नाम पर लंबे समय से जानबूझकर हिंदू धर्म को टारगेट करने की कोशिश की जा रही है।
बहुसंख्यक समाज की भावना को देखते हुए #PrakashJha जी को #Aashram वेब सीरीज का नाम बदलने पर विचार करना चाहिए। pic.twitter.com/hSk9bZPdR9
— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) October 25, 2021
Message for bollywood
The Bajrang Dals and Karni Senas of the Hindu right have been working with an impunity for a while now. From beating up couples on valentines day to burning copies of Kamasutra book, Bajrang Dal has participated in activities illegal under the law. The Karni Sena, on the other hand, has indulged in violence and vandalism over alleged inappropriate picturisation of Rajputs and their history. The two, along with many nationalist organisation under the umbrella of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, enjoy impunity from those in power. Otherwise, why a sitting home minister of the state would side with perpetrators of violence and advise the director on what name he should give to his web series?
At a time when there are serious allegations of witch hunt against actor Shah Rukh Khan, the attack on Prakash Jha’s set must have alarmed the bollywood industry. It must be remembered that during the intolerance row in 2016, director Prakash Jha had defended the government and said there was no “intolerance” in the country and the society was strong.
Filmmaker Abbas Tyrewala, sharing the news of attack on Jha and Ashram set, wrote a brief post that sums up the bollywood’s fears about the current dispensation.
Abbas Tyrewala wrote: “They are coming for you. You think you’re on their side? Wait till you do something they think is wrong. Make a show. Make an ad. Sing a song. Wear clothes. Meet a friend. Fall in love. Eat something. Drink something. Smoke something. Pray. Don’t pray. Say something. Don’t say something. Ask anything. Believe anything. Other than what has been ‘sanctioned’.
Not officially, of course. Officially were still a robust democracy, remember? We all play together and the rules are same for all. But the playground will get smaller, and the rules will get more suffocating everyday.
And soon, there will be too many rules to keep track of. Too many to remember. Too many to know; hell, you’ll be breaking rules you never knew existed. And many will be made after you’ve broken them. Read Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ for help.
You may not be next. Not yet. But unless you’re ‘in’ the mob, your turn and your family’s turn and your children’s turn are inevitable.
There is only one ‘them’. And it’s all of us.”
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