New Delhi : Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who had criticised those behind a recent flashpoint event at JNU, on Friday alleged that the university has refused to screen his film “Buddha in a traffic” even as varsity authorities denied having received any such request.
Accusing the university of “stifling freedom of speech and expression”, Kher said that he was told that the university cannot allow the film to be screened owing to the present atmosphere at the campus, reports PTI.
“Why are only certain people allowed to exercise their freedom of expression at JNU? They should practice what they are preaching. If they’re talking about freedom of speech and expression, then they should follow it also,” he said. The university officials refuted the allegations saying no request from Kher has been received by them for screening of any film.
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— By | Nov 09, 2015 12:55 pm
“It was historic, simply historic. I never expected this kind of support,” said Anupam Kher about his protest march against the awards-vapsi campaign that’s been undertaken by a section of litterateurs and filmmakers.
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“We have not received any verbal or written request from Anupam Kher for screening of the film so there is no question of we having denied it,” a senior university official told PTI, adding, “I am not sure if he had sent any request to any specific school but nothing has come to the administration”.
The students’ union of the university which organises film screenings frequently also denied having being approached by Kher. The controversial film ‘Aligarh’ was also screened at the varsity recently.
Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the 2014 film called “Buddha Stuck In A Traffic Jam” also stars Arunoday Singh, Mahi Gill, Pallavi Joshi, besides Kher.
Kher, a Padmabhushan awardee, made the comments after the film’s director Vivek Agnihotri took to Twitter saying that the varsity did not give permission to screen the film.
