PIL filed against showcasing of movie “Shikara”

SRINAGAR — Three prominent Kashmiris have filed Public Interest litigation (PIL) against upcoming controversial Hindi movie “Shikara” for distorting the image of Kashmiri Muslims and showing them in bad taste and have therefore sought a halt over the showcasing of the movie, before a fresh review and censorship.

Among the petitioners is senior journalist Majid Hyderi, besides Iftikhar Misgar and Advocate Irfan Hafiz Lone, two prominent members of the Kashmiri civil society.

Those included in the list of defendants are Union Information and Broadcasting, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Central Board of Film Certification, National Film Development Corporation, besides Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the Producer/Director of the film and his production house Vidhu Vinod Chopra Productions.

Accusing Vidhu Vinod Chopra of distorting the facts about the migration of Pandits and character assassination of Kashmiri Muslims, the petitioners have said in their application that through his film “Shikara” wherein besides showing painful migration of Kashmiri Pandits, Chopra has portrayed shabby and cruel picture of local Kashmiri Muslim population, which is not only against the actual facts and events, but has also the tendency of hurting the sentiments of all Kashmiris.

They have also accused that the trailer of the film, which is being broadcasted on television and is also available on the internet clearly points out towards the biased and communal content of the movie in question and whole population without any distinction between the civilians and militants, has been blamed for the unfortunate migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.

The petition further reads that many movies and feature films have been so far made on the subject, but none has shown Kashmiri Muslims in such a bad taste.

While the Movie ‘Shikara’ is scheduled to be released on 7th February, the petitioners have pleaded that the Director of the movie or his parents have never resided in Valley and the events depicted in the movie are only a result of imagination and ill-will against the particular community.

The petition further says that when the security agencies have with hard efforts succeeding in maintaining an element of calm in Kashmir, all their efforts will go in vain if the movie in question is allowed to be released with the concocted and fabricated content.

The petitioners have expressed apprehension that in case the movie is allowed to be showcased, it will endanger the lives of Kashmiris, residing outside Kashmir, particularly students, who are studying in Indian cities and are likely to be victimized by different vested interests and ignorant people, by the false content.

The petitioners have therefore sought indulgence of Honorable Court and prayed for review/censorship of the movie before it is released.