By Pranav Panji, Nov 28 (PTI) Noted director Kamal Swaroop, whosedocumentary "Pushakr Puran" opened the non-feature section ofIndian Panorama at IFFI, said those protesting against SanjayLeela Bhansali's film "Padmavati" have no knowledge of historyand are targetting the film just to stay in news.
The government policies and laws protect artistes, hesaid, but they fall prey to fringe elements because they aregetting "a kind of protection".
"The controversy around 'Padmavati' is sad. Those who areprotesting against it have very little knowledge of history.
They are protesting, issuing threats to the filmmaker just tobe in news and to show their importance," he told PTI on thesidelines of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI),which ended today.
When asked about films "S Durga" and "Nude", which weredropped out of festival, Swaroop said, "I don't know about thecontent of both the films. The High Court (Kerala HC) gave itsverdict in the favour of the film. If a government blocks afilm, courts judgement changes the course."The director said political parties have their ownprejudice.
"My film 'Om-Dar-B-Dar' was stuck with the censor boardfor two years and during that time there was a Congressgovernment at that time.""Om-Dar-B-Dar" was made in 1988, but it finally releasedin theatres after 26 years in 2014.
Talking about "Pushkar Puran" and his fascination withmythology, the National Award-winning director said, "I grewup in Ajmer, near Pushkar. I have been going to Pushkar forthe last 40 years so I know the stories. I have made a numberof small movies on Pushkar.
"Even 'Om-Dar-B-Dar' was set in Pushkar and Ajmer.
Italian writer Roberto Calasso has written a book 'Ka: Storiesof the Mind and Gods of India', I took two parts from it, oneon Brahma and another on Ashwamedha Yagna and made thisdocumentary." Asked about his next project, the director said he wasplanning a film, titled "Omniyam", which would be based on"The Third Policeman" by Irish novelist Flann O'Brien.
"'Omniyam' was a part of Film Bazaar's co-productionmarket this year.
"I am also working on a project based on the exodus ofKashmiri Pandits which happened in January 1990. It's thestory of that cold, dark night of January 19, 1990 when thecommunity was forced to leave their home land of Kashmir," hesaid. PTI PRABK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.