BENGALURU: After protests surrounding the controversial book, Vachana Darshana, the heat has now shifted to the upcoming film Sharanara Shakti, set to release on October 18. The historical drama has already stirred up a storm with critics raising their voice against its portrayal of key Lingayat religious figures.
The makers of the film describe Sharanara Shakti as a gripping tale set in the 12th century, bringing to life the stories of Basavanna, Channabasavanna and other revered Sharanas. The film promises to shine the spotlight on the Anubhava Mantapa, the sacred Ishtalinga and the martyrdom of Sharanas to showcase their indelible contributions to society and spirituality.
Faced with opposition from Lingayat leaders, including pontiffs and members of the Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha and Basava groups, a special screening of the movie was arranged at Malleswaram on Monday. Among those attended was SM Jaamdar, a former IAS officer and a prominent figure in the Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha. After watching the movie, he said, “There are many objectionable issues.”
He added that contentious aspects of the film will be reviewed in detail in the coming days. The screening had an assembly of Lingayat pontiffs and community leaders Siddarama Swamiji from Gadag, Beli Mutt Swamiji, Basava Yogi Swamiji, and a large group of scholars and community leaders, including TR Chandrashekar and Arvind Jatti. As the movie progressed, many were seen making notes on pieces of paper.
Many Lingayat groups, including the Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha and the many Pro-Basava groups, have opposed the movie and written letters opposing the film’s release. Ravi Kumar Biradar, president of the Rashtriya Basava Sena in Vijayapura, led a protest meeting attended a few days ago by nearly 100 people, after watching the trailer and condemned the film’s alleged “scandalous” portrayal of Akka Nagamma, the sister of Basavanna, who is revered in the Lingayat faith. “Akka Nagamma is like a mother to us. How can we tolerate her being depicted in such a disgraceful manner? She was a hero who preserved our faith during its darkest times. This portrayal is nothing short of an insult,” Biradar told TNIE.
Biradar also claimed that the film wrongly suggests that the Lingayat faith was forcibly imposed on others a statement he vehemently denies. “This faith has never been forced upon anyone. How can we remain silent when such falsehoods are being spread?”
In the face of growing backlash, movie director Dilip Sharma acknowledged that the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce has received complaints against the movie.
He said, “There are six to seven complaints and we will address these issues. We will incorporate changes based on the feedback.” When asked if the movie would be screened for the media, he replied, “Not yet.”