KOLKATA: Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore-established Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan in West Bengal has approved the story line of an upcoming Priyanka Chopra-starring and produced love biopic Nalini, which is based on the poet’s teen love interest, after director Ujjwal Chatterjee agreed to delete a kissing scene between Tagore and his tutor Annapurna Turkhud.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, university pro-vice chancellor Swapan Kumar Datta said: “We have in principle approved the story line of Nalini as it does not contain any kissing scene involving the 17-year-old Rabindranath Tagore. We would not have approved the movie if there was any kissing scene bringing disrepute to the bard’s name.”
The move comes after the university formed an eight-member committee headed by Datta in June last year to ensure that no objectionable scenes are shown in the movie and that the dignity and personality of Tagore is not harmed. The director had first submitted the synopsis of the movie to the committee but was asked to provide the full script.
The approval was granted after the director agreed to delete the kissing scene. “We have decided to delete one scene in which Annapurna kisses a young Tagore. We are aware about the sentiments involving Tagore and the sanctity of his dream place Visva Bharati where we intend to shoot some sequences,” said Chatterjee, the director of Escape from Taliban.
The Bengali and Marathi language movie revolves around the love story of Tagore (17) and Marathi girl Annapura Turkhud, who was his tutor and mentor who taught him English, etiquette, golf and horse riding to prepare him for his study in England.