Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Aug 9: Guess who will get the first chance to view Prakash Jha's new movie Aarakshan in Uttar Pradesh. It will be the senior 'Babus' of the UP government who will see the movie and then submit a report about its release in the state.

The movie Aarakshan has invited controversy in UP which is presently headed by a Dalit Chief Minister Mayawati. Her party Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) draws its support from the dalits of the state. The film which has superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in the lead did not find favour with the state government in Lucknow. The government denied permission to Bachchan and other cast of the film for an interactive session in Lucknow University. Later, it issued an order that the film requires permission from the state government before releasing in the theatres.

On Tuesday, Prakash Jha who was elated over Mumbai High Court's order on Tuesday refusing to stay the release of the film "Aarakshan" on August 12, claimed that he had sent the prints of his movie to the UP government. "It is not necessary as the court has mentioned that no preview is required but I do not want to get involved in another problem over the film," said Jha.

Meanwhile senior entertainment department official informed that they were likely to receive the prints of the film soon and a high level committee would view the film. Secretary of the entertainment tax department Chandra Bhanu stated that they were likely to receive the prints soon. "A high level committee has been appointed by the chief secretary which will see the print in a special screening. The report will be submitted to the state government which will take a final decision," he said.

Jha had earlier written to the entertainment tax department of the UP government that the film starring Amitabh Bacchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone was not anti reservation or anti dalit." The film uses the issue of reservation only as a landscape or backdrop on which the story and journey of the protagonist who is the principal of an institution is based. The film highlights the commercialization of education system in the present society and does not entertain any anti-reservation message" said Jha.

In his letter Jha has also said that he had submitted their film and 35 promos of the film to the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) for certification in accordance with the provisions of the Cinematograph Act. "Considering the sensitivity of the subject of the said film, the Censor Board had set up a committee of experts that included nine members and two officials which included retired Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, Chairperson Censor Board Leela Samson, Pankaj Sharma and Dalit actvist Rajni Tilak. The

Examining Committee further comprised of four members drawn from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Oher Backward Classes. Regional Head of the Censor Board Pankaja Thakur was also a part of the committee. All the above had unanimously passed the film" Jha had written.