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Mahaabhaarat Film Proposal

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Mahaabhaarat Film Proposal: a satire
See also   Geetaa-Humor

A Team comprising of a Writer, a Producer, a Director, etc applied to the Government of India with a Script to produce a Movie on Mahaabhaarat. All of them committed suicide later and the reason is very obvious as.......

Subject: Mahabharata

To: The Writer, Film Director & Film Producer, Mumbai

Ref: Film story submitted by you, regarding financing of films by Government of India, Your letter dated: .........

The undersigned is directed to refer the above letter and state that the Government has examined your proposal for financing a film called 'Mahaabhaarat'. The Very High Level Committee constituted for this purpose has been in consultation with the Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women and Labor Commission, in addition to various Ministries and State Governments and have formed definitive opinions about the script. Their observations are as below:

1. In the script submitted by you it is shown that there were two sets of cousins, namely, the Kaurav, numbering one hundred, and the Paandav, numbering five. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has pointed out that these numbers are very high, well above the norm prescribed for families by them. It is brought to your kind attention that when the Government is spending huge amounts for promoting family planning, this will send wrong signals to the public. Therefore, it is recommended that there may be only three Kaurav and one Paandav.

2. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has raised an issue whether it is suitable to depict kings and emperors in this democratic age. Therefore, it is suggested that the Kaurav may be depicted as Honorable Members of Parliament (Lok Sabhaa) and the Paandav maybe depicted as Honorable Member of Parliament (Raajya Sabhaa). The ending of the film shows the victory of the said Paandav over the said Kauravas. The ending may be suitably modified so that neither of the Honorable Members of Parliament are shown as being inferior to the other.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology has observed that the manner of birth of Kaurav is suggestive of human cloning, a technology banned in India . This may be changed to normal birth.

4. The National Commission for Women has objected that the father of Paandav, one Shree Paandu is depicted as bi-gamous, and also there is only one wife for the Paandav in common. Therefore suitable changes maybe made in the said script so that the said Shree Paandu is not depicted as bi-gamos. However, with the reduction in number of Paandav as suggested above, the issue of polyandry can be addressed without further trouble.

5. The Commission for the Physically Challenged has observed that the portrayal of the visually impaired character Dhritaraasatra is derogatory. Therefore the said character may not be shown as visually impaired.

6. The Department of Women and Child Development have highlighted that the public disrobing of one female character called Draupadee is objectionable and derogatory to women in general. Further the Home Ministry anticipates that depiction of such scenes may create law and order problem and at the same time invite strong protests from the different women forums. Such scenes may also invite penal action under SITA (Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act), therefore they may be avoided and deleted from the film.

7. It is felt that showing the Paandav and the Kaurav as gamblers will be anti-social and counter-productive as it might encourage gambling, therefore, the said Paandav and Kaurav may be shown to have engaged in horse racing. (Hon. Supreme Court has held horse racing not to be gambling)

8. The Paandav are shown as working in the King Viraat's employment without receiving any salary. According to the Human Rights Commission, this amounts to bonded labor and may attract provisions of The Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act, 1976. This may be corrected at once.

9. In the ensuing war, one character by name Shree Abhimanyu has been shown as fighting. The National Labor Commission has observed that, war being a hazardous industry, and the said character being 16 years old, this depiction will be construed as a case of child labor. Also there is no record of his being paid any compensation. This may also be deemed to be violator of the provisions of The Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Such references in the film may be removed.

10. The character Shree Krishn has been depicted as wearing a peacock feather. The peacock is our National Bird and wearing dresses made from peacock feather is an offence under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. This may not be depicted.

11. Smt Menaka Gandhi has raised very serious objection for using any elephants or horses in war scenes, since there is every scope for mistreatment and injury to the said animals. The provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890 and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Act, 1960 would be applicable in the instant case. Suitable changes may be made in the script to address the objections raised.

12. In pursuance of the Memorandum of Ministry of Finance regarding austerity measures, it is informed that in the battle field sequences, only ten soldiers may be allowed for each side. Also, all the characters may be shown to have obtained a valid license under the Arms Act, 1959 as well as the Indian Arms Act, 1878. You are therefore requested to modify the script along the lines indicated above and resubmit it to the undersigned at the earliest for reconsideration.

Sd/-
Under Secretary

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta On 5/27/04
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 06/26/13