Anubhav Sinha reacts to Phule controversy on Ambedkar Jayanti: 'Has there never been casteism in India?'

Anubhav Sinha comments on the backlash against Phule, a film about Jyotirao Phule, advocating for open discussions about caste issues.

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has jumped into the fray giving his opinion about the controversy regarding Phule, a film based on the life of social reformer Jyotirao Phule. Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha-starrer Phule was supposed to release on April 11, however, a section of Brahmin community raised objection over the portrayal of its members in the film.

Anubhav Sinha stated his disappointment about delay in Phule's release in a long post on Instagram.

Anubhav, who is known to raise socio-political issues in his films like Article 14, Mulk, and Bheed, to name a few, seemed disappointed over the controversy. He shared a long note on Instagram, talking about Santosh, Dhadak 2 and Phule, three films that talk about casteism, and have seen a delay in their releases.

Anubhav's note read, "Is there no caste system in society? Hasn't it been there forever? Why do we lie to ourselves? And then why should the movies lie? After all, what the Election Commission allows in speeches and what the CBFC allows in cinema can not be different. Both talk to society."

'Youth should watch movies like Santosh, Dhadhak 2 and Phule'

Anubhav further wrote, “Rather, the youth who are ready to build tomorrow should watch movies like Santosh, Dhadak 2 and Phule in the halls collectively. Agree or disagree with it, that is different. The intelligent youth of the country would not find that these films are creating a divide but are recognising the need for society to unite.”

"Uncomfortable conversations are the most important. Issues from before 1947 still exist. Even the ones that came up after that. We will move forward only after completing incomplete dialogues, otherwise we will be trapped in the past and will not find time for future," he added.

What's the controversy around Phule

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted a 'U' certificate to Phule on April 7 and had asked the producers to make a series of amendments to it, reported PTI. These included removing terms such as 'Mang', 'Mahar' and 'Peshwai', as well as the line '3,000 saal purani ghulami' to be modified as 'kai saal purani ghulami', which director Ananth Mahadevan said they complied with.

Pratik appealed to the Brahmin community to not judge the film on the basis of its trailer.

"I was surprised by the reaction, but I can also understand where they are coming from. I'm just requesting them to watch the film and then make their opinion because whatever they have seen is just a trailer. So what you have seen right now are lines that are out of context," Pratik said in an interview to PTI.