The Indian Air Force (IAF) has objected to an incorrect portrayal of gender bias and its work culture in the Dharma Productions’ movie ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’, which was released on streaming platform Netflix on Wednesday.
In a letter to the Dharma Productions, Netflix, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), IAF said certain scenes and dialogues in the movie were found to portray the force in “an undue negative light”. “In the aim to glorify the screen character of ‘Ex-Fit Lt Gunjan Saxena’, M/s Dharma Productions presented some situations that are misleading and portray an inappropriate work culture especially against women in the IAF,” the letter, the contents of which were seen by HT, said. It added IAF has always ensured the organisation is gender neutral and has always provided equal opportunities to both women and men personnel.
IAF has also provided a summary of the scenes and dialogues, which it considers objectionable and an incorrect presentation of gender bias. It added the production house was informed about the objectionable portions of the movie and was advised to delete or modify them. “However, the production house has not deleted the scenes, but had proposed a media plan in the run-up to the release and inserting a disclaimer in the movie,” the letter said. It called the measures inadequate.
CBFC does not regulate platforms like Netflix even as the Union information and broadcasting ministry is working to prepare a regulatory framework. The Centre has been looking at self-regulatory mechanisms for such platforms.
{{/usCountry}}CBFC does not regulate platforms like Netflix even as the Union information and broadcasting ministry is working to prepare a regulatory framework. The Centre has been looking at self-regulatory mechanisms for such platforms.
{{/usCountry}}As per the initial understanding, Dharma Productions had agreed to represent IAF with authenticity and make efforts to ensure the film helps to inspire the next generation of officers, according to a person familiar with the developments.
Attempts to reach Dharma Productions and Netflix were unsuccessful at the time of the report.
When contacted, an I&B ministry official said OTT platforms do not come under the purview of the ministry.
The movie is based on Gunjan Saxena, who became the first woman IAF pilot to take part in the 1999 Kargil war.
The headcount of women in the armed forces is upwards of 3,300. They include 1,300 in the IAF. But combat roles were off-limits for women until the IAF took the lead in overcoming internal resistance to grant them equal opportunities in 2015 when they became eligible for the fighter stream.
Warships, tanks, and combat positions in the infantry are still no-go zones for women, who were allowed to join the armed forces outside the medical stream for the first time in 1992.
The army is currently in the process of granting permanent commission to short service commissioned women following a Supreme Court verdict. In February, the court ruled that women should be considered for command roles and that all women officers are entitled to permanent commission. It asked the army to give them a permanent commission in a major boost to gender parity.
Last month, the defence ministry wrote a letter to CBFC drawing attention to movies and web series producers distorting the army’s image and advised they obtain no-objection certificates before airing their movies or shows.