2 min readJaipurApr 26, 2017 03:37 AM IST
First published on: Apr 26, 2017 at 03:37 AM IST
The ad sets being vandalised in Jaipur on Tuesday. Rohit Jain Paras
A LOCAL outfit vandalised the set of an advertisement film and chased away the crew on Tuesday to protest the filmmakers’ attempt to recreate a Pakistani city by putting up boards and signages of Pakistani locations in Urdu on some temples, buildings and landmarks in Jaipur. While the police denied there was any vandalism and said the crew did not file a report, a top member of the outfit admitted that they “destroyed the banners and the set”. The filmmakers said there was “some disruption” but did not want to elaborate. The incident comes three months after members of Shri Rajput Karni Sena had vandalised the sets of Padmavati and manhandled the filmmaker, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, among others, on January 27.
The Mumbai-based production house, Good Morning Films, was shooting an advertisement for Volkswagen Polo hatchback in Chandni Chowk area near City Palace. After getting the required permissions, the crew put up banners and signs with inscriptions such as ‘Welcome to Lahore’, ‘Rawalpindi Chai Wala’ and ‘Karachi Sweets’ in English and Urdu.
Around 11.30 am, about 40 activists of Dharohar Bachao Samiti, a local outfit that claims to be working on conservation of ancient temples, allegedly arrived on the site and destroyed the sets. “They had created Pakistan in the area by putting up Pakistani banners on our temples,” Bharat Sharma, who identified himself as caretaker of the organisation, said. “How could we tolerate it? They hurt our religious sentiments.”
Stating that they “tore the posters and destroyed the banners and the set, after which they ran away”, Sharma said, “They put up Urdu banners of Pakistani locations in Char Darwaza area. They had permission only for Chandni Chowk and City Palace.” Sub Inspector Narendra Singh said, “There was no vandalism. The protesters asked the filmmakers to take down the banners and signs, which they did. So the matter was resolved.” “Yes, there was some disruption (and) the crew is on way back (to Mumbai),” Vikram Kalra, producer and founding-partner of Good Morning Films said.
The ad sets being vandalised in Jaipur on Tuesday. Rohit Jain Paras
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