Mehta changes script, tune; gets Govt nod

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 2: With a clearance from none other than Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee himself, the Kashi Sanskriti Raksha Sangh...

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 2: With a clearance from none other than Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee himself, the Kashi Sanskriti Raksha Sangharsh Samiti will be hard put to protest against Deepa Mehta8217;s Water. At least that8217;s what Mehta hopes after what she calls a very 8220;fruitful8221; day spent in meetings with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, which resulted in a fresh letter of clearance for shooting the film. That she has had to change some 8220;words8221; in the script which had already been vetted by the Ministry once seems to be only a minor issue now.

However, Mehta8217;s hopes may be shortlived. PTI reported that Sangh Parivar outfits in Varanasi reiterated today that the Centre8217;s nod withstanding, they wouldn8217;t allow Water to be shot unless they themselves were satisfied with its content. 8220;The honour of Varanasi is at stake. We will not allow the film to be shot till they remove all objectionable words and scenes, including the name Water8217;. Ganga is our mother, not just ordinary water,8221; KaushalUpadhyaya, working president of the VHP city unit, said.

Mehta has already made some changes in the script, and is hoping these will be enough. And she does not feel compromised. 8220;No, I don8217;t feel I bowed before oppression. It would have been stupid of me to not delete the phrases because I was on my high horse.8221;

Yet, she is realistic about possible trouble in Varanasi when she goes to shoot on Thursday. 8220;I leave to go back to what I have to do make a film. I have no idea if the issue is resolved, but one certainly hopes so. I am given to understand that the Ministry has communicated its fresh approval to the UP Government,8221; says Mehta.

Of course, between the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Mehta, they still can8217;t decide how much of the script they have changed. While Minister of State Arun Jaitley told reporters informally that five sentences had been changed, Mehta said she had voluntarily cut five words out that were offending the people in Varanasi. Small price for the approval whichMehta says has got her an assurance from Jaitley of 8220;the security necessary for her to make the film8221;.

The fresh letter of clearance came after a day of anxious meetings with the Ministry Jaitley came to town from a trip to Syria and Dubai only late on Tuesday, spent the morning being briefed by his officials and met Mehta at 1 pm. Mehta changed her tack after she says she learnt that her script had already been made public by some elements in Varanasi, who had printed the parts they found offensive.

8220;There were phrases like Brahmins and Gods can sleep with anyone8217; and they objected to my calling a widow a prostitute in the film. This is no big deal for me, but if they were objecting, I was only happy to take it out,8221; says Mehta. Jaitley 8220;had done his homework8221;, she says, and was satisfied with the new script. 8220;The approach of the Ministry has been positive.8221; She adds that this was her way of saying 8220;to the people of Varanasi that I am sensitive to their beliefs8221;.