Scrutiny Board clears rock show

MUMBAI, Aug 14: The culture police have finally cleared the `Independence Rock-XIII' at Rang Bhavan. However, the organisers have been as...

MUMBAI, Aug 14: The culture police have finally cleared the `Independence Rock-XIII’ at Rang Bhavan. However, the organisers have been asked to give an undertaking that no obscene songs will be played during the three-day rock concert beginning Friday.

Chairman of Maharashtra Stage Performances Scrutiny Board Shantaram Nandgaonkar told Express Newsline today, “Though I am upset that the organisers of the rock show did not get the song lyrics scrutinised earlier, we have decided to allow them to go ahead after asking them to submit an affidavit stating that no vulgarity will prevail at the concert.”

Barely two hours before the concert begins this evening, the organisers of the show AMP Entertainment Group managed to hurriedly obtain a clearance for the lyrics which are to be played by various rock bands during the next three days.

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“In all, lyrics of 85 rock numbers have been submitted in my office. The Scrutiny Board members have found them to be fairly decent. I only hope that the artistes donot play any additional songs that may be vulgar,” said Nandgaonkar.

The Board chief said he met with DCP Sanjay Barve, who is concerned with the Theatre Branch, and sought to know how the police had given the green signal to the show while the lyrics were yet to be scrutinised.

“DCP Barve informed that the police had issued only the Ticket Selling Licence and the Premise Licence. If the Scrutiny Board feels it necessary, it can still cancel the show,” said Nandgaonkar.

Songs such as Eighteen Till I Die (Bryan Adams) Run To You (Roxette), Black Night (Deep Purple), Hey Jude (The Beatles), Give Peace A Chance (John Lenon) among others are slated to be played at the Rang Bhavan show — all very decent, according to the Board.

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One of the organisers, Rohinton Poonawala, today said, “Two days back we had submitted all the rock lyrics to the Board. I agree that it takes time to go through all the songs, considering nine major bands are scheduled to perform on theoccasion, but we are not going to stage with anything vulgar.”

But the original chieftain of the morality brigade, Pramod Navalkar, was apparently least interested in the issue. “Basically, Nandgaonkar is the man concerned with stage performances. I will have a word with him just to ensure that everything is in order,” he said.