New Delhi: Makers of the Kannada film Pogaru have decided to delete 14 scenes from the movie after Brahmin people raised objections to scenes and dialogues in it, The News Minute has reported.
The decision was arrived at after members of the Karnataka Brahmin Development Board (KBDB) and Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) met on Tuesday, February 23, in Bengaluru. Pogaru is the first big-budget Kannada movie released after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among other scenes, the Brahmin community has taken apparent offence to a scene in the movie where the protagonist places his foot on the shoulder of a priest.
The members of the community have given the filmmakers the deadline of the evening of February 24, Wednesday, to delete the scenes. He have vowed to protest if filmmakers do not agree to the deletions.
Film director Nanda Kishore issued an apology stating that it was a “mistake” and nothing was intentional. He promised to delete “controversial” scenes in the movie without affecting the storyline. The president of the KFCC, Jayaraj, confirmed the development.
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Many who criticised the filmmakers for “hurting” Hindu sentiments took to Twitter. BJP leader Shobha Karandlje said it had become a “fashion” of late to “hurt” Hindu sentiments, and wondered if filmmakers have “guts” to portray other religions in a similar fashion.
Meanwhile, Chiru Bhat, a journalist, posted on social media that he was receiving threat calls from Dhruva Sarja fans, the lead actor of the movie, for criticising the “anti-Brahmin” film.
The film stars actors Dhruva Sarja and Rashmika Mandanna, and Chikkanna, P Ravi Shankar, and Pavitra Lokesh in supporting roles.