Film festival sparks row at Odisha varsity, two movies dropped from line up

Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali was among the movies that were about to get dropped from the line up of a film festival at Ravenshaw University in Cuttack, which ran into rough waters after authorities initially decided to scrap the event, but later allowed students to organise the same with a rider.

The Ray-helmed film was screened on Friday, despite the initial objections, but two other movies - Gay India Matrimony and Had Anhad were removed from the list by the university, reportedly at the insistence of a right-wing group.

The three-day event, the first of its kind at Ravenshaw, is largely focused on filmmaker Satyajit Ray, with an exhibition put up in his memory, apart from other sessions involving other directors, a member of the university's film society said.

Ray's masterpieces Pather Panchali and Charulata are among the 15 films that have been chosen for screening at the film festival.

Talking to PTI, Ravenshaw Film Society secretary Subha Sudarshan Nayak said that Pather Panchali was one of the films that had figured in the controversy on Thursday, as some students had objected to its screening.

"A section of students did not want Pather Panchali to be screened initially, claiming that the film romanticised poverty. The film was, however, shown today (Friday)," Nayak told PTI.

The varsity has now picked two other films from the list and cancelled their screenings, he said.

Vice-chancellor Sanjay K Nayak was not available for his comment on the whole issue, but the university's public relations officer, Dharmabrata Mohanty, said, "Some students were against the screening of the two films -- Had Anhad and Gay India Matrimony. We did not want any trouble, and they were taken off the list."

Another member of the varsity's film society said that the festival, scheduled to start at 10.30 am on Friday, was scrapped by the authorities just a day before, reportedly due to an anonymous threat call.

The decision led to a massive protest outside the vice chancellor's office, prompting the authorities to reconsider the decision, but with certain conditions, he said.

Debalina Majumder, the director of Gay India Matrimony, termed the university's decision "annoying and outrageous".

"I do not see any reason behind the last-minute decision to pull out our film from the list. Gay India Matrimony has received required permission from the Central Board of Film Certification. We are mulling the option of approaching the governor of Odisha, who is also the vice-chancellor of Ravenshaw University," Majumdar told PTI over phone.

A group of students, reportedly affiliated to a rightwing outfit, however, came out in support of the university authorities.

"We are opposed to screening of the film Had Anhad and Gay India Matrimony as they are against Indian culture," one of the students said.