'Indu Sarkar' director Madhur Bhandarkar to get security cover

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was on Monday provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director is facing for his next film ‘Indu Sarkar’.

The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of ‘Indu Sarkar’ in Pune and Nagpur fearing wrath of Congressmen who had gathered to protest the film’s release without a green signal from senior party leaders.

According to sources close to the director, Bhandarkar has been given a security cover, with two personnel by his side till the film is released.

A senior police official confirmed the news and said Mumbai police have provided “adequate security” to Bhandarkar.

The Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it may have portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.

A press conference for the promotion of ‘Indu Sarkar’ had to be cancelled in Nagpur on Sunday after the Congress workers protested against the film.

A day earlier, event of the film at Pune too was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the movie.

Bhandarkar had earlier tweeted saying that team was stranded “like hostages in the hotel room” in Pune when the press conference was opposed in that city.

On Sunday, the director took to Twitter and wrote to Rahul Gandhi, “Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today’s PressCon at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression?”

The film is scheduled to release on July 28.