DD told to telecast Anand Patwardhan film

The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed Doordarshan to telecast National Award winning documentary Father, Son and Holy War within 12 weeks.

The film by Anand Patwardhan explores the psychology of violence.

Justice Ajit Shah and Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud passed the order on Wednesday while hearing a petition challenging Doordarshan's refusal to telecast the documentary, and also the decision of Central Board of Film Certification to disallow the screening of Akrosh, a film on the Gujarat riots.

The CBFC had refused to grant a license to Akrosh saying it is biased against a particular community. However, Ramesh Pimple, the director of the film, said the film merely tells people of the happenings in Gujarat and the communal violence unleashed in the state. During the riots, he said, only a particular community was targeted and his film had focused on this aspect.

It court upheld Pimple's plea and asked the CBFC to grant a license to exhibit the film.