Laloo, Censor General?

Those who think the sangh parivar lumpen have the franchise on disrupting film screenings, vandalising theatres, generally indulging their i...

Those who think the sangh parivar lumpen have the franchise on disrupting film screenings, vandalising theatres, generally indulging their intolerance at public expense, can think again. The Yadav brotherhood is staking claim. If usual suspects VHP-Bajrang Dal activists have been making a predictable nuisance of themselves at stagings of Habib Tanvir’s play Ponga Pandit in Madhya Pradesh, the Yadavs, or those among them that support Sadhu Yadav, have been violently at it in Bihar. Ever since Prakash Jha’s film Gangaajal was released last Friday, they have taken it upon themselves to protest against what they see as the attempt to besmirch the fair face of Rabri Devi’s brother and legislator Sadhu Yadav.

First, there’s the outlandishness of the alleged crime. After all, no mere screenplay writer could be expected to conjure up a character that can come anywhere close to the real thing. Then, there’s the bizarre nature of the ceasefire negotiated in Patna: Jha is scheduled to touch down in Patna to hold a special screening of his film for Mr and Mrs Laloo Prasad Yadav.

So what is this now? We know Laloo, the irrepressible. Laloo, the irreverent. Laloo, perennially dodging corruption charges, but never lost for the chuckling metaphor or merry simile. Enter Laloo, the censor? Yes, we remember the role he played in yanking the comic television serial purportedly spoofing him and his wife off the air not so long ago.

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But even so, the brand of intolerance that Rashtriya Janata Dal footsoldiers have put on abundant display in Patna in the past few days and the terrible pomposity of presuming to decide just what images the people can see or not see in the dark of the movie halls, doesn’t quite fit. It’s just not Laloo.

We have many, much too many, censors. But there’s only one Laloo. So here’s a bit for advice for the RJD chief as he sits down to watch Gangaajal. Watch it, by all means. Criticise it, if you must. But don’t play censor, please. In times when even the doughty Censor Board of India has begun to break out of the bubble just a bit, and make concessions for the times — even Paanch has been finally cleared for a release — it would be cruel indeed if Laloo were to go all stodgy.