A protest was held in Chhattisgarh's Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Saturday as demonstrators demanded a nationwide ban on the screening of the movie 'Adipurush.' The protesters claimed that the film is part of a conspiracy against Sanatan Dharma, one of the major religions in India.
Members of the 'Korea Sahitya Avam Kala Manch' gathered at a complex in Manendragarh town and staged a demonstration in front of a theater where the movie was being screened. Anamika Chakraborty, a member of the organization who led the protest, argued that the very name 'Adipurush' is misleading.
Chakraborty stated, "The film is based on Ramayana, and Lord Ram was known as 'maryada purushottam,' not 'Adipurush.' This movie is sending a very wrong message to society and misleading our young generation. We believe that this movie is part of a plot against Sanatan Dharma." She demanded an immediate halt to the screening of the movie across the country.
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The protesters particularly expressed concern about the portrayal of the characters of Ravan and Lord Hanuman in the movie, describing it as shameful. They criticized the film's poor visual effects and colloquial dialogues, targeting writer Manoj Muntashir Shukla for Lord Hanuman's dialogues in the 'Lanka Dahan' sequence, among others.
"Adipurush," a 3D multilingual film featuring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Saif Ali Khan, and Sunny Singh, was released nationwide on Friday. However, it has faced criticism on social media platforms.
Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also voiced his concerns, alleging an attempt to tarnish the image of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman in the movie. He stated that the dialogues in the film were objectionable and indecent, questioning the silence of political parties who claim to be the custodians of religion, indirectly targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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When asked about the possibility of a ban, Baghel responded, "The government will consider it if there is a demand from the people."
Baghel further emphasized, "Our deities' image is being tarnished. We have always seen Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman as symbols of devotion and wisdom. However, in recent years, attempts have been made to change this image." He criticized the portrayal of Lord Ram as a warrior and Hanuman as an angry bird in the film, which contradicts the traditional understanding.
