The Karnataka government has banned Hindi film ‘Hamare Baarah’ in the state on the grounds that it may disrupt communal harmony. There is a ban on the exhibition of the film and its trailers for two weeks or until further notice.
Directed by Kamal Chandra, Hamare Baarah is about a Muslim family with many children and one more on the way. Despite multiple warnings from doctors, the patriarch of the family forces his second wife to give birth. His first wife had succumbed to childbirth.
Last week, the state government issued an order under sections 15 (1) and 15 (5) of the Karnataka Cinema Regulations Act 1964. These sections give the state the right to suspend the exhibition of a film if it is of the opinion that the film can breach the harmony and peace in the state. The government has raised concerns over dialogues that could enrage people belonging to certain religions and the humiliating portrayal of a minority community.
According to Usman Sharieff, secretary of Jumma Masjid Trust Board, the film misrepresents the Quran. “Our concern was that it may give rise to communal riots and spread hatred. Hence we raised it with the government,” he tells Metrolife.
Manavi Atri, a human rights lawyer, applauds the move. “If you see the trailer, it’s not just dehumanising Muslims as a community but is also targeting women and portraying them as married creatures who cannot make decisions for themselves,” she explains.
However, some feel the ban curtails freedom of speech and expression. “The decision should come from the court and not the government. This will set a bad example,” says Kannada filmmaker Mansore.
Film critic M K Raghavendra believes the theme of the movie doesn’t justify a ban. But he says the “crude stereotyping” is unacceptable.
India release
The pan-India release of ‘Hamare Baarah’ on June 7 was halted after a resident from Pune got a stay order from the Bombay high court. However the court granted clearance after the producers agreed to remove two dialogues that contained an “incorrect depiction and a distorted
interpretation of the Quran”.
The film is slated for release across the country on June 14. There is no update from the Karnataka government about lifting the ban.