Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap took to social media to assert that he stands by his comments on caste and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and insisted that he won’t take the back but the director criticised the trolls for sending rape and death threats to his daughter and other family members.
Anurag Kashyap clarified that while he stands by his statements, he apologised for one of his statements that was taken out of context.
He added that one of the statements made by him was taken out of context and he apologised for that. “This is my apology, not for my post, but for that one line taken out of context and the brewing hatred,” he wrote. “No action or speech is worth your daughter, family, friends and colleagues getting rape and death threats from the kingpins of sanskar.”
He added in Hindi: “So kahi hui baat wapis nahin li ja sakti aur na loonga lekin mujhe jo gaali dena hai do. Mere parivaar ne na kuchh kaha hai na kahta hai. Isliye agar mujhse maafi hi chahiye to ye meri apology hai. Brahmin log, auraton ko baksh do, itna sanskar to shastron mein bhi hai, sirf manuwaad mein nahin hai. Aap kaun se Brahmin ho tay kar lo. Baaki meri taraf se maafi.” (What is said can’t be taken back, and I won’t take it back either, but you can abuse me. My family hasn’t said anything. If you want an apology from me, this is it. Brahmins, spare the women. Such values are in scriptures too, not only in manuwaad. Decide which Brahmin you are. The rest is my apology.)
The outrage follows Mr Kashyap’s reply to a social media user who said, “Brahmins are your fathers. The more you mess with them, the more they will burn you.” “I would urinate on Brahmins, any problem?” he had replied. He also shared a screenshot of this exchange on Instagram.
The comment drew massive criticism with Union Minister Satish Chandra Dubey calling the filmmaker a “vile scumbag” and vowing not to stay silent until he apologises publicly.
“This vile scumbag (Anurag Kashyap) thinks he can spit filth on the entire Brahmin community and get away with it? If he doesn’t issue a public apology immediately, I swear I’ll make sure he finds no peace anywhere. Enough of this gutter mouth’s hate, we won’t stay silent,” said the junior minister in the Coal Ministry.
A police complaint has also been filed in Mumbai by an advocate at the Bombay High Court.
The outrage over Mr Kashyap’s comment comes amid a controversy over the ‘Phule’ movie, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha. It is based on the lives of celebrated social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, who fought against caste discrimination and gender inequality in the 19th century.
The movie faced some censor board cuts after Brahmin groups objected to the movie’s content and claimed it promotes casteism. The movie’s release was postponed by two weeks to ensure it does not land in any other trouble. It will hit the theatres on April 25.
