How filmi: Poster controversy

These days anything can spin off a controversy. It can be a name like Mustafa/Jodhaa, a word like Barber/slumdog or a usual lets-kiss-and-make-out scene. Most of the radicals-turned-rioters mouth one of these excuses as justification, you can’t use this name because it’s the name of our prophet, you can’t use this word because it demeans our occupation, you can’t depict nudity because it's against our moral values, etc, etc… Probably their motto in life is 'When nothing better to do – SUE!'

Recently Karan Johar’s film Kurbaan was mired in controversy with Shiv Sena objecting to the movie's poster that flaunts actress Kareena Kapoor's bare back. Also when Madhur Bhandarkar’s Jail got into trouble (because of Neil's nude scene) with the sentiments of this so called rakhwalas-of-religion, the censor board had to be summoned to butt-in (pun intended).
Even A R Rahman's first Hollywood venture after Slumdog Millionaire, a film titled Couple's Retreat is at the centre of a race controversy after two black actors were removed from the movie poster, to promote the film in Britain.

With so many controversies brimming, it reminded us of other movies which got into trouble because of their posters. Lets take a look...

1. Julie:
What Kareena did in Kurbaan was done by Neha in Julie way back in 2004. Unlike Kareena, who had the support of Karan Johar and beau Saifoo, Neha had to face the wrath of Hindu activists all by herself. Although before Julie was released Dilip Banerjee, a member of the Central Board of Film Certification, did say the movie "is based on a solid theme and its fit for an Oscar award". YEAH RIGHT we say, but we also say what would you rather see a BARE-back or a bear's hairy back? Your call!

2. Fire:
Men all over the world - desi or pardesi - swear by girl-on-girl action. While in Hollywood homosexuality or bi-sexuality is not a big deal, in Bollywood it is. The same happened with Deepa Mehta's film which focused on a lesbian relationship between two sister-in-laws. Although it was not as much about movie-poster as it was about lesbianism, nonetheless every theater which had these posters were vandalised by the Right-wing activists.



3. Runway:
When a model wears a cross its fashion but when Bollywood wears a cross, its blasphemy! The filmmakers Sunil-Praful found themselves at the receiving end of some threatening calls. Why? Because the catholic community was offended with the poster of the film that showed its lead actor with a gun in one hand and the cross on the other!

4. Heroes:
There was no 'intolerance' problem over here. It was more like a problem of plagiarism. When the movie poster of Heroes was released it immediately reminded everyone of Lage Raho Munnabhai. Although Samir Karnik, the director of Heroes, publicly denied the media’s so-called allegation, he did not deny the resemblance.



5. Girlfriend:
Karan Razdan is infamously known for his sleazy films and sleazier titles. If you’ve not heard of them then Hawas and Rakhail: The Mistress should be loud and clear. Although Girlfriend had genuinely a different love triangle the lesbianism angle didn’t go down well with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The protestors were so irate that they tore down almost all the posters and the banners. Seeing the reaction we wonder what will they do if Britney Spears and Madonna decide to do a concert here?


P.S: They protest Murder type movies because they don’t like BOY-kissing-GIRL scene, they also disapprove Fire type movie because they don’t like GIRL-kissing-GIRL scene but when it comes to GUY-kissing-GUY scene like the one in Dostana they’ve NO problem whatsoever! Hypocrisy, we tell you!

Do movie posters get your blood boiling or are the naysayers creating mountains out of mole hills? Leave us a comment and let us know.