HT Correspondent
Varanasi, March 9
 | FEARING TROUBLE, the city movie hall owners have decided not to screen Deepa Mehta’s controversial Water in Varanasi. As Mehta’s crew faced strong protests while shooting the movie in Varanasi in 2000, the exhibitors preferred not to screen the movie after its release nation-wide release on Friday.
“We think the distributors themselves preferred not to get the movie released in Varanasi in view of the protests the director faced here in 2000”, manager of Taksal theater told HT, adding, “The exhibitors themselves seem not interested in screening the movie as doing so would mean inviting trouble”. Similar sentiments were expressed by another manager at Sajan theater. “The movie Water was not released in Varanasi and I think it would not be released in future also”, he said, requesting anonymity. Significantly, Deepa Mehta was forced to pack her bags in 2000 in Varanasi. Later, she headed for Sri Lanka where the movie was shot. Those who spearheaded the agitation in 2000 lashed at Deepa Mehta for hurting the sentiments of Hindus, especially widows and also the followers of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, in the movie. |