Anurag Kashyap, Celebrities Hail Rahul Gandhi's Stand on Sacred Games

Anurag Kashyap has appreciated Congress President Rahul Gandhi's comment on freedom of expression as a fundamental democratic right, in the context of the filmmaker's web show Sacred Games.

Netflix's Sacred Games, produced by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment's Phantom Films joint venture, is facing a legal petition over the removal of certain content from the web series on the grounds of insulting Rajiv Gandhi.

Breaking his silence over the web series, Rahul Gandhi had on Saturday tweeted: ""BJP/RSS believe the freedom of expression must be policed and controlled. I believe this freedom is a fundamental democratic right."

"My father lived and died in the service of India. The views of a character on a fictional web series can never change that," he added.

To that, Kashyap, who has directed the show with Vikramaditya Motwane, wrote: "That's a yay..."

Actress Swara Bhaskar, who often expresses her opinion on socio-political issues, wrote: "It is impressive that a mainstream politician like Rahul Gandhi is taking this clear and progressive stand on freedom of expression and censorship. Also it's gracious and mature that he is able to set aside the personal for the larger goal of democratic rights. Credit where due."

Photographer and Bollywood producer Atul Kasbekar said: This mature view should hopefully now put to rest other easily outraged folks for any future ‘transgressions and perceived insults'. Well done Mr Gandhi."

Author and screenplay writer Kanika Dhillon also lauded the remark, writing, "Love the response! About time! (Although politicians use liberal dose of fiction as and when convenient in their narratives and agendas). It's great to see a mature take on real fiction - just letting it be! No conjecture! No propaganda! Creative freedom."

(With IANS inputs)