IFFI Festival Director Asks Sanal Sasidharan to Submit Censored Version of S Durga

After Kerala High Court refused to stay a single-judge order to screen S Durga at the ongoing International Festival of India (IFFI), festival director has asked the movie’s director Sanal Sasidharan to “provide the censored version of the film to IFFI, Goa."

In its appeal against the single judge order, the government argued that the film though selected by the jury had not secured the exemption as required by the Panorama regulation in the absence of any certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It also said the inclusion will upset arrangements at IFFI 2017 which ends on November 28.

However, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Antony Dominic and Justice A Muhamed Mustaque gave the order, which stated, “The certified version of the film S Durga will be viewed by the jury and on that basis, the film will be exhibited in the Indian Panorama of the IFFI."

In the latest development, Sasidharan, who is on his way to Goa, has confirmed to News18 that the film’s screening "will be happening" at the festival.

Sasidharan has also posted on Facebook a copy of the the letter from festival director Sunit Tandon which said: “You are requested to kindly provide the censored version of the film ’S Durga’ in 35mm Print/DCP along with two DVD copies to IFFI, Goa."

The festival director also asked him to “submit a copy of the censor certificate".

Sasidharan had moved the court after the film was dropped from the Indian Panorama section of the festival along with the Marathi film Nude.

Both films were dropped by the ministry even though they were included in the Panorama list by a 13-member jury, prompting jury chief Sujoy Ghosh and members Apurva Asrani and Gyan Correa to resign in protest

The film narrates the horrifying experience of a hitchhiking couple and has won critical acclaim at film festivals abroad.

Meanwhile, the lead actor of the movie, Kannan Nayar, told News18 Friday night that he had sent the link of the film to all the remaining 10 jury members.

He also alleged the festival authorities were rude to him when he went to them after the High Court verdict and that he was even ordered out by a top official saying it was the ministry and not the director which would take the decision."

Nayar added the festival authorities were taking everything too personally. "We don't have any personal vengeance against them. It's about the art scenario in the country. I don't understand why they are behaving like this with us."