'Gunjan Saxena' controversy: NCW head asks makers to discontinue the screening of film
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The film is based on the life of former air force pilot Gunjan Saxena, who played an important role in the Kargil War.
Janhvi Kapoor starrer 'Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl', has raised eyebrows since its release over its depiction of the Indian Air Force. Now Rekha Sharma, head of the National Commission of Women (NCW), has asked makers of the film to ''discontinue the screening'' of the film on Netflix.
The chairperson tweeted, ''The real #GunjanSaxena must come out and clarify whether the gender discrimination shown in the movie is for real? Being from Army background I can never imagine defense officers behaving like goons. Officer or not, women are always getting their due respect in forces.'' Read the movie review here.
The real #GunjanSaxena must come out and clarify whether the gender discrimination shown in movie is for real? Being from Army background I can never imagine defence officers behaving like goons. Officer or not, women are always get their due respect in forces.
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) August 13, 2020
By putting a screengrab of the Gunjan Saxena interview to the news agency in which she said that she did not face gender discrimination in the air force, Rekha wrote, ''If that is so, the filmmaker must apologize and discontinue the screening. Why showing something which is portraying our forces in a bad light especially when it’s not true.''
If that is so, the film maker must apologise and discontinue the screening. Why showing something which is portraying our own forces in bad light specially when it's not true. https://t.co/KqtP9dQlPV
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) August 13, 2020
While giving an interview to a news agency, Gunjan had said, ''Indian Air Force is at the core and the heart of this film. It is the very training of the Indian Air Force and the strong ethos of the Indian Air Force, which gave me the courage to do all those extraordinary things that I could. Yes, as a commercial movie or as a work of fiction, this film has creatively tried to capture my story or my journey. But what cannot be denied is that even in this film the doors did open and opportunities we're given.''
Also read: Indian Air Force writes to CBFC objecting to some scenes in 'Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl'
Earlier this week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and raised objection over the presentation of gender bias in the film and raised concern over the “undue negative portrayal” of IAF. ''In the aim to glorify the screen character of ‘Ex-Fit Lt Gunjan Saxena’, M/s Dharma Productions presented some situations that are misleading and portray an inappropriate work culture especially against women in the IAF.'' ANI reported.
The film is based on the life of former air force pilot Gunjan Saxena, who played an important role in the Kargil War. The movie release on Netflix on August 12.
The film stars Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role while Pankaj Tripathi plays her father in the film.