The Accidental Prime Minister controversy: Congress denies reports of banning film in Madhya Pradesh
Story highlights
The film will release on January 11, 2019.
Anupam Kher has literally gone into the skin of his role in his upcoming film ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ in which he plays the former Indian PM Manmohan Singh. As the trailer of the film released on Thursday, inviting praise for Kher’s acting skills, Congress did not seem happy with how the political party has been shown.
The trailer shows Manmohan Singh as the victim of inside politics of the Congress ahead of 2014 general elections that the Congress-led UPA lost.
Maharashtra Youth Congress on Thursday raised objections citing “incorrect presentation of the facts” and demanded a prior screening of the movie. He said in his letter to the producers of ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ that they wouldn't let the movie be screened anywhere in the country if their demand is not met.
In his letter, Satyajeet Tambe Patil, Maharashtra State Youth Congress wrote: "If the said movie is released without prior screening for our office bearers and without making necessary changes recommended by us that we find out after viewing the movie it will be understood that you are doing this deliberately and we have other options open to stop the screening of the same across India."
Maharashtra Youth Congress writes to makers of #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister & asks to show them the movie before release & if some scenes are found unfactual, they should be deleted else, Youth Congress will not let the movie be screened anywhere in the country. pic.twitter.com/CUGJ98hmv8
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018
PL Punia, Congress MP on #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister trailer tweeted from BJP handle: This is a BJP game, they know 5 years are about to complete and they have nothing to show to the people so they are using these tactics to divert attention. pic.twitter.com/Vcc7mkYfo9
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2018
Meanwhile, refuting the reports saying that Madhya Pradesh government has banned the movie, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "MP Government has taken no such decision."
This is incorrect. M.P Govt has taken no such decision.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 28, 2018
Fake propaganda by BJP won’t desist us from questioning the Modi Govt on-
Rural Distress,
Unemployment,
Demo Disaster,
Flawed GST,
Failed Modinomics,
All pervading Corruption!
Nation wants Governance, not diversion! https://t.co/ArKOALpS09
Anupam Kher at the trailer launch yesterday said that the film is going to be a "game changer" in political biopics. He said, "There will be different kind of interpretations and one can have their own interpretation. People release patriotic films during Independence Day or Republic Day. This is a political film and we would like to release it in the election time. What is the problem in that?"
Watch him speak at the trailer launch:
Also, the trailer was shared from the official BJP Twitter handle, something never seen before:
Riveting tale of how a family held the country to ransom for 10 long years. Was Dr Singh just a regent who was holding on to the PM’s chair till the time heir was ready? Watch the official trailer of #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister, based on an insider’s account, releasing on 11 Jan! pic.twitter.com/ToliKa8xaH
— BJP (@BJP4India) December 27, 2018
The film is based on the eponymous book by Dr Manmohan Singh's media advisor Sanjaya Baru. It is directed by Vijay Gutte and features Akshaye Khanna as Baru, German actor Suzanne Bernert as Sonia Gandhi, Arjun Mathur as Rahul Gandhi and Aahana Kumra as Priyanka Gandhi.