MUMBAI: Looks like Paan Singh Tomar director Tigmanshu Dhulia is destined to land into controversies.
Recently, Dhulia had a brush with the CBFC when the censoring authority passed Dhulia’s inherently violent story like Paan Singh Tomar with a ‘UA‘ certification that allows it to be a suitable watch under parental guidance.
The director had to fight tooth and nail to prove that cleaning out the character‘s language would be tantamount to emasculating him. He waged a long battle and finally erased the expletives from the film.
Now Dhulia‘s next titled Valmiki Ki Bandook has kicked off a new storm. The Jimmy Shergill starrer has offended the sentiments of the Valmiki community in Punjab. It is said that after reading an article on the film in a local paper, the community reacted very strongly and made calls to Jimmy Shergill and Tigmanshu Dhulia (the creative director) to change the title.
A senior officer from Punjab police called up Shergill and cautioned him to change the title since the situation was very sensitive. He said that if they refrained from doing so, it could lead to riots in Punjab.
Said Shergill, "The film has got nothing to do with Sant Valmiki or the community. Valmiki happens to be my surname in the film. The title could also be Shergill Ki Bandook. It‘s a coming-of-age story. My director has assured them that we have no intention to hurt anyone‘s sentiments.”