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UP govt asks Deepa to pack up

A correspondent in Lucknow

The Uttar Pradesh government today asked Deepa Mehta's unit shooting Water in Varanasi to pack up and leave. Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta, who addressed a press conference in Lucknow this evening, said: ''We have asked them to leave because we fear for their security...we a have a serious law and order problem on our hands here.''

Mehta's film, the third in a triology, ran into trouble soon after shooting began when some Hindu organisations objected to what they called was a distorted portrayal of widows' life in the film. The protests took a serious turn on Sunday when a Shiv Sena activist, Arun Pathak, attempted suicide.

When the chief minister was asked if he was not defying the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry's formal go-ahead to the film, he said: "I am not defying anybody...if the I&B ministry granted permission for shooting they have their own norms. Our concern is the law and order."

He went ahead to add that if ''the residents of Varanasi are willing to lay down their lives to oppose the film - for whatever reason, then the matter cannot be taken lightly.''

Asked if he had any specific objections to the script, Gupta said: "I am neither aware of the script nor do I wish to know what is there in it. For me it is enough that the people of Varanasi are opposed to it."

Deepa Mehta, meanwhile, in a joint statement with her lead actresses - Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das - said: ''We have lost a small battle...but the war is ours. This film will be made tomorrow, if not today.''

Later in the day, she led a silent march and staged a sit in at the Varanasi District Magistrate's residence with Shabana and Nandita.

In Delhi, Ajay Virmani, the executive producer of the film, asked Deepa Mehta to stop shooting. In a faxed message to a leading English daily, Virmani wrote: ''It is with extreme sorrow and regret that I wish to state that today I have asked director Deepa Mehta to discontinue the shooting in Varanasi. In the light of the instructions received from the district magistrate, this has been extremely difficult decision for us all.''

Virmani profusely thanked Deepa Mehta, Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Akshay Kumar, David Hamilton, Anurag Kashyap and the entire crew and cast of the film. ''Each of you have demonstrated your patience, proven your hardwork and shown tremendous courage. What you all have done will set an example for everyone to fight for the right and just cause.''

When Shabana Azmi's reaction was sought by some journalists, she said: ''It is quite obvious that the Sangh Parivar did not want the issue to be resolved. We have done everything that was asked of us.''

Sources at the shooting site said that they had begun packing on Monday itself.

ALSO SEE:
I won't deal with thugs, says Deepa
Deepa Mehta invited South to shoot Water
The entire coverage of the Water controversy

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