Sandeep Singh shelves film on Tipu Sultan following backlash
Bollywood producer Sandeep Singh took everyone by surprise by announcing the shelving of the film based on the former ruler of Mysore, Hazrat Tipu Sultan. In a note shared on social media on Monday, Singh requested people and Tipu Sultan's admirers not to threaten or abuse him, his friends, and his family. The producer also extended an apology for allegedly hurting their sentiments, unintentionally.
Why does this story matter?
Singh is a renowned Bollywood producer, who started his career as a journalist in 2001, before joining Bhansali Productions in 2011. Later, he founded the production company Legend Studios in 2015. So far, Singh has produced hard-hitting and thought-provoking films including, Mary Kom, Aligarh, Sarabjit, and Bhoomi among others. Notably, Singh has also produced the biopic, PM Narendra Modi (2019) featuring Vivek Oberoi.
'I request you to refrain from threatening my family, friends…'
Singh took to Twitter to share his decision to shelve the contentious film on Tipu Sultan. The post which was accompanied by the poster of the now-shelved film, read, "The film on Hazrat Tipu Sultan will not be made. I kindly request to refrain from threatening or abusing my family, friends, and me. I sincerely apologize if I have unintentionally hurt anyone's religious sentiments."
Take a look at Singh's post here
'Nobody knows Sultan's malevolent side,' stated Singh during film's announcement
The project, which was supposed to be co-produced by Legend Studios and Eros International, was announced in May. While announcing the film, Singh issued a statement that read: "I was brainwashed into believing him [Tipu Sultan] to be a braveheart as shown in our history textbooks. But nobody knows his malevolent side. I want to expose his dark side for the future generation."
Why did the film face a severe backlash from netizens?
When the project was announced, it sparked controversy online and faced backlash from netizens. The film, which purported to depict the life of Tipu Sultan, was accused of being a "propaganda tool" aimed at "distorting historical facts." Notably, the film's claim that the emperor was a Hindu hater who forcibly converted thousands of Hindus to Islam and imprisoned Brahmins, ignited the debate online.
