UP's Child Welfare Committee wants 'Besharam Rang' removed from social-media
In a recent development, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district has demanded to remove the clippings of Besharam Rang from Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Pathaan from social media. CWC has advised the Director General of Police, too. Pathaan has been subjected to legal trouble yet again regarding the alleged obscene scenes in the song featuring Deepika Padukone and Khan.
Why does this story matter?
Shah Rukh Khan took a sabbatical following his last release Zero in 2018. In these four years, he has had cameo appearances in some films and the viewers loved to see his aura back on big screens. On one side, fans are rooting for the film, whereas on the other side, the film is dealing with several legal hassles and protests regarding its visuals.
CWC's letter to DGP
The CWC has stated that the video has a "detrimental impact on the psyche of adolescents." The committee headed by Satish Kumar Srivastava has three other members—Deepmala Pradhan, Archana Pandey, and Navneet Mishra—who sent a letter to Uttar Pradesh DGP Devendra Singh Chauhan. They stated that smartphones were available to adolescents from an early age, hence such obscene content isn't good for holistic development.
Remove the song from social media
CWC stated the best solution is to remove such content from social media. The bench has utilized the power given under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and took a suo moto cognizance of obscene contents, including Besharam Rang.
CBFC's suggestion to make certain changes
Recently, Prasoon Joshi-led Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) advised Pathaan makers to make changes to the film, along with the songs, and submit a revised version for certification. Joshi stated, "CBFC is always committed to finding the right balance between creative expression and sensibility of the audience and believes that we can always find [the] solution through meaningful dialogue between all stakeholders."
Flak from directors and politicians
The song has faced the brunt of other directors, BJP politicians, and right-wing groups. The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri tweeted a video calling the song obscene. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra called Deepika Padukone's outfits "highly objectionable" and threatened to ban the film in the state. Veer Shivaji group called out protests in Indore and burned effigies of Padukone and Khan.
Buzz around 'Pathaan'
Pathaan has had a record advanced booking and the film will release on January 25, 2023. The film also stars John Abraham as the antagonist and Salman Khan will be seen in a cameo as Tiger. Its trailer will be launched soon and it follows the marketing strategy of Shimit Amin's Chak De! India which also released its trailer super close to film's release.
