I am supposed to be researching film distribution networks in Delhi. So what is my take on the two blasts that have happened, perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not - at theatres showing Jo Bole So Nihal?
In many ways, it seems like a circle of sorts being completed. The frisking and security checking that is a mandatory part of a certain ëclassí of cinema viewing, as far as I know, became institutionalised only after bombs associated with Sikh separatist militants stated exploding in public places in Delhi ñ in buses and market places. This was in the early eighties, after Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhiís assassination and the anti-Sikh riots (sorry, pogroms) that followed. A decade later, in the mid nineties, Punjab militancy seemed like a bad dream. Sardar jokes came back into circulation.
For a community that is so visibly successful, and should have gotten used to the jealous disparaging jokes by now, the religious heads tend to be quite touchy. Particularly about movies. They got upset about the mute Sikh kid in Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai. (Canít find a link to this, but I remember the protests.) More recently, they were offended by Shabd, and the use of the word Sardar to denote jokes. And then thereís Jo Bole So Nihaal. With Ponty Chadha (Ginny Arts, Wave Cinemas) withdrawing the film from circulation, the blasts have essentially led to blanket censorship of the film. (The India express story seems to insinuate reasons other than religious sentiments for the protests against the filmÖ.) This despite the Punjab and Haryana High Courts finding no reason to ban it.
And more religious censorship is being demanded. In a brief story in the Indian Express, in the aftermath of the blasts, Tarlochan Singh, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, says that the censor board should have a permanent representation of religious heads. Thatís all we need.
Meanwhile, I am interested in two things that are playing out in the newspaper I read.
One, a survey by Indian express of the security status of halls. Which links security to the ëclassí of halls. Also, read this.
And secondly, how The Delhi Police are absolutely convinced that this attack has nothing to do with the Sikhs, but is the work of the Lashkar e Toiba. The notorious ëSpecial Cellí even found some chap just waiting for them at a bus stop, with plastic explosives in a plastic bag. How convenient. Just like SAR GeelaniÖ. And though no one has come forward to claim responsibility, the best theory I have read is that the FBI is responsible for the bombing.
Considering that from the newspapers of the last three days, the same newspapers reporting the blast, one knows that those injured in the 1984 riots have still not been paid; and that the Nanavti Commision Report deposition has been postponedÖ. Someone who identifies with being Sikh might be very angryÖ an anger which canít be taken care of by yelling at the FBI for letting 9/11 happen as Sunny Deol does, or by hunting for the usual suspects like the ëSpecial Cellí (in a remarkable fiction to real life transferenceÖ)
[sepoy notes in the related column: Do see Amardeep's views.]
update 2 by sepoy: Our Ananya V. has some thoughts about this in Outlook (thanks to Prithvi for the tip)
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