Mumbai: Acting moral police against Hindi
play "Sara", based on the life of a Pakistani poet, Shiv Sena
on Saturday said it has received complaints that the drama had
obscene dialogues and asked the producer to remove them.
"We received some complaints from local people saying
that some of the dialogues in the play are very obscene. So we
are demanding that they should be removed," Sena MLC Anil
Parab told agency.
The party has also given a letter to local police
station regarding the issue and asked the play producer Tarun
Singh Negi to show censor certificate.
"I asked Negi to show the censor certificate given to
the play. But he refused to do that. We would agitate if the
objectionable lines are not removed," local Sena leader Suresh
Dube said.
However, the play director Mahesh Dattani said the
allegations are baseless.
"Their complaint letter does not mention any specific
dialogue. Initially, they objected to the play, saying it was
written by a Pakistani, which is not true. None of the Shiv
Sena activists have seen the play," Dattani said.
The play producer approached the police for protection
and it was assured to them. Threatening calls were also made
to the producer and the director, Dattani said.
The maiden show of the play is scheduled tomorrow at
Manik Sabhagruha in suburban Bandra.
The drama is written by Shahid Anwar on the life and
time of Sara Shagufta, one of Pakistan`s most controversial
poets. Her life was troubled with personal conflict, which
were expressed through her writings. It is mostly based on
her letters to well known Punjabi poet and novelist, Amrita
Pritam.
More shows have been scheduled in the city and
outside, Dattani said.
PTI
