- News>
- Newspapers
Bhansali`s Black makes IIAS see red: The Indian Express
Shimla, Jan 14: The unexpected shooting schedule of producer-director Sanjay Leela Bhansali`s film Black has invited the ire of officials of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS). They are furious over the way permission has been granted by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) without even bothering to inform them.
Shimla, Jan 14: The unexpected shooting schedule of producer-director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Black has invited the ire of officials of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS). They are furious over the way permission has been granted by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) without even bothering to inform them.
The officials were surprised when they received a fax today stating that part of the film, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee, would be shot on the campus from January 15 to 17. Permission for shooting at the Viceregal Lodge, housing the intellectual centre for research, has been given by the ASI. The Institute now plans to take up the matter at the highest level.
Institute officials The Indian Express spoke to lamented that they were not taken into confidence before the crew was allowed to work on the campus. ‘‘It would cause much disturbance to the research work. The least they could do is seek permission from the institute,’’ a senior officer said, requesting anonymity.
He said Bhuvan Chandel, IIAS director, who had gone to Delhi, would be back in the evening and the matter would be put before her. ‘‘We will take up the matter with the ASI Director-General and the HRD Ministry. The campus cannot be allowed to be vandalised. Never have shootings taken place on campus,’’ rued officials.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that the ASI has granted such permission. ‘‘Earlier also, it had allowed a music video to be shot here. When we protested, they promised to take institute officials into confidence in future. But they have violated the norms again,’’ stated officials.
The ASI has taken over parts of the institute following Supreme Court orders to preserve the heritage building, once the residence of the Viceroy of India.
When contacted, I.D. Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent, ASI, admitted that the institute should have been informed. ‘‘But I am yet to see the fax that has been sent. I cannot say more on this,’’ he said.
Institute officials The Indian Express spoke to lamented that they were not taken into confidence before the crew was allowed to work on the campus. ‘‘It would cause much disturbance to the research work. The least they could do is seek permission from the institute,’’ a senior officer said, requesting anonymity.
He said Bhuvan Chandel, IIAS director, who had gone to Delhi, would be back in the evening and the matter would be put before her. ‘‘We will take up the matter with the ASI Director-General and the HRD Ministry. The campus cannot be allowed to be vandalised. Never have shootings taken place on campus,’’ rued officials.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that the ASI has granted such permission. ‘‘Earlier also, it had allowed a music video to be shot here. When we protested, they promised to take institute officials into confidence in future. But they have violated the norms again,’’ stated officials.
The ASI has taken over parts of the institute following Supreme Court orders to preserve the heritage building, once the residence of the Viceroy of India.
When contacted, I.D. Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent, ASI, admitted that the institute should have been informed. ‘‘But I am yet to see the fax that has been sent. I cannot say more on this,’’ he said.