“Pathaan” in trouble/ MP mantri sees red in Deepika’s ‘Besharam Rang’ costume

BHOPAL: Deepika Padukone’s bold scene in saffron costume in ‘Besharam Rang’, a popular number in yet-to-be released Bollywood movie ‘Pathaan’ starring Sharukh Khan, has not been taken kindly by Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra.

Surprisingly, he received support for his reservation to the scenes in the song from an unexpected quarter in Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Dr Govind Singh.

The minister sensed a ‘toxic mind’ in filming of the song, which started trending in social media soon after it premiered on Wednesday, and warned that the movie may not be permitted to be screened in Madhya Pradesh if the scene is not ‘corrected’.

“The costume worn by her (Deepika Padukone) in the song is highly objectionable. It appears a toxic mind is behind filming this song. If the particular scene is not corrected, then we have to reconsider our decision to allow the release of the movie in Madhya Pradesh”, Mr Mishra told reporters here on Wednesday.

He added that ‘As it is, Deepika Padukone is a supporter of the ‘Tookde Tookde’ gang of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)’.  He was referring to the solidarity shown by the Bollywood actor to the student stir in JNU a few years ago by dropping in the university.  Surprisingly, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Dr Singh was more strident in his criticism of the song than Mr Mishra.  “The scene is utterly in bad taste and vulgar”, Dr Singh, a veteran Congress leader of Madhya Pradesh, said.  The seven-time MLA said that the semi-nude scenes in the song were unacceptable to Indian culture and they may have a negative impact on the tender minds of the youth.  “It appears to me that the song has been filmed in this way deliberately with a design”, he said and wondered “How could the scene not be censored by the censor board”.  “I severely condemn the scene and demand it be censored”, he added.

The song was choreographed by Vaibhavi merchant and lent voice by Shilpa Rao.

In October, Mr Mishra had warned of legal action against makers of the film ‘Adipurush’, based on epic Ramayan, if scenes depicting Hindu deities in the movie are not removed.

He had also taken strong exception to the poster of Leena Manimekalai’s documentary showing ‘Kaali’ smoking cigarettes and ordered police to file a case against the filmmaker.