Jaipur: Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar stole the show on the first day of the Jaipur Literature Festival which began here on Thursday. In conversation with Poonam Saxena and Shobhaa De, he touched down on several aspects of his life and his upcoming biography 'An Unsuitable Boy'.
The filmmaker said that India is a tough country where speaking about your personal life can land you behind the bars. He said, "We are in a tough country and to speak about one’s personal life in today’s time can land you in jail…. I feel bound on every level, be it what I put out on celluloid or what I say in print. I feel like there is always some kind of a legal notice awaiting me everywhere I go. I’ve become some kind of an FIR king."
Karan was recently involved in a controversy over the AIB roast, staged in Mumbai last year which involved the western concept of insult comedy.The Bombay High Court recently asked Mumbai police not to file charge sheet against the filmmaker and others facing a criminal case for allegedly using obscene language on the show.
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Karan was skeptical about addressing the issue of tolerance as he did not want to fight the governance by speaking like his colleagues. He said, "Look what happened as a result of anyone who said anything on it. I make movies, I'm fighting megalomaniac movie stars everyday. Do I need to fight the governance? We're fighting the censor with every film. You write anything, you can't say anything. How are we democratic then?"
Meanwhile Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday said the ruling dispensation at the Centre is against all intellectuals, liberal and right thinking people.
"This is being said constantly and continuously that this government is against intellectuals. This government is against all those who want to carry forward a liberal and comprehensive approach. Except for Anupam Kher, most artists, producers and writers etc are speaking in the same tone," he said.
Minister of State for Minority Affairs and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi downplayed Johar's remark, saying those questioning tolerance are ignorant and have no knowledge of Indian culture.
"Whoever is questiong the tolerance of Indians does not have any knowledge of Indian culture, they are ignorant," he said.
Addressing a gathering at the Jaipur Literature Fest in Rajasthan, Johar sparked off a controversy by saying, "Revelation in today's time can land you in jail. We are in a tough country to speak about your personal life. I feel really sad about it because being a public figure, you are expected to kind of helm a certain movement, talk about freedom of expression which is a biggest joke in today's world, democracy is again the biggest joke I think."
"How are we democratic? How is there freedom of expression? I am a film maker and I feel bound on every level - be it on celluloid or on print. I feel there is always some kind of legal notice awaiting me everywhere I go. Everywhere I go I am scared. Like I am saying something in Jaipur I feel scared wondering who will file case by time I return home," he added.
The filmmaker's assertion comes days after actor Aamir Khan's statement on intolerance.
The actor had said that his wife Kiran Rao felt scared for family security in India and had also suggested him to leave the country.
