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Ministry to decide fate of 'Rang De Basanti'
Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) Tuesday said the information and broadcasting ministry would take a call on the 'objectionable' scenes in the Bollywood film "Rang De Basanti" that apparently portrays the force in poor light.
 

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"If there are objections in the film, the ministry of information and broadcasting will address them. It would be inappropriate and premature for us to comment on the issue at the moment," Air Marshal P.S. Ahluwalia, director general (inspection and safety), told reporters here.

"The film will be screened and the powers that be will be able to give advice on the scenes that are apparently objectionable."

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Aamir Khan, the yet to be released film has come in for flak for the way the air force has been depicted. 

The air force is said to have taken objection to the computer-generated images depicting crashes of the MiG aircraft used by the force and has asked for some scenes to be cut from the final print. 

The censor board had initially referred the matter to the defence ministry to certify the film's final cut.

To reach a verdict on the controversial scenes, Defence Minister Pranab Mukerjee along with senior IAF officers were to watch a special screening of the film here Tuesday evening.

Responding to pointed queries on whether the IAF would raise objections to certain scenes in the film, Ahluwalia sought to play down the topic saying that it was a "non-issue".

"I have full faith in the producers of the film that they will project the air force in the right way. It should be a positive film," he said.
 
Aamir Khan's 'Rang De Basanti' on IAF radar (LEAD)
Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's latest venture "Rang De Basanti" is not being viewed kindly by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is upset over scenes apparently showing the armed forces in poor light.

The film revolves around five friends, one of whom is a fighter pilot and dies in a crash involving a MIG-21. 

The friends help the family of the dead pilot to cope with the tragedy - and in the process the film delves into murky arms deals by politicians and traders. 

While IAF officials said it was not against the freedom of artistic expression, they were opposed to "irresponsible and distorted" portrayal of the reality.

"The IAF has secured a very good track record in flight safety in the last few years. The number of crashes has come down significantly. Therefore the film has come at a wrong time," said an IAF official. 

"Showing the IAF and its weaponry in bad light could have been used as a way to create some sensation and to garner free publicity for the movie," he said.

The matter is now in the hands of the information and broadcasting ministry, said Air Marshal P.S. Ahluwalia, director general (inspection and safety).

"If there are objections to the film, the ministry will address them. It would be inappropriate and premature for us to comment on the issue," he told reporters here.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukerjee, along with senior IAF officers, is scheduled to watch a special screening of the film.

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film was to be released Jan 20. The controversy may delay its release.