Aarakshan (translation: Reservation) is a 2011 Hindi film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. Directed by Prakash Jha, the film is a socio- political drama based on the controversial policy of caste based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. The film was released on August 12, 2011.
The film was banned in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh before its theatrical release. The Punjab government banned the film on fears that certain scenes and dialogues in the film may inflame the passion of some communities in Punjab. The Mayawati government banned the film in U.P. for two months on grounds that it could create law-and-order problems in the state.[54]
It is however noteworthy that the censor board had passed the film without a single cut.[55]
Aarakshan was first panned by Dalit groups even before its release for being anti-Dalit and subsequently, the upper caste groups in Rajasthan too threatened to stall its release as they argued that it showed them in poor light![56]
Several politicians in Maharashtra were also anti-Aarakshan, demanding special screening of the film ahead of its release.[57]
Used to courting controversies, the director of the film, Prakash Jha, remained unfazed. “The nine-member panel, which saw the movie, congratulated me,” Jha had said adding, “I want people to call me and point out a single anti-Dalit sentence from the promo.”[58]
The film was embroiled in controversy after the National Commission for Minorities and National Commission of Scheduled Castes and Dalit bodies had sought a special screening to confirm the film did not misinterpret the constitutional provision for reservations of the socially backward classes.[59]
The certificate was awarded after an examining committee, set up with representatives from the Dalit, OBC, SC and ST community reviewed the movie, said an I&B Ministry official, adding “they unanimously agreed to clear it”.[60]
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes sent a notice to censor board that the film should not be cleared by th