'Sexy Durga' denied permission in India

Malyalam Film 'Sexy Durga' which was screened at Sydney film festival in June, has been denied permission to screen at upcoming Mumbai Film Festival.

Sexy Durga

Source: Supplied

Director Sanal Kumar’s film ‘Sexy Durga’ was to be screened Mumbai Film Festival but Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India has denied special permission.

Sanal Kumar has posted on social media that ministry feels the film could hurt ‘religious sentiments’. He writes, “It is learned that the exemption application by Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star to screen Sexy Durga has been denied by the I&B Ministry. This is the second time the ministry is denying the application by the festival.”
Kumar has called it an “invasion of limited space available for independent films.” For a film festival screening, films do not require Central Board of Film Certification clearance. It needs exemption from the Ministry. The film festival had applied for the exemption twice but was rejected.
This is not the first time the I&B Ministry has denied permission to a film. Earlier this year in January, three documentary films were denied exemption during the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK).

Academy chairman and filmmaker Kamal said at a press conference later, “There is an undeclared emergency now with the government telling us what to eat, what to read, and what to watch."

‘Sexy Durga’ director Sanal Kumar says that he will approach High Court for a remedy.


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2 min read

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By Vivek Asri


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