“Nobody has the right to tinker with anthem”. That’s what the Supreme Court of India said Monday in a sad, dangerous comment that should prompt every single artist of this country to protest vigorously.
Let’s recall the facts. In his movie “Jana Gana Mana Rann”, director Ram Gopal Varma borrowed lines from the Indian national anthem to create a new song.
But that didn’t pass very well with the Central Film Certification Board, who blocked the release of Varma’s movie promo on May 8th.
The director appealed of the decision with the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal, and finally went to the Supreme Court to ask for an immediate release of his promo.
Alas, the Supreme Court didn’t want to hear anything.
“We have read it (the script of the song). It gives a total negative sense. It appears that every line of the national anthem has been proved wrong,” said the Bench in charge of evaluating Varma’s case.
A negative sense. So what? Is every artist in this country supposed to say only positive things?
Artists should be free to create whatever they want and to tinker, twist and deform whatever they feel like, including a national anthem. This is called Freedom of Expression. And it is a vital principle.
The state should never decide what artists are allowed to think and say. Artists are there to provoke, to present things under a new perspective, to make us think differently. This is what Varma did. And every artist of the country should stand by his side to show that this kind of censorship is not welcomed anymore in India.
Contributed by PHILIPPE MERCURE
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