why do people attack artists, filmmakers, actors, writers? because the attackers think the artist, filmmaker etc in question has produced something that offends their 'sensibilities'. a recent trend has been to attack artists, filmmakers etc even for expressing their views on some issue not connected with their work. the telangana separatists have now moved even beyond that: a couple of months ago, they started attacking film shoots and screenings of films starring relatives of some film personalities who had expressed their views on the political unrest in the state. now it seems like things have taken on an even more surreal tone: random separatist bands attack film shoots just because they're happening in their neighbourhood. some news stories on attacks in recent months, starting with the the latest:
another :Allu Arjun and Gunasekhar were filming action sequences for their film Varudu, at Moosapet in Hyderabad, when T-activists belonging to TSF and NSUI tried to barge their way into the shooting spot and disrupt the shooting. However, their bid was foiled by the Kukatpally police. The schedule got affected, albeit for some time.
The activists, who identified themselves with the aforementioned unions, came out in shoals of 50-100, and shouted loud slogans in favour of Telangana. When the situation grew tense, the police were called in.
This is the second time that Varudu's shooting has been disrupted by T-activists.
The Telangana activists along with the workers of the mines in OCP-3, Ramagundam stalled the shooting of the movie. Rana was surrounded by Telangana activists and was not allowed to move until he said "Jai Telangana". Earlier the shootings of Manchu Manoj, Allu Arjun and Jr NTR were disrupted by the Telangana agitators. The Telugu Film industry condemned the attacks and stated that politics shouldn't be attached to the film industry. However the attacks are continuing and the state government is not able to provide enough security for the film shootings.and another :
Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS) Continuing their attacks on film shootings, pro-Telangana protestors Thursday targeted actor Mahesh Babu's film at Vikarabad in Ranga Reddy district, police said. Dozens of protesters barged into the shooting area and set fire to the sets and two vehicles in the district, about 100 km from here. The actors and other artists had to run for cover. Police said no one was injured in the incident.and another :
This was the third attack by pro-Telangana groups on film shootings in and around Hyderabad in as many days.
In yet another indication of mounting trouble for the Telugu film industry due to the growing regional divide in the state, a group of pro-Telangana activists attacked the shooting of a film featuring young actor Manoj, son of actor and producer Mohan Babu.you might have some serious differences with people who attack artists for writing something, or painting something. how do you begin to understand people who attack artists just for being artists? can you think of any other political groups in the world which have attacked artists just for being artists? not many, i think. the senas come close, the taliban are a better fit. and both of them, like the separatists, have also raided or attacked sporting events or sportspersons. how do the ideologues of the movement feel about climbing up, or down, into such an exclusive club, i wonder.
Workers of Telangana Rashtra Samiti attacked the film shooting unit at Pet Basheerabad in outskirts of Hyderabad and ransacked the cameras and other equipments. They shouted slogans in support of Telangana state and against Mohan Babu for his anti-Telangana stand.
The situation could be brought under control only after the police rushed to the scene and disperse the Telangana activists. The police also booked a case against both the sons of Mohan Babu- Manoj and Vishnu allegedly attacking the media personnel who had gone there to cover the incident.
some separatists might offer this excuse: they're andhraites. does that make it better? or, this: their relatives/father/mother/uncle/brother-in-law/distant cousin doesn't support the idea of a separate state. yes, the excuses sound even worse than the attacks.
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4 comments:
Two reasons can be cited for these attacks - hate-mongering and money. Politicians like KCR and professors like Kodhandaram have extensively spread hate-mongering attitude through their speeches. Some of the activists are brainwashed and pumped with hate. Secondly, every political party has grass root party workers. These groups are funded by politicians. To the politicians, it is the amount of political mileage they get out of the ruckus created by them that matters. To the activists that actually resort to attacks, it is the beer, biryani and Rs 500/- note that matters.
hmmm... those seem like very plausible reasons. but whatever the reasons, leaders of the movement, especially the intellectuals among who have led agitations for human rights etc in the past need to answer why they are looking away when filmmakers and others are being attacked. thanks for the comment.
Few isolated condemnable events do not dictate the course of a movement which is largely based on achievement of equitable democratic rights to people of the region.
Telangana movement is a democratic struggle. And we cannot expect it to go 100% peacefully. Indian Independence movement is revered for being a peaceful struggle even when there were several violent incidents and several factions involving in direct attacks on governement and Britishers.
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