Actor Saif Ali Khan recently issued an apology after he found that a few sections had taken offence to something he said in one of his recent interviews. Saif, who will play Ravana in upcoming film Adipurush, had said that the film humanises Ravana and will try to justify his motives in the abduction of Sita. While Saif later retracted his statements, veteran actor Mukesh Khanna is unwillingly to accept the apology.
Mukesh shared a video, reacting to the controversy and wrote, “Filmmakers are still using movies to attack our religion. Laxmi Bomb exploded just recently and another attack has been launched. Famous artist Saif Ali Khan has made an objectionable disclosure in an interview. Saif Ali Khan said in this interview that it will be very interesting for him to play the character of Lankesh Ravana in the movie AdiPurush, which is made on a big budget. In it, Ravana is shown not to be evil but human and entertaining. We will make him kind. In that Sita-haran will be justified.
“Do not know why Saif feels that it will be so easy. Lankesh is not a ball that you want to spin with your bat. Should I call it naiveté or foolishness? They do not know that they are playing with the faith of crores of Indians in the country, or that they know it and are still deliberately saying these things. Or should I call it the audacity of the director producer who calls himself an intellectual, who still has a desire to make such films.
“Try playing such game with characters from other religions. Show the evil as good and the good as evil. They will beat your up. Rama cannot become Ravan. The same way that, Ravan cannot be Ram. So why is this game of making Ravana kind? Is there any motive in this too? Or the tried and tested film promotion of these people. I cannot say. The public will have to think for themselves. I felt bad so I said this. All of you also think whether you also felt bad or not,” he wrote.
Talking about Saif’s apology, he wrote, “Now the breaking news is that Saif has written an apology for his statement. Wow! The British have made a beautiful word, ‘sorry’. Shoot the arrow, throw the bomb, punch someone and then say sorry. But we do not approve. Why did you not think before speaking?,” he added.
In his statement, Saif had said that he did not intend on offending anyone, and that the film will present the story ‘without any distortions’. His statement read, “I’ve been made aware that one of my statements during an interview, has caused a controversy and hurt people’s sentiments. This was never my intention or meant that way. I would like to sincerely apologise to everybody and withdraw my statement. Lord Ram has always been the symbol of Righteousness & Heroism for me. Adipurush is about celebrating the victory of good over evil and the entire team is working together to present the epic without any distortions.”
In his original interview to Mumbai Mirror, the actor had said, “It’s interesting to play a demon king, less strictures in that. But we will make him humane, up the entertainment quotient, justify his abduction of Sita and the war with Ram as revenge for what was done to his sister Surpanakha by Lakshman, who cut off her nose.”
The film also stars Prabhas as Lord Ram. It will be directed by Om Raut.
Source: Hindustan Times
