The Pune City Police have initiated an investigation following protests by the right-wing organization Samasta Hindu Bandhav Sanghatana over the screening of the film “I am not River Jhelum” at the National Film Archives of India (NFAI) on Law College Road. The film, part of the “Cinemas of India – A Festival of Contemporary Indian Films,” allegedly includes disparaging remarks about the Indian Army, leading to objections from the right-wing group and subsequent police action.
During the screening, members of the group held up signs reading “Jai Shree Ram” at the entrance and questioned the organizers about the content of the movie. The incident, which took place at 3:30 p.m., prompted the presence of Senior Police Inspector Vivek Hasabnis from the Deccan Police Station. After assuring the activists that their objections would be considered, he escorted them to the police station.
Prabhas Chandra, the director of the film, was present at the screening, and the police are currently seeking legal counsel to determine the next steps based on the movie’s content and potential law and order concerns.
A total of 18 individuals, including Ravindra Dilip Padwal, the president of Samast Hindu Bandhav Sanghatana, were detained by the police. Following a preliminary inquiry, they were released around 8:00 p.m.
The film was part of the “Cinemas of India” festival, organized by the Pune International Centre (PIC) in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation-National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI) and the International Federation of Film Critics – India Chapter (FIPRESCI-India). The festival showcased twelve critically acclaimed Indian films in various languages over three days.
