The 2 Films at IFFI Were Going Against Govt Policies: Rahul Rawail

I am sure it was a well thought-out governmental decision, says the veteran filmmaker.

The International Film Festival Of India’s (IFFI) jury may be under shock after two films Sanal Sasidharan’s S Durga and Ravi Jadhav’s Nude were yanked off without the jury members being informed.

However one jury member, filmmaker Rahul Rawail has another story to tell.

I don’t know about the other jury members or why they were not informed about the change. But I was most certainly informed about the change in the opening film at the festival.

Rahul Rawail, Filmmaker

So is Rahul saying he has no quibble with the change?

“I am not saying that. I am only saying that I knew about the change. I was informed that the inaugural film was being changed,” says Rahul.

Nude, which was meant to be the inaugural film in the Indian Panorama section for IFFI, has been replaced by Pihu. Rahul is all praise for Vinod Kapri’s Pihu, which has now been selected as the opening film at the Festival.

It is a very worthy film as the inaugural attraction of the IFFI. This is not to say that S Durga or Nude were not worthy films.

However Rahul Rawail refuses to get judgmental about the hasty yanking off of the other two films. “I wouldn’t use the term ‘yanking off’ because at least for me , it was not a sudden and unannounced decision. Secondly, I do not see the decision to replace the inaugural film as arbitrary. I am sure it was well thought-out governmental decision as the two films were somehow going against governmental policies.”

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