This Shabana Azmi, Raj Babbar film was banned during Emergency, prints were confiscated, director received death threats, its name is...

Rakesh Nahata says his father Amrit Nahata refused to compromise despite facing death threats for making Kissa Kursi Ka, the political satire that was banned during Emergency. The 1975 movie revolved around an evil politician, Gangaram (played by Manohar Singh), a political amateur who tries to get votes by using unfair means. It also starred Shabana Azmi, Raj Babbar, Raj Kiran and Utpal Dutt. The film’s negative was destroyed and its prints confiscated by then Information and Broadcasting minister VC Shukla, who was close to Indira Gandhi’s younger son Sanjay Gandhi.

Recalling the struggle of his late father, Rakesh said they had no inkling that the movie will land in trouble while making it. "But when the film was sent to the Censor Board for clearance the hurdles began. Initially, 11 members saw the movie and then there was no reply for the longest time. It was a struggle of one year and in that period my father was disheartened since he was not getting any response from the censor board. The movie was then sent to the revising committee, which had 22 members even though they did not say anything. Later, it went to the tribunal. My father thought maybe the film going from one committee to another is the normal procedure of the censor board," Rakesh told PTI.

Kissa Kursi Ka was banned and destroyed during Emergency

Calling that period a tough time for anyone in opposition with the government, Rakesh said his father's film was destroyed. "When the film was with the tribunal, the I&B ministry secretary had strictly said, 'This film will not be passed and it will be banned as it is against the country.' During those times, whoever did things that were against the country, they were either jailed or their work was destroyed, and that’s what happened with my father, his film was destroyed", Rakesh recalled. "They tortured my father a lot, he received several death threats. It was a critical time for my father. A lot of people told my father to settle the matter but my father was a man of self-esteem", he added.

Amrit Nahata, a Congressman who joined the Janata Party after the Emergency, remade the movie and released it in 1978, retaining the same script and most of the cast. "When my father joined the Janata Party, he made Kissa Kursi Ka 2, and it got about 50 cuts by the censor board. Some of the important things of Indira Gandhi were not allowed to be shown in the film. So, whoever is in the government they get certain things removed", Rakesh shared.

Rakesh Nahata wants to make Kissa Kursi Ka 3

Rakesh Nahata is now working on Kissa Kursi Ka 3, which will shed light on how the original movie was banned and destroyed. The filmmaker said he has written to the I&B ministry and Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his plans to make the third part of Kissa Kursi Ka but he is yet to receive a response. "I want them to ensure that they will not give cuts to the original story or confiscate it like before. It’s a risk. But I’m going to make part three of the movie in order to do justice to what happened to the first two movies, and my father. It’s been 50 years, I still have the title of the film with me", he said. (With inputs from PTI)

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