Ban in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh hits business of Prakash Jha's Aarakshan

NEW DELHI: Filmmaker Prakash Jha's political thriller Aarakshan, which deals with the theme of caste-based reservations in educational institutions, won't be screened in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh as the Supreme Court won't hear till Tuesday an appeal against the film's ban.

The states moved to ban the screening of the film, which opened elsewhere to mixed reviews on Friday, citing concerns that the film might inflame communal passions as it deals with the politically-sensitive subject of reservations for Dalits.

Some Dalit groups have objected to the casting of Saif Ali Khan, an actor from a Muslim royal family, as a Dalit in the film. Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone essay other key roles in the film.

Punjab, which had banned the film lifted the ban after Jha agreed to delete three 'objectionable' scenes.

Jha appealed to the Supreme Court to lift the ban on the film in but the court posted the matter for Tuesday. Bachchan lashed out against the ban in a blogpost on Thursday.

"UP, Punjab and today Andhra Pradesh have given notice to ban the film and not allow it to be projected for another two months - a provision given administratively to each government... So the same film is a law and order problem now and today but shall not be a problem after two months?

You will destroy the commerce of the producer and all those that have invested time, blood, tears, and money into this film, when even after waiting for two months there cannot be any change that will be accepted to be done!" he wrote.

Bachchan argued that such bans were overriding the function performed by the censor board. The film has been cleared by the censor board with a U/A certificate.

"What is the need then of the Censor Board, a statutory body instituted by you, the legislatures and Parliamentarians that govern this land. You nominate what you believe, to disbelieve what you nominate! Better to remove it altogether then rather than give it disrespect," he wrote.