Anurag Kashyap responds to Rahul Gandhi's remark on Netflix's Sacred Games controversy: That’s a yay

New Delhi:  Anurag Kashyap has appreciated Congress President  Rahul Gandhi ’s comment on freedom of expression as a fundamental democratic right, in the context of the filmmaker’s web show Sacred Games . However, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has questioned the politician.

Netflix’s Sacred Games , produced by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment’s Phantom Films joint venture, is facing a legal petition over the removal of certain content from the web series on the grounds of insulting Rajiv Gandhi.

Breaking his silence over the Sacred Games  web series, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted on 14 July,

BJP/RSS believe the freedom of expression must be policed & controlled. I believe this freedom is a fundamental democratic right.

My father lived and died in the service of India. The views of a character on a fictional web series can never change that.#SacredGames

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 14, 2018

To that, Kashyap, who has directed the show with Vikramaditya Motwane, replied,

That’s a yay ... https://t.co/umv05MLJXc

— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) July 14, 2018

Actress Swara Bhaskar , who often expresses her opinion on socio-political issues, wrote,

It is impressive that a mainstream politician like @RahulGandhi is taking this clear & progressive stand on freedom of expression & censorship. Also it’s gracious & mature that he is able to set aside the personal for the larger goal of democratic rights. #CreditWhereDue 👏🏾👏🏾 https://t.co/cfEU0S2KaS

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) July 14, 2018

Photographer and Bollywood producer Atul Kasbekar said,

This mature view should hopefully now put to rest other easily outraged folks for any future ‘transgressions and perceived insults’.
Well done Mr Gandhi 👍🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/C4ukr8UWBv

— atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) July 15, 2018

Author and screenplay writer Kanika Dhillon also lauded the remark.

Love d response! @RahulGandhi 👏👏! about time! (Although politicians use liberal dose o fiction as n when convenient in their narratives n agendas)..It’s great 2 see a mature take on real fiction- just letting it be! No conjecture! No propaganda! #creativefreedom #SacredGames https://t.co/0z7jaqkYsF

— Kanika Dhillon (@KanikaDhillon) July 14, 2018

Madhur Bhandarkar found a contradiction in Rahul Gandhi’s comment. He posted a video, and wrote,

Dear @RahulGandhi ji here is a compilation of the harrowing experience I had when ur party workers tried to police & control my FOE during my film #InduSarkar I was hounded at various cities to 5 star hotel to the censor board office. I requested 4 ur support but u didn't. pic.twitter.com/1y93DgVOXm

— Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 15, 2018

The filmmaker’s Indu Sarkar  faced the heat from Congress supporters who conjectured the film was an attempt to portray former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a negative light. As for Sacred Games, it is based on author Vikram Chandra’s eponymous novel. The show has references to the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government, as well as the Bofors scandal and the Shah Bano case that created a storm during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister.

Largely, the film industry, audience and even international media has given a thumbs up to the show, which has Saif Ali Khan , Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte in pivotal roles. Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted,