Election Commission initiates steps to remove trailer of Mamata Banerjee biopic 'Baghini: Bengal Tigress' from 3 websites

The Election Commission has initiated steps to take down the trailer of Baghini: Bengal Tigress, a film said to be the biopic of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, from three websites. The chief electoral officer of West Bengal had submitted a report on the film. The trailer of the film was released on 13 April which stars Ruma Chakraborty in the title role. Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain cited the Election Commission’s order on 10 April to take down the trailer. In its order, the poll had said, “Any biopic or material in the nature of biography/hagiography sub-serving the purposes of any political entity or any individual entity connected to it which is intended to, or has the potential to disturb the level-playing field during the elections should not be displayed in electronic media including cinematograph during the operation of the MCC (Model Code of Conduct).” The decision of the poll body comes days after it banned the release of another biopic PM Narendra Modi for the duration of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. The move also comes a day after the poll body reiterated its stand on not releasing the Modi biopic, stating such an act might “ tilt electoral balance of the particular political party”. [caption id=“attachment_6506991” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A poster of the film titled Baghini: Bengal Tigress. News18[/caption] Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, Baghini’s director Nehal Dutta had, however, denied that it was a biopic of Mamata and said it was only “ inspired by her journey”. Dutta had also claimed that it was slated for release on 3 May, three days before the fifth phase of national elections in which West Bengal also votes, even though the Central Board for Film Certification has not issued it a certification yet. The BJP had approached the poll panel seeking a ban on the release of the movie until the election process is over. The trailer of the movie has references to the farmers’ struggle and police violence in Nandigram in 2007 and Singur in 2008. An agitation was led by Mamata’s TMC in Singur which resulted in Tata Motors stalling a proposed project to manufacture Nano cars in the state.   The decision was taken after the Central Board of Film Certification had granted the Vivek Oberoi-starrer Modi biopic a ‘U’ certificate.