Taking umbrage to a scene in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali- directed film purportedly showing doctors providing medical treatment to a person who was already "dead" before arriving at the hospital, the association said it should be withdrawn immediately and till such time that this is done, the movie should be boycotted and banned.
"The Indian Medical Association is in deep anguish about the way the medical profession has been projected in the movie 'Gabbar is Back'. Its portrayal is derogatory and unrealistic and we together stand against it," National President of IMA Dr A Marthanda Pillai and Secretary General Dr K K Aggarwal said in a joint statement. "With cases of violence against doctors on the rise, a totally unjustified message such as this one as shown in the movie will only add fuel to the fire and further provoke public outrage against the medical profession," it said.
"The IMA wants the above-referred scene to be withdrawn from the movie immediately. Till such time that this is done, the movie should be boycotted and banned," Aggarwal said.
The video clipping of the scene has been sent by IMA to its 2.5 lakh doctor members for creating an awareness about the issue with a request to them to boycott the film.
"The IMA feels that if the Censor Board, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Health Ministry or the Home Ministry do not take any immediate action against this, IMA will be forced to start a public protest against the movie," it said in its statement.