When Nitin Chandrakant Desai started working on his dream film based on the famous Ajanta caves in Aurangabad, little did he know that it would rake up quite a controversy.
A member of the advisory panel of the Censor Board has written to the government organisation, stating that there is a wide protest across the country, especially from the Banjara community in the state, against this film.
Sanjiv Kumar Rathod, who is on this panel from the Mumbai region, has pointed out five objectionable scenes, and asked the CBFC and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring a Banjara expert into the panel before clearing the certification.
Among his other objections, Rathod points out that Paro (played by Sonalee Kulkarni), the girl who helped in the discovery of the Ajanta Caves, was exploited, abused and killed in real life, which has not been shown in Desai's film.
Pointing out that the Banjara God portrayed in the film does even not belong to the community, he states, "The name of the Banjara God is Saint Sevalal. So what the film shows is not acceptable to the community. They have not shown their real culture. Besides, the Banjara youth are also shown naked in the movie."
Desai was unavailable for comment.