With controversy over the All India Bakchod (AIB) roast video escalating, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has asked Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor, who participated in the insult comedy show, to tender a public apology for the 'vulgar' act.
The Federation has stated that the show was a "travesty of basic human decency in the name of art and a blot on the culture and tradition that we need to safeguard".
The letter says, "It is unfortunate that young impressionable minds are being exposed to vulgarity being displayed by people who claim to be youth icons... They should tender an unconditional apology to entire industry and the people of India and promise never to repeat (such an act) which amounts to cultural terrorism."
Kamlesh Pandey, president of the FWICE, says he is personally not against any kind of moral policing or censorship because it would imply that the creators were neither mature enough nor had a sense of responsibility to decide what was right and wrong for public consumption. "But if a member of any association is found doing something which is not conducive to the image and the health of the film and entertainment industry, the FWICE is expected to take notice of this. We all have the freedom to express ourselves but with the freedom also comes responsibility," he says.
Stating that the letter was not an order or a warning to the roast video participants, Pandey says, "It is merely a note of caution to desist from being part of such a show that sends wrong signals to the people. It is not even addressed to the gentlemen, it is just a statement that the FWICE felt was its responsibility to make when it received complaints from its sources of the film and entertainment industry."
