In a bold broadside, Samajwadi Party MLA Pankaj Malik has put the spotlight on the censor board’s oversight in approving ‘Yadav Ji Ki Love Story’, a movie now mired in controversy for allegedly offending caste sentiments. The lawmaker’s pointed remarks from Lucknow underscore a deeper malaise: the weaponization of cinema to stoke divisions.
Malik minced no words on the political motivations. ‘Under this regime, expect endless provocations—mosque mics today, caste jabs tomorrow,’ he declared. He portrayed films as the new frontier in efforts to communalize and caste-ize society, eroding the fabric of unity.
The CBFC came under direct fire. ‘Government-controlled, yet blind to content that hurts feelings—how?’ Malik demanded. He insisted preemptive censorship is the board’s mandate, a duty neglected here and in prior cases like ‘Ghuskhore Pandit’. This trend, he warned, risks perpetual tension.
Offering a positive pivot, Malik envisioned films glorifying exemplars. ‘Channel creativity into stories of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Gandhi, and Bhagat Singh—their legacies of service deserve the silver screen,’ he said, aiming to inspire rather than incite.
Malik’s condemnation of the film as a purveyor of toxic messaging culminated in a plea for governmental clampdown. As public discourse heats up, his voice amplifies demands for accountability, reminding stakeholders that art must uplift, not undermine, the nation’s pluralistic ethos.