PK debate stirs up drama at OU

As far as popular belief goes, films are considered to mirror the society. But in the case of Aamir Khan-starrer ‘PK’, the mirroring of society has stirred one controversy too many. Following the movie’s release, quite a many protests were staged and involved the burning of effigies and destruction of property in theatres.

While the battle between supporters and naysayers still goes on, a debate on the movie was organised at Osmania University Library on Wednesday. The participants of the debate were G Venkateshwar Raju, representative of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP); film director Katti Mahesh; social activist Devi and scholar B Sudarshan. It also saw participation from activists of SFI, ABVP, AISF, TRSV and PDSU.

But as has been the case so far on the topic in primetime news channels, the debate turned into a war of words with many being vociferous against the film’s depiction of religious sentiments. The moderator had to intervene several times to calm down the crowd.

Brief though they were, the film’s supporters had their moments and made it clear that they found nothing wrong with the movie. “It’s just that people from certain parties are creating a ruckus,” noted Katti Mahesh. The whole point of the debate was misunderstood by the VHP representative as he deliberated on the topic of religion and not the movie.

Venkateshwar digressed on religion and had to be interrupted by the moderator when he started hurting the sentiments of Dalits and Muslims. His statements caused uproar among the audience and he was warned by a few members to choose his words carefully.

“Only educated people understood the movie. The mess is being created by certain people who are invoking hate politics in the country,” claimed Devi, a social activist. B Sudarshan opined that the movie highlighted the frivolity of corrupt babas and superstitions.