Days after Indian Air Force (IAF) raised objections over untrue portrayal of gender bias in the film Gunjan Saxena, The Kargil Girl, National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma had urged the filmmakers to stop the screening of the Netflix feature film. The movie, based on the life of the ex-IAF officer who was a part of 1999 Kargil war, has been mired in controversy, ever since its release on the digital platform on Wednesday.
If that is so, the film maker must apologise and discontinue the screening. Why showing something which is portraying our own forces in bad light specially when it’s not true. https://t.co/KqtP9dQlPV
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) August 13, 2020
Replying to a news report highlighting the fact that the former IAF officer had equal opportunities to perform, Rekha Sharma tweeted, “If that is so, the filmmaker must apologise and discontinue the screening. Why showing something which is portraying our own forces in bad light especially when it’s not true.”
NCW chief urged ‘real’ Gunjan Saxena to clarify on the controversy
Earlier, on Thursday, the NCW head had demanded clarity from the former IAF pilot on the allegations of ‘gender discrimination’ that has been emphasised in the movie. She wrote, “Being from Army background I can never imagine defence officers behaving like goons. Officer or not, women are always getting their due respect in forces.”
The real #GunjanSaxena must come out and clarify whether the gender discrimination shown in movie is for real? Being from Army background I can never imagine defence officers behaving like goons. Officer or not, women are always get their due respect in forces.
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) August 13, 2020
Gunjan Saxena denies claims of ‘gender bias’
Saxena clarified that there was no impartiality observed at the Indian Air Force and equal opportunities were granted to her and other officers to perform. She added that the rising rate of number of women officers in the Indian Air Force is a testament to the egalitarian policies of the organisation. “Yes, as a commercial movie or as a work of fiction, the film has tried to capture my story. But what is beyond any doubt is that doors were opened and opportunities were given and that is also shown in the movie,” Saxena said, who cleared her entrance exam and joined the Indian Air Force in 1994.
IAF writes to filmmakers of the movie
Earlier, the Indian Armed Force shot off a letter to Dharma Productions, Netflix, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), protesting against the inaccurate representation of gender discrimination in the Air Forces as portrayed in the movie. The Air Force said that certain scenes and dialogues in the movie portrays it in a bad light. According to an official privy to the details, before the release of the movie, the Indian Air Force had requested Dharma Productions to modify or delete the objectionable scenes. However, no such action was taken by the Karan Johar-owned production house.
