FTII joins Universities across India screening banned documentary on Modi administration

The Students' Association at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune held a screening of a controversial BBC documentary about Prime Minister Modi on January 26, according to a PTI report. The institute joins a growing number of universities where students have been organizing viewings of the banned film. The Students' Association released a statement noting that the restriction of music, literature, and media is often a sign of a society in decline.

"On 26/01/23, we screened the banned BBC documentary 'The Modi Question' at FTII," said the statement.

The documentary has caused a new controversy to emerge in the nation. Earlier this month, the Indian government evoked emergency laws to ban the BBC documentary, 'India: The Modi Question', calling it a propaganda piece. The documentary was also taken down from many social media sites including Twitter and Youtube. However, students at various central universities have been screened, causing a clash between students and the administration.

The statement further added, "The act of scrutiny should be welcomed by our elected representatives. Instead, they quickly tag it as false propaganda and try to shove it under the rug. They should know that the sure-fire way for something to be watched is to ban it."

"However, the BBC documentary barely scratches the surface of the kind of violence that has been perpetuated throughout the country for a dedicated, singular, vicious purpose. It would be startling to us if anyone in India was surprised by the happenings in this documentary," said the students' association.

FTII Registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi said that the incident is being looked into as it has been reported that a group of students screened the documentary on campus.