Controversy Erupts Over Film “Chola” Trailer

Image Credit: Bhaskar

At the ongoing 55th International Film Festival in Goa, the trailer of director Atul Garg’s film Chola was showcased. The movie revolves around the life of a professor. However, the trailer launch of Chola sparked controversy as members of the Karni Sena raised strong objections to certain scenes.

During the launch, Surjeet Singh Rathore, President of the Karni Sena’s youth wing, and Rajesh Jain protested against scenes where the protagonist burns a saffron robe, along with a Tulsi and Rudraksha mala. They argued that these depictions insult Sanatan Dharma. Surjeet Singh declared, “Burning saffron robes and Rudraksha malas is a direct insult to Sanatan values, which is completely unacceptable. We won’t allow this trailer, let alone the movie, to be shown anywhere.”

Chola narrates the story of a young professor seeking inner peace. He joins an ashram and adopts the saffron robe in his quest for tranquility. However, he struggles to find peace and continues to feel restless. The ashram’s guru explains that true inner peace comes from self-awareness and inner strength, not from external symbols like saffron robes.

The event, held on a floating venue arranged by the festival organizers, saw prominent actors like Manoj Joshi in attendance. However, as the protests escalated, Joshi left the venue with his associates. Since the event was on a pre-booked floating platform, tickets had been distributed well in advance, and attendees had to go through strict entry protocols to reach the location.

The controversy highlights the growing challenges filmmakers face when exploring sensitive themes in Indian cinema.