Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 8
A ‘showdown’ has erupted over the screening of the movie ‘Nani Teri Morni,’ slated for a premiere at ‘Children Film Bonanza’ in Kohima on October 9.
Bollywood line producer, Rebecca Changkija Sema, has charged Nagaland’s Home Commissioner, Abhishek Singh, of “hijacking” the festival to be held in Kohima, October 9-13. Singh has denied the allegation.
Changkija, a line producer for the film ‘Nani Teri Morni’ hired by the director informed that the film was selected by the Children’s Film Society, India (CFSI) for release during the festival, following which she approached the Society, under the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, with a proposal to hold the Children Film Festival in Nagaland.
After her proposal was accepted, and on being asked to “arrange everything,” Changkija approached the Government of Nagaland (GoN) to hold the festival in Dimapur in the last week of September.
When she met Home Commissioner Abhishek Singh, she was told that her initial budget of Rs. 21.49 lakh was too much.
“We agreed to reduce the budget to Rs. 10 lakh. We also agreed to split the venues to hold the fest for two days in Kohima and for three days in Dimapur,” she revealed.
On September 28 morning, Changkija got word from the Directorate of Art and Culture that her proposal “had been received.”
The same evening, they received news that the Directorate had another file for the same proposal, which later was found to have been submitted by Singh.
Thereafter, during a meeting with the Home Commissioner on October 4, Changkija alleged that Singh “humiliated” her and had already decided that the film festival would be held in Kohima and not in Dimapur. She will not attend the event nor will any crew from the film.
When contacted, Home Commissioner Abhishek Singh claimed that nowhere in the CFSI’s communication was there any “condition” of involving any party. Regarding the issue of money, Singh noted that while he was happy about Changkija’s involvement in the event, it involved approving large sum of money which needed “time and process.”
He also said that CFSI had also asked for the event to be held before October 10, so it went ahead.
Meanwhile, the director of the film, Akashaditya Lama will not attend the release expressing his unhappiness at the “sad turn of events.”
Lama told The Morung Express that it was his moral responsibility to abstain from the screenings as his artists and others in the team will not be part of the screening.
When asked if he would change his mind if the Nagaland government changes its position and organized screenings in Dimapur too, he responded that “it is his hope and request” to the GoN.
Singh termed the director’s decision as “unfortunate.” He clarified in an email response to Lama, “CFSI wrote to Government of Nagaland for the Film Festival and for launch of this movie at the Festival.”
Furthermore, a statement emailed by Film Writer & Director, Shiraz Henry and 14 other Bollywood personalities extended support to Changkija and also to Amenla Jamir and members of the Sofia Foundation, who, it informed, had been extending their unstinting support to the project from its very inception.
“Film making is a creative field and such activities hurt the feelings of film makers,” the statement maintained.
However, “All the artistes and crew involved with the Film have been invited for the launch of the movie on October 9 at 10:00 am in RCEMPA Kohima,” Singh informed, adding “The CFSI officials are already here.”
Saying the turn of events is “sad and unfortunate,” he appealed to all to make the festival successful and avoid unnecessary controversy as children in Kohima are excited to watch the movie. In coming days, the “movies will be screened in all District Headquarters,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CFSI stated in a rejoinder that it is the producer of the film with complete rights of its distribution, the sole right holder of the film and co-organizer of the Children Bonanza in Nagaland.
Children’s Film Society, India, (CFSI), established in 1955, functioning under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India, is a prime producer of children’s content, it stated. In recent years, “it has been successfully organizing Children’s Film Bonanzas in North Eastern S
tates as well as other States of India thereby benefitting the children of India,” stated the CFSI’s CEO, Swati Pandey. The article has been updated on October 11 correcting an inadvertent editorial error that mistook line producer Rebecca Changkija Sema for the producer of the film.
