After actor Naseeruddin Shah was “uninvited” to a Mumbai University event on Urdu poetry last month, it was documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan’s turn on Saturday. The firebrand filmmaker, whose films have taken on governments and political parties, was stopped at the Kalina campus’ main gate when he arrived to express support for research scholar Rajesh Bankhande who is now a Buddhist monk and goes by the name of Bhadant Vimamsa. Vimamsa has been on a peaceful protest on the campus for over six months.
The incident came to light after social activist Lokshahir Sandesh Gaikwad reacted strongly on social media and said that the development raised concerns about freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest.
He described the denial of entry to a senior filmmaker as “unfortunate” and said that the university should clarify its stand.
Speaking to HT, Patwardhan said there was no proper reason given to him on why he was barred from entering the campus. He eventually met Bhadant Vimamsa at the university gate, offered him a rose as a gesture of solidarity and enquired after his health.
Meanwhile, in an official statement, the university said it had no prior information about his visit, and that if the administration had been informed, it would have welcomed him.
“At the same time, various administrative departments and professors, along with their families, reside in apartments in this complex,” read the statement. “Since a law-and-order issue has arisen due to Rajesh Balkhande, who was illegally staging a sit-in protest on the Kalina campus, all concerned are being questioned before being given admission (to the campus).”
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