RGV rakes up controversy ahead of ‘Maa Ishtam’ release

‘Maa Ishtam’ (‘Dangerous’ in Hindi) is hitting the screens on April 8, clashing with Varun Tej’s ‘Ghani’. PVR and INOX have refused to screen the movie, which has been variously described as a lesbian thriller, a crime thriller, and a combination of both. 

Director Ram Gopal Varma is upset with the decision of the national multiplexes not to screen his movie. He has suggested that it’s discriminatory towards the LGBTQ community. Varma, true to his style, has also resorted to hyperbole by saying that PVR and INOX are in contempt of a Supreme Court order that abrogated Section 377 of the IPC in 2018. 

A report published by Deccan Chronicle quotes an INOX representative as saying that the decision to skip ‘Maa Ishtam’/’Dangerous’ has nothing to do with its so-called sensitive content. It has been described as a programming call.

For now, Varma seems to be raking up controversy. Will it help the film?

Starring Apsara Rani and Naina Ganguly as lesbian lovers, the film is a crime drama where the two female protagonists happen to be same-sex lovers.