Feature
Censor board ‘spikes’ Modi-themed feature film
Mumbai: The censor board has refused to clear a feature film based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda. One of the grounds cited is the ongoing assembly elections in five states.The producer of the medium-budget film, “Modi ka Gaon”, Suresh Jha, who has co-directed it with Tushar A. Goel, is crying foul and charged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with discriminating against a movie due for release on Friday.”Censor board officials informed us they found the film objectionable on three main counts. There is no way I can release it tomorrow (Friday). So I am considering moving the court,” Jha
“They have stipulated conditions which are so difficult to comply with that I might as well forget about releasing the film.”The golden solution: ‘Get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Election Commission… I think this must be the first time the PMO or EC are expected to preview a film and clear it before the CBFC certifies it,” Jha said.The CBFC said: “Submit NOC from PMO regarding Prime Minister’s portrayal/references through a character in the film resembles… (The film portrays development plans, references to Pakistan’s Uri attack, news and speeches related to the PM).”
It has also sought NOC from the EC “as elections are going on in various parts of the country and the film can be treated as promotional material for political campaigns”.The board also orally raised the issue of casting Vikas Mahante as Modi — the CBFC has objected to the look-alike actor playing the title role, said Jha.”The film is about Modiji’s development agenda and his vision for transforming the country… How can I possibly portray all this with somebody who does not resemble him? If film-makers have to get clearances from other bodies, then what is the need for CBFC?” Jha asked.
He surmised that the CBFC is worried that the Modi look-alike might stoke a fresh row, with the opposition parties targeting the censor board for permitting its release.Mahante’s uncanny resemblance to Modi has made him a crowd puller in his own right and earned him the sobriquet “Modi from Mumbai”.The CBFC has also taken umbrage at a prominent side-character, “Pappu Bihari”, in the film, saying the name should be deleted from the movie, including the songs.
Jha’s much-anticipated 135-minute feature film completed shooting in December. He applied for CBFC certification in January.Emphasising that the film was “not a biopic”, he said he was planning a mega premiere with the Prime Minister himself.The film was extensively shot in Mumbai, Patna and Darbhanga, detailing Modi’s aim of making all rural and urban centres ‘Smart Villages’ or ‘Smart Cities’.
The State Scores Extra High on Gaming-Friendly Industry Index
Meghalaya scored 92.85 out of 100 possible points in a Gaming Industry Index and proved to be India’s most gaming-friendly state following its recent profound legislation changes over the field allowing land-based and online gaming, including games of chance, under a licensing regime.
The index by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the level of legalisation on gambling and betting achieved by a state based on the scores over a set of seven different games – lottery, horse racing, betting on sports, poker, rummy, casino and fantasy sports
Starting from February last year, Meghalaya became the third state in India’s northeast to legalise gambling and betting after Sikkim and Nagaland. After consultations with the UKIBC, the state proceeded with the adoption of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and the nullification of the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970. Subsequently in December, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021 were notified and came into force.
All for the Tourists
The move to legalise and license various forms of offline and online betting and gambling in Meghalaya is aimed at boosting tourism and creating jobs, and altogether raising taxation revenues for the northeastern state. At the same time, the opportunities to bet and gamble legally will be reserved only for tourists and visitors.
“We came out with a Gaming Act and subsequently framed the Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021. The government will accordingly issue licenses to operate games of skill and chance, both online and offline,” said James P. K. Sangma, Meghalaya State Law and Taxation Minister speaking in the capital city of Shillong. “But the legalized gambling and gaming will only be for tourists and not residents of Meghalaya,” he continued.
To be allowed to play, tourists and people visiting the state for work or business purposes will have to prove their non-resident status by presenting appropriate documents, in a process similar to a bank KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure.
Meghalaya Reaches Out to a Vast Market
With 140 millions of people in India estimated to bet regularly on sports, and a total of 370 million desi bettors around prominent sporting events, as per data from one of the latest reports by Esse N Videri, Meghalaya is set to reach out and take a piece of a vast market.
Estimates on the financial value of India’s sports betting market, combined across all types of offline channels and online sports and cricket predictions and betting platforms, speak about amounts between $130 and $150 billion (roughly between ₹9.7 and ₹11.5 lakh crore).
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi are shown to deliver the highest number of bettors and Meghalaya can count on substantial tourists flow from their betting circles. The sports betting communities of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are also not to be underestimated.
Among the sports, cricket is most popular, registering 68 percent of the total bet count analyzed by Esse N Videri. Football takes second position with 11 percent of the bets, followed by betting on FIFA at 7 percent and on eCricket at 5 percent. The last position in the Top 5 of popular sports for betting in India is taken by tennis with 3 percent of the bet count.
Local Citizens will Still have Their Teer Betting
Meghalaya residents will still be permitted to participate in teer betting over arrow-shooting results. Teer is a traditional method of gambling, somewhat similar to a lottery draw, and held under the rules of the Meghalaya Regulation of the Game of Arrow Shooting and the Sale of Teer Tickets Act, 2018.
Teer includes bettors wagering on the number of arrows that reach the target which is placed about 50 meters away from a team of 20 archers positioned in a semicircle.
The archers shoot volleys of arrows at the target for ten minutes, and players place their bets choosing a number between 0 and 99 trying to guess the last two digits of the number of arrows that successfully pierce the target.
If, for example, the number of hits is 256, anyone who has bet on 56 wins an amount eight times bigger than their wager.
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