Shotgun takes aim at organizers of Iffi

PANAJI: Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Shatrughan Sinha, on Monday, said that he remained within the confines of his hotel room in Goa for three days without being invited for the 47th International Film Festival of India (Iffi).
When he was finally invited for a session with Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) workshop students at Iffi, Sinha took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, "Gujarat ke logon ke bare mein kuch nahin bolna chahiye (One must not say anything about people of Gujarat)." Sinha was mimicking persons of different regions in India on how they pronounce his name and made the statement while he was speaking of Gujarat.
Sinha has been engaged in controversies in recent times for passing statements which BJP considers anti-central government policies. He recently spoke against the demonetization move.
"I have been in my hotel room for three days. Nobody invited me. A person of my stature was not given a festival kit or even a schedule. It is too late now," said Sinha, following his ‘In Conversation' session at one of the Iffi venues at Kala Academy.
During his session, too, Sinha said that there had been confusion on whether he was invited for the session by the organizers of Iffi or by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG).
"I am not here because Iffi (organizers) invited me. I have not been invited by Iffi in fact. I have not been invited by FTII. I have been come here on the invite of ESG," he said.
In a veiled attack on the central government, Sinha said that acting and culture are not owned by anyone. "Anyone from any community or from across the border can become an actor or singer," Sinha said. Recently, the appearance of Pakistani actors in Indian films was opposed by the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra.
Later, however, while leaving the venue, Sinha, who has had to face a backlash from party members recently, said that he had been ‘joking' about not being invited.
"I have no expectation, no complaint, no command, no demand," the veteran Bollywood actor said.