The deletion of the particular scene as suggested by you will seriously harm the film.

To

CBSE, Mumbai

Dear Sir,

Sub: Request to reconsider our film ‘Deadbody’ for censor

Kindly refer to the short festival film ‘Deadbody’ submitted on 29^th  August. In the light of the discussions we had on 30^th August regarding the objections of the Censor Board we reviewed our film and also discussed with our producers.

We all are unanimous about the fact that the deletion of the particular scene as suggested by you will seriously harm the film. It’s because all the issues this film deals with converge to the said scene making it most vital portion of the film. 

So we request you to please please reconsider the film for censor.

We’ve spelled out our view points on your objections as discussed on 30^th August.

Objections:

Indian National Flag:

1. No contempt of flag as the character is stating a historical fact only. We have avoided giving any reason or remark about the flag – derogatory, contempt inducing or whatsoever.

You can even notice the character has never once named ‘National Flag’ or ‘Rashtriya Zhanda’!

2. The national flag we are showing is a pastel coloured sketch drawn by a child – just as the children do in their painting classes. So it also is not a visual contempt of the national flag.

3. The visual comparison of Ashok Chakra and Charkha is only metaphorical of how we as a nation have forgotten Gandhiji’s idea of economic self reliance of the common man.

Lok-Tantra  Raj-Tantra remark:

1. The comment is simply an emotional outburst of a common man – a metaphor for what Gandhi had visualized about this country and what it has become instead.  He isn’t playing any office bearer or any political leader of this country. So his words shouldn’t be taken as any official remark on democracy.

Visual interpretation of the common men of the pre and post independent India never changed. Reason: all the British Buildings – the symbols of the Queen’s rule; and all the royal mansions of the erstwhile kings were made into public buildings – from where our leaders ‘ruled’.

Examples are Red Fort and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

2. An interesting observation by noted journalist Inder Malhotra (pls. refer Edit page, The Indian Express, 15 August, 2011) at the midnight of 14 th August 1947, when people were flogging to the flag hoisting ceremony at Red Fort he noticed this girl who was explaining the event to her kid brother ‘Nehru ki Taz Poshi hai’ ..!

Our character in the film is just expressing these sentiments. He has nowhere insulted Democracy or Lok Tantra. 

..Netaon ki Rajwada ke Ghulam ban kar reh gaye..

1.            In continuation of the above point, the character is in fact making a metaphorical remark on self that the common man never felt independent. Somehow he felt ‘obliged’ to serve the people who in fact were supposed to serve him.

2.            Interestingly people still call ‘Police Colony’, “Teacher’s Colony’, ‘Doctor’s Colony’ and so on – sounding close to the ‘British Colony’ – making a too huge psychological difference between the people who serve the government and who don’t.

3.            So, to reiterate, our film has never ever insulted, criticized or made any uninvited remark on the country or constitution. Instead you can notice, the character is spelling out about himself, criticizing himself - the common man throughout the film. 

Really really hoping for your kind consideration.

With warm regards,

TAMASHA Motion Pictures

{An interesting observation by noted journalist Inder Malhotra (pls. refer Edit page, The Indian Express, 15 August, 2011) at the midnight of 14 th August 1947}

The Ashoka Chakra is represented with 24 spokes. It is so called because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka, most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath which has been adopted as the National Emblem of the Republic of India.

The most visible use of the Ashoka Chakra today is at the centre of the National flag of the Republic of India (adopted on 22 July 1947), where it is rendered in a Navy-blue color on a White background, by replacing the symbol of Charkha (Spinning wheel) of the pre-independence versions of the flag.

Chakra has always been associated with power/Kings/rulers

Chakravartin(Ashoka the Great)

Chakravartin ( cakra-vartin) is a Sanskrit bahuvrīhi, literally "whose wheels are moving", in the sense of "whose chariot is rolling everywhere without obstruction". It can also be analyzed as an 'instrumental bahuvrīhi: "through whom the wheel is moving", in the meaning of "through whom the Dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma) is turning" (most commonly used in Buddhism and Hinduism); Pali cakkavatti (also interpreted as "for whom the Wheel of Dharma is turning") is a term used in Indian religions for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler's reign is called sarvabhauma

In Buddhism and Jainism, three types of Chakravartins are distinguished:

cakravala cakravartin, a ruler over all four continents postulated in ancient Indian cosmography

dvipa cakravartin a ruler over only one of four continents

pradesa cakravartin, a ruler over only part of a continent.

The first references to a cakravala cakravartin appear in monuments of the Maurya period (322–185 BCE), dedicated to Ashoka the Great. It has not been generally used for any other historic figure. The cakravartin in Buddhism came to be considered the secular counterpart of a Buddha. According to Buddha Shakyamuni in the Majjhima Nikaya a woman can never be(come) a chakravartin. Bhikshuni Heng-Ching Shih states referring to women in Buddhism: "Women are said to have five obstacles, namely being incapable of becoming a Brahma King, 'Sakra', King 'Mara', Cakravartin or Buddha."

In general, the term applies to temporal as well as spiritual kingship and leadership, particularly in Buddhism and Jainism. In Hinduism, the term generally denotes a powerful ruler, whose dominion extended to the entire earth.

Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata, twelve princes beginning with Bharata are considered Chakravartins.

Ikshvaku, the son of Ila of the Suryavanshi lineage after whom India was named as Ilavarta and Eelam. In Hindu mythology he is said to have conquered the world.

Bharat was the son of the Puru Dynasty. The official name of the Republic of India, Bhārat in Hindi and Bhāratam in Sanskrit is named after him. He was able to conquer the whole Indian subcontinent. Legend holds that he even conquered regions outside of the Subcontinent such as Afghanistan (then referred to as Gandhara) and Tibet (then referred to as Bhūta).

Shibi, famous in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He sacrificed his flesh. There have been several dynasties which have claimed heritage from Emperor Shibi's line. The Cholas were one of the dynasties and they referred to him as Sembiyan.

Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan, a Sangam age king said in inscriptions to have conquered up to the Himalayas.